I moved the tractor coop over to the shaded woodsy summer spot. It's been so hot so soon! I've been preparing another run back there but decided the heat near our shale "parking lot" is just too much and the netting would be okay for now, with the electric fence all around. And, I discovered a new nesting area they've made under the coop, I presume because it's been too hot for them in the coop during the day. Watched Popcorn lay her egg there - she lets out a scream-wail just before she lays, and she did that three times yesterday, unusual, so I went out to see what was going on. She laid it quietly, just huffing a bit as she pushed, and then hopped right over to the feeder to eat afterwards. There were two eggs already there.
Much cooler in the woodsy spot. Cleaned and jet-sprayed the coop all down today before moving, then moved it, sprayed coop protector and let that dry, then put chopped hemp in the nestbox and poop tray. Popcorn, who forages like nobodies business and keeps me company wherever I am out there, hopped up in the open back and inspected before much was reassembled. Then she got in again and tried out the nestbox just when I got the hemp and fake eggs in. Here she is.
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She settled on the eggs and pulled them under her. What, Popcorn you just laid an egg yesterday, are you going broody? She resettled twice more, spreading her wing out to make sure she covered four of the fake eggs.
Hazel came in to see what was going on, then went out and stood on the veranda. I went back to get more things and heard who I think was Hazel doing the escort call so I went back. Popcorn was out. She didn't lay an egg.
I've been noticing how much escort and companion duty Hazel does, but have seen it mostly with Peanut and Butters. This was nice that she did that for Popcorn. Popcorn doesn't really have a close buddy in the gang.
