Since I was out of town last week when two of my EEs started laying, I've been wondering which one lays the bluish egg, and which one lays the green egg. So this morning when I went out to check on the chickens, both the EEs plus the Ancona were up in the coop - vying for nest box space. I opened the door of the coop, pulled up a chair, and sat down to watch the action - hoping my presence wouldn't delay their laying. Since the coop is on top of the pen, the door is right at my eye level when I'm sitting in a chair.
The Ancona (who has been laying in the nest box for a couple weeks now), went in and out of two different nest boxes - then walked over to the door and proceeded to lay her white egg on the floor of the coop less than a foot from where I was peering in. Cool!
Then I turned my gaze back to the EEs. The Ancona was their "lamaze" coach - staying in the coop, and bawk-bawking as the two EEs pushed and pecked each other trying to fit into the same nest box. After a few minutes, the darker EE, Annabelle, laid her egg - right in the nest box - again only a few inches from me. Annabelle's egg was a beautiful blue. She immediately went down the ladder and joined the other pullets in the pen below. That left the other EE, Ariel, and the Ancona up in the coop. Oreo (Ancona) continued her coaching - bawk-bawking and pecking around Ariel as Ariel proceeded to scratch around the nest box and finally - pop - she laid a gorgeous green egg. Then Ariel headed down the ladder. Oreo, though, even though she had laid her egg only a little while earlier, proceeded to settle down in a nest box. Thirty minutes later she was still sitting there.
Anyway - I watched three eggs being laid - up close and personal - and the girls didn't seem to mind being observed one bit.
The Ancona (who has been laying in the nest box for a couple weeks now), went in and out of two different nest boxes - then walked over to the door and proceeded to lay her white egg on the floor of the coop less than a foot from where I was peering in. Cool!
Then I turned my gaze back to the EEs. The Ancona was their "lamaze" coach - staying in the coop, and bawk-bawking as the two EEs pushed and pecked each other trying to fit into the same nest box. After a few minutes, the darker EE, Annabelle, laid her egg - right in the nest box - again only a few inches from me. Annabelle's egg was a beautiful blue. She immediately went down the ladder and joined the other pullets in the pen below. That left the other EE, Ariel, and the Ancona up in the coop. Oreo (Ancona) continued her coaching - bawk-bawking and pecking around Ariel as Ariel proceeded to scratch around the nest box and finally - pop - she laid a gorgeous green egg. Then Ariel headed down the ladder. Oreo, though, even though she had laid her egg only a little while earlier, proceeded to settle down in a nest box. Thirty minutes later she was still sitting there.
Anyway - I watched three eggs being laid - up close and personal - and the girls didn't seem to mind being observed one bit.
