I think I liked Ella better before she started laying eggs. She didn't lay yesterday and the pen stayed clean. Today I found that she pulled all the hay out of the nest box and spread it all over the sand portion of the pen, shredded the newspaper lining their little "coop," tossed the pieces everywhere, then laid her egg beside the waterer on some of the shredded newspaper. And I found Thunderhead wedged between the waterer and the side of the pen, soaked up one side because he had one foot in the water. I'm glad the rest of the flock's outside instead of in my mudroom!
I set up Ella's nest box with some shredded newspaper and golf balls, hoping she'll accept that and take a hint that eggs belong there. She seems to think small pieces of newspaper are better to lay eggs on than hay. And it's the good hay I give my guinea pigs--second cut timothy, which is very soft.
The male chicken sperm can continue to fettilize a hens eggs for up to a month. The freshest sperm is usually what hits the eggs furthest along in the oviduct but there could still be the possibility of multiple fathers. I remove cocks from the breeding pen and let the hens rest for a month to continue laying eggs before I introduce a new male. Often I wait longer to be sure.
To be absolutely certain, keep her separated for a full month or more. Hens can hold on to sperm for a LONG time.
The one on hte right and front left are not good for breeding greys. The one in the center is to out of focus to tell, and hte one in back on hte left is too hidden by hte one in front. For greys, you do not want ANY red or gold feathering.[/URL]
Project greys, what do you all think?
