so fascinating! ...the non egg layers

[omi4500]

Alrighty...as some of you know, one of this newbie's chickens laid her first egg on Monday afternoon.

She laid her 2nd egg approx 40 hours later around 830am this morning. *happy sigh* Those two wee brown eggs = EGGS-CITING stuff around here!!

This morning, we knew the egg was coming because we could hear "Oreo" singing her egg song beforehand (actually the others chimed in too and it was quite the announcement!). She was in and out of the nesting boxes, trying different ones, and in and out of the hen house, etc (ultimately, she laid her egg on the floor of the run like she did on Monday). However, while she was sitting in one of the nesting boxes before laying her egg, one of the other chickens did something that was very interesting. Just curious what this behavior is all about... my Welsummer also went into the hen house and stood in front of Oreo while she was nesting in the box. The Wellie stood still as a statue the whole time - I mean, she didn't even move a little. She was intently watching Oreo - almost as if guarding? Curious? I don't know - but it was fascinating to see this behavior and we're all wondering what it means in the chicken egg laying world!

On a side note, I think I'll put a golf ball in a nesting box to hopefully encourage Oreo to lay her eggs there. )

Thanks ~ Liz

 

[lazy gardener]

I don't know what goes on in the little pea brains of these birds, but have observed that certain birds will form friendships, and do every thing together: forage, sharing tidbits, dust baths, and if one goes to the nest box, the other will wait patiently outside the box, and help with the egg song before, during and after the egg production. The golf ball is a wonderful idea, 2 balls, even better. I have a box in the coop that no one really likes. It had a blue plastic egg in it. I noticed that they kept kicking the egg out of the box... the box that they won't use. They carted it across the coop to the opposite corner, and deposited it in a little hollow in the shavings that they have deemed to be nest worthy. Since they won't use any of the extra boxes I've offered, I'm indulging their decorating attempts for now, until I build the new coop.

 

[chicmom]

I think chickens are just so curious. And you wonder, what are they thinking! If only they could talk....

Perhaps your hen laying the egg was saying, "Girls, GIRLS! I think that roundish thing is coming out of my bum again! Come watch!"

 

[lazy gardener]

When ever I go in the garage to get something, I have a parade of groupies come along to see what I'm up to. Cat, and as many chickens as can squeeze through the door before I kick them out.

 

[omi4500]

Thanks for your feedback and stories. ADR me smile & laugh. Chickens certainly are curious - and nosy! I heart them so much! I will dig out golf balls or plastic eggs for the nesting boxes and see where Oero's next egg ends up. )