We have a dark Brahma, Frack, who for a while laid an egg upstairs in our bed, until one day she fell down the stairs. Almost 4 years ago, we found an end table/dog crate, so we convinced Frack to lay there instead of going up stairs. Well, she "told" Blackie (Jersey Giant) about her posh spot. The next thing you know, Blackie started coming inside to lay. Sometimes there was a traffic jam, but most times they lay at different times, so there's no problem.
Well, Frack got sick this summer and I thought we were going to lose her. She quit laying around October, I think. After some tender loving care, she recovered from her mystery illness (I think it was botulism), but she was no longer laying. I figured because she was pretty old (around 7 years) that was normal. This week, surprisingly, she started laying again. So far it has been three days in a row.
This morning, Blackie came in to lay her egg, same as usual. About 1/2 hour after she went back outside, I heard pecking at the door. Expecting Frack, I looked up to see Domino (light Brahma), pecking at the door. I opened the door to ask her what she thought she was doing (yes, I talk to my chickens, doesn't everyone?). She came marching in and went straight to the crate. This is a chicken who has never come in before! She didn't even have to look around, just marched straight across the living room floor to the crate, went inside, and started rearranging the hay. About 1/2 hour later, she gets up, steps out of the crate, and starts her egg song. Sure enough, there's an egg in the crate!
So, logic tells me that Blackie or Frack "tattled." How else would Domino know about the crate? And ... what the heck am I going to do if they tattle to the other 30-ish hens!!??
Well, Frack got sick this summer and I thought we were going to lose her. She quit laying around October, I think. After some tender loving care, she recovered from her mystery illness (I think it was botulism), but she was no longer laying. I figured because she was pretty old (around 7 years) that was normal. This week, surprisingly, she started laying again. So far it has been three days in a row.
This morning, Blackie came in to lay her egg, same as usual. About 1/2 hour after she went back outside, I heard pecking at the door. Expecting Frack, I looked up to see Domino (light Brahma), pecking at the door. I opened the door to ask her what she thought she was doing (yes, I talk to my chickens, doesn't everyone?). She came marching in and went straight to the crate. This is a chicken who has never come in before! She didn't even have to look around, just marched straight across the living room floor to the crate, went inside, and started rearranging the hay. About 1/2 hour later, she gets up, steps out of the crate, and starts her egg song. Sure enough, there's an egg in the crate!
So, logic tells me that Blackie or Frack "tattled." How else would Domino know about the crate? And ... what the heck am I going to do if they tattle to the other 30-ish hens!!??
