Eggcitement!!!

September 14, 2008

This weekend has been very egg-citing! Yesterday afternoon I went out to play with the chickens, change their water, etc. Paddy Cakes (the one in picture above) was making a funny little noise I had not heard before. I started thinking that perhaps she had laid an egg. I looked behind the feed can and sure enough, there was a beautiful little white egg. I don't think Paddy laid the egg as it's my understanding that the Cochins will lay brown eggs and the Polish will lay the white eggs. So - it must be either Lilliput or Truly. I was so excited that I immediately went in the house and called Momma, and Beth, and Kelly, and Kate. I just had to share this. I went back out and put each of the girls up in the nesting boxes with the fake eggs hoping they would get the hint that that's where I want them to lay.

This morning I found another egg just like yesterday's egg. It was not behind the feed can and it was not in the nesting boxes - it was just laying there in the middle of the house all protected by the pine shavings. I said thank you, gave them a treat and went in to fix breakfast. Peaches (kitty) enjoyed checking them out. I blew the eggs out by pricking each end with a pin so I could keep them. I won't do this to all of the eggs of course but did want to keep the first one. I got out the 'ol iron skillet and went to work. What a delight.

Anticipation is Keeping Me Waiting

It's the first week in September!!!! That means my chicks are 20 weeks old and that means there could be some eggs any time now. The nesting boxes have been installed, straw added, strips of burlap to darken the boxes, faux eggs placed in the nests and a sturdy ramp has been built up to the boxes. I've put each one of the girls in one of the boxes just to acclimate them to it and to show them they actually can fly down from there. I've also put them on the ramp just for good measure. I've added a lightbulb with a timer so they have 16 hours of light. Gosh, I almost feel bad about waking them up so early. I have a frying pan in one hand and a spatula in the other . . . anticipation. This past weekend I put them in the run so I could clean out the coop, disinfected everything, put in fresh pine shavings, and sprinkled in some Seven Dust. I know, I know, I really didn't need to to that yet but I figured I'd do it now and that way, I'm covered all winter. They were put back in the coop and I proceeded to clean out the run. Didn't do the disinfecting and Seven Dust sprinkling outside of course, but did add fresh straw and a big plastic box of play sand (I swear pink is all they had) for dust bathing. I continue to take them fresh greens each morning and tomatoes when someone gives me some homegrown ones. I also have discovered that they will eat "cat treats" (you know the little moist morsels) out of my hand. We're having a good time. See pictures above of Lilliput checking out the nesting boxes (Hmm, wonder what those oval things are?), Bok Choy and Lilli, a side view of Truly Scrumptious, outdoor playtime, Truly and Lilli enjoying cucumbers, a "Hen House Party," and the nesting boxes.

Hey, dig this. I've been searching the Internet for a poultry show to attend and haven't been able to find anything or get anyone to answer my inquiries. A colleague handed me a brochure the other day of the Virginia State Fair - guess what? Poultry judging! Yeah and only 2 hours away! I'll be high-tailing it bright and early to see what it's all about.