the chicken and the egg

We bought twelve hens a couple of months ago, White Leghorns, 20 weeks old, at point of lay.

After two weeks, we lost one. Which is a euphemism along the lines of 'sleeping with the angels' (as opposed to 'lost her in the woods'/ 'lost her down the plughole' etc.)

I was worried it was something I'd neglected or fed her incorrectly or something, but the other eleven seem to be thriving so who knows. 

We had two eggs on the first day and thought we were so clever. Cancelled the egg order with our local food co-op, all systems go. And then no eggs. Just those first two – then nothing. 

For about six weeks.

Tilly has taken on the responsibility of feeding the chooks. 

Here, below, she's assessing whether the food in the chook bucket is really for the chickens or whether she could have another go at that crust.

No one liked that white jasmine rice. Maybe the chooks will.

Yep.

 The nesting boxes we started with had no roofs and we wondered if that might be inhibiting them. Adam knocked up some new ones, marvellous man.

'Cept they still didn't lay in them. Sat ON them, as you can see… daft birds. See the wooden egg there chickies, that's your clue!

Then a few days ago I found an egg. Not in the gorgeous roofed nesting boxes, but in the corner of the roosting room, on the floor. 

Tilly started checking in the corner every day, and we've got a regular layer. Hooray!

And then yesterday…

There's an egg in the nesting box! There's an EGG in the nesting box!

We won't count our chickens before they're hatched (guffaw) but I reckon we're on our way to an omlette.

Hope you lovely folk have had a marvellous week, thanks for taking the time to stop in here. I'm so grateful for your company.

xxx