The girls have been queuing up to use the nest box today - but only 2 eggs so far. I wonder if the queue is because of the foul weather we're having? Perhaps they're just trying to get in there to have some respite from the wind and the rain.
Lian went up earlier and reported that Merida was in the nest box, so she couldn't see if there were any eggs. Merida was in there for an awful long time - we thought she was trying to lay a whole clutch at one time!
When I went up, Merida was outside in the run, but Mirri was in the box, she was in there for an absolute age too. Eventually I went up and she was outside, so I had a look in the nest box and found one lovely warm egg. I noticed that the shredded paper that I put in there on top of the sawdust was quite damp (obviously from wet hens sitting on it), so I went back down to the 'greenhouse' to fetch another bucket of sawdust to replenish the nest box and the "poop tray" in the bottom of the hen house.
As I moved that paper shreds I found another egg! It seems as if Mirri had found Merida's egg in the nest box, buried it and then laid her own on the top of the paper. Hmmm - I must remember to check through the paper and the sawdust next time I go up.
I have also found that the hens are very fond of raw potatoes - I found some with quite large eyes growing in the veggie store in the shed, so took them up and tossed them in with the hens (yup, I went "chook, chook, chook" and they all came a-runnin' to see what I'd brought them this time!). The scramble to get to the tatties was amazing - with pushing and barging, shouldering others out of the way, and the occasional indignant squawk as Whitey pushed her way in - but then again she is the dominant hen (not that it does her any favours where Peck is concerned!)
Next egg-check 1500 hrs
Chooks' tea time 1700 hrs
Can't wait to see that hilariously funny "full nappy run" they do!!
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