We knew something was up with Barbara last night. When I got home she was up in the chicken house, and although she jumped down when I shook the pot of corn we keep in the greenhouse for a quick and easy chicken treat, she spent more time squatting down and parting her tail feathers than pecking at the yellow grains.
That was when we first suspected something might be brewing.
And then this morning, as we opened the coop and took a look in the nesting box, they were all crammed in there as usual, but while Gerry and Margot were happily stood straight up, Barbara was squatting again, and splaying her tail and looking for all the world like she had a bad case of stomach cramps.
She came down for some breakfast and then retreated once more to the coop. She was gone for some time.
We had always suspected Barbara might be the first to produce an egg. She’s the biggest and most chicken-like of the lot, with a tall comb and bright red wattles that wobble as she shakes her head.
Yet she didn’t manage to squeeze one out in the box. She waddled back down the ladder looking most uncomfortable and then suddenly, pop – out came an egg, and landed on the dusty floor of the run. Immediate relief. She went over to the feeding bra and started to busy herself with breakfast proper, while Margot and Gerry went over to look at the alien orb that had landed in the middle of their world.
Margot is confused by the arrival of the first egg
It’s not a big egg by any means, but then early ones never are. I’m just hoping that being first off the mark and very much the mother of the coop she’ll encourage her sisters into action.
It’s felt like an age waiting for the first egg to happen, but in reality it’s been less than a month. Barbara was an egg herself just 21 weeks ago.
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YAY! It’s ridiculously exciting isn’t it? What colour is yours? I think my Mendlesham Blue and my Fenning Black are both laying as of yesterday. I’ve had pale terracotta eggs for around a week, but now I’ve got white with a hint of pink ones too. Your Babs looks like my Black. I’m thinking you might be able to help me solve the mystery of who lays what.