Brooding hen has chicks in nesting box

[Guest]

Evangeline's egg has arrived at last! Found it in the poo tray this morning, but that was probably because someone else was occupying the nest box overnight - she certainly knew she was supposed to be in the nest box yesterday lunchtime when she had her unproductive 'sit' for an hour. Now she just needs to get the shells right......

[Egluntyne]

There are often a few blips when they are new to laying.

 

At least she is up and running.

[Earthchild]

Great news

 

We had a softie on the roosting bars too - I think it's a right of passage

[Guest]

Didn't actually eat it - there was a hole in the top and it HAD been in the poo tray! But opened it up and it had a small but perfectly formed white and yolk. Tonight Evangeline seems quite tired - standing and closing her eyes. Although she perked up when they had their corn for supper. Hope she is OK...

[Hen Watch]

They can look hunched and unwell if they are about to pass a softie.

 

Mine lot are very tidy hens and usually lay softies on the roosting bars (which drop into the tray) rather than in the nestbox. But mine are now old enough to realise they taste nice too and very often the perfectly formed egg yolk, white and thin papery shell are consumed in minutes.

[Guest]

This is turning into a blog! Another soft one this morning. As you said. her looking peeky last night is a sign of a hen who is about to lay a soft egg... Today's would have been a double yolker had it all been in a shell.....

[Blackrocksrock]

She will get it right eventually - I had a couple of softees too and then they sorted themselves out.

[Guest]

Thanks for the reassurance. She looked all hunched again about an hour ago and has disappeared in to sit on the nest. I feel very sorry for her - poor thing...