Unsecure chicken perches

[cluckynikki]

As I get so much pleasure from reading everyone else's posts, I thought I would share my experience this morning. Dear daughter who is supposed to get up at 7.30am to let the two hens out of the eglu had overslept so I put on my dressing gown and went out to the eglu to open the door and let Tilly and Coffee out.

 

All quiet ... unexpected, as it was 8am. Still, I thought they would come bursting through the door in a race to be the first out as soon as it was opened. I turned the handle. Nothing. No sound of scrambling of feet either.

 

Out of curiosity I opened the eggport door. There I could see Tilly sat right on top of Coffee at a right angle. All I could see of Coffee was her little head and beak sticking out from the side of Tilly's body. Neither moved for a few seconds but they both started a little clicking noises, a bit like the angry clicking noises they make when they are not pleased that I am intruding, normally when cleaning out their eglu.

 

After a few seconds Coffee managed to extricate herself from under Tilly and headed out the door. Tilly immediately took over the whole of the nest box, fluffed up, looked to be straining a bit - bottom down so she was just like a plane about to take off into the skies - gave a bit of a wiggle, and then walked off ... leaving a wet steaming egg in the nest!

 

I was amazed and felt I had witnessed something quite special. It was even more amazing as I would have put money on it that it was Tilly who was the one of my two which is currently laying softies ... and has been doing so for the past two months. Maybe it is coffee who is the culprit after all.

 

It was lovely to hear that new little gentle clicking noise which was interspersed with little chirrups whilst the laying was in progress .. something I had not heard or seen before!

 

Chickens are amazing creatures!

[Daphne]

Indeed they are - glad you've had a lovely start to Sunday

[Lewis]

[ISCA]

Thanks for that great story

 

Mine are too young to lay but i keep reading about "softies" but am unsure what they are. Is it an egg with a sqidgy/leathery shell that can still be broken and eaten or is it like an egg with no shell at all? Sorry if it seems a daft question but i really have no idea!!!

 

Do all pullets start of laying softies? Can older hens lay softies too?

[sandyhas3chucks]

It really is a delightful sound isn't it? makes me go all warm and gooey inside and smile stupidly!!!

[chickyhazel]

Thanks for that great story

 

Mine are too young to lay but i keep reading about "softies" but am unsure what they are. Is it an egg with a sqidgy/leathery shell that can still be broken and eaten or is it like an egg with no shell at all? Sorry if it seems a daft question but i really have no idea!!!

 

Do all pullets start of laying softies? Can older hens lay softies too?

Softies are eggs with a soft or thin shell which breaks when it is laid. this leaves behind a gooey mess. Chickens often start out laying softies but not always. Calcium helps, this can be got from oyster shell grit, or mixed poultry grit. Some people also give things like cuttlrfish but I find it unnecessary. Yes, older hens with a calcium deficiency can lay softies, especially hens laying their last few eggs. Often the last egg from a chicken is a softie, but again that isn't always the case.

[chick wiggle]

How wonderful, im jealous, i still have never caught them laying

[ISCA]

Thanks Chickyhazel