Feeling a little silly

We checked for Miss Milligan's egg mid morning but she hadn't laid one so we were thinking it was her day off, but when I peeked in the laying box later in the day, there it was, another perfect little egg.

That evening I began to feel a little silly that I was so excited about Miss Milligan's eggs. After all, she is a chicken and chickens do lay eggs, so really, all the fuss was about ... what?

Had I really emailed people about the egg? Had I really whooped in joy? Oops, yes, I had.
But then that night I was talking to a chook-loving friend, and she talked about 'grandmotherly feelings' toward your first egg.

So I figured, either I'm more normal than I think, or there are at least two loopy chicken lovers on the loose.

A blurry Miss Milligan on the move. Maybe to lay another egg!

Now she's got it

I looked around the chooks' garden this morning for an egg, but couldn't find one so I checked the laying box (just in case) and there it was, Miss Milligan's third egg! Now she's got the hang of it. She's a very clever chooky.

This egg collecting business will become part of my very happy, enjoyable routine.

                                                                    Triplets :)

Marvellous

I am such a twerp. I can't bring myself to eat the first egg. I keep looking at it and marvelling over how clever chickens are, especially Miss Milligan.

The second egg today was once again in the garden, very close to where she laid the first one. I found it about half past ten and it was still warm so I don't think it had been long out of the factory.

A couple of things I've learned to look for in a chicken that's about to lay are:

* Scratching in the nesting box for a few days prior to laying (but they won't necessarily use it if caught by surprise).
* Being extra hungry. In the last few days Miss Milligan started jumping onto my knee to be the first to the treat.
* The wattle and comb on her head are now fully grown. I think.

Yippee!

It has finally happened; we have our first egg thanks to the wonderful, fantastic, super clever Miss Milligan. Now all she needs is to figure out what the nesting box is for :)

                                           Miss Milligan is checking out this strange thing.

                                                                        Yeap, I did that!

                  In case you can't find the egg, it's in the middle of the photo 

(not the orange to the left).

Ready and Waiting

I'm ready for the eggs. Now all I need are the chickens to cooperate.

Strange Happenings in the Hen House

I went to the clothesline then thought I'd just pop up and visit the chickens to say hello. And while I was there I peeked into the nesting box (I mean, you never know, our girls have to lay an egg eventually), and all of the wood shavings had been pushed to one side until the bottom of the box was showing.

I can't tell you how excited I was. I started sorting through the bunched up litter, then I thought, What if a snake has done this? Do snakes do that? So I still sorted through it, albeit carefully, and there was no egg, but I'm certain we're getting closer.

Maybe that's why Miss Milligan's been singing loudly lately. She's getting closer to being the proud mother of her first egg.

            It doesn't matter how carefully you look at it, little chook. It's still not an egg!

The Waiting Game

When will we get an egg? I'm beginning to think our chickens don't know how to lay one.

I've been saving egg cartons ever since we decided to get chickens and they are on the pantry shelf, stacked to the ceiling.

Maybe I'm being too nice to the hens. Maybe I shouldn't have said that I love them for just being them and that any eggs they decided to give us would be a bonus. Maybe I should talk tough to them. "Now listen up, chickens..."

I think I'll go and try that.

             I have found that saw dust in the nesting boxes works better than straw as it's easier to clean out.