Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Lost Eggs and BO

Do you ever wonder why you're not getting as many eggs as you should be? Wonder where on earth your hens are laying that is so much more attractive than the boxes you have painstakingly prepared for them and check each and every day? Search no more. As we were getting the patio fireplace pulled out from under the lean-to so our daughters and their friends could roast smores over the weekend, lo and behold...eggs! Yep, apparently our hens don't feel the least bit frightened about being roasted up for dinner and conveniently laid some eggs in the fireplace. Fried eggs anyone?


 


 

 So now we know where the layers are laying, but if you are BO, you are no longer laying, but setting on eggs. Here you can see the box in the corner. Actually, it is the top of a dog crate but it works wonderfully. DH simply placed it over her as she was setting on the eggs in the corner of the hen house, and as you can see, the chicken wire is separating the two sides of the hen house.




He then went into the other side and cut out a piece of the wood and lifted the wire up. It will be simple enough to fix when she hopefully has raised some little chicks. She has the whole side to herself. We usually call it the sick pen because we put injured or ill chickens on that side, but for now I think we will call it the nursery. You can see she is not exactly impressed with all the attention and she is not letting on if she likes the arrangement or not. Time will tell.

 


8 comments:

  1. You've got to love chickens....you guys have a nice place.

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    1. Thanks, Stephen. I think chickens are a love-hate relationship around here, at least DH thinks so every time he goes out to put them up for the evening. There is always one or two who apparently don't want to be fed and safe from predators, so they run as fast as they can away from tranquility of their pen in hopes of... well, I don't know what the chickens are thinking.

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  2. i had a friend who couldn't find her eggs either and found them after clearing out an old shed - they were in the coal stove - bahahahaha! Bo's got herself a nice, new place to set now. i guess she likes to be surrounded or something? ahhh chickens...can't live with them...and you know the rest! bahahahah!

    your friend,
    kymber

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    1. Isn't if funny the odd little places hens will lay when egg laying time arrives? We found about 60 one summer under the mower attachment for the tractor. They were ripe!

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  3. Good luck with your broody hen! We did the same thing when we had a broody on the floor of the coop; just put a big ol' box over her as not to disturb her (too much).

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    1. Carolyn Renee,

      Did that work for your hen? Did she raise her chicks?

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  4. Silly chickens! I love your fireplace, not that something to really consider making here!!!!

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    1. The fireplace is really handy. DH put wheels on it so we can move it around. It's great in the evenings and handy for smore making.

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Your thoughts are welcome!