Adventures in Egg Laying

The Mystery Bin Chicks are growing up and trying new things.  They are seventeen and a half weeks old now, and I guess that it’s time.

The last time I posted, I mentioned that Stacey has been investigating all the laying boxes and making mini nests.

I got a cool video of her digging her way into one of the nests, building the sides up really high.  She likes deep beds she can hide in.

I posted it on Instagram but I will share here, too.

For my 100th Instagram post, here's a rare look at a young pullet building her first nest. Stacey seems to want very high privacy walls because scratched and dug her way to the very bottom of the beds. Through generous layers of straw, wood chips and sawdust. I'd say she's got a 5 inches of of nest surrounding her right now! #poultry #goldencomets #mysterybinchicks #pullets #chickens #chickensofinstagram #100thpost #100thpostoninstagram #layingeggs 🐔❤️🐣💜

A post shared by Debc@Thereachick (@thereachick) on Jul 1, 2016 at 5:37am PDT

She went on to lay her first egg later that day.

Stacey is a neurotic new layer. Every morning she jumps into every single empty laying bed, fusses and digs and then hops out.  Nest after nest until, finally, she goes into the nest she laid her first egg in and lays the egg.  I don’t know what she’s looking for and not finding in those other nests, but it’s becoming her new morning ritual.

Sadly, in her attempts to find a good place to lay, she caused trouble I did not need.

I took Abby out of her broody bed, as usual, not thinking that anything would happen.  Stacey came along right behind me and jumped into Abby’s nest. She knocked one egg out of the nest (it broke) and stepped on another.  I got her out, put her in another bed with much scolding and went straight to find Abby, interrupted her dirt bath, and plopped her back on the nest.

Now, I’m not letting Abby out every morning any more.  Maybe every other day and during times when Stacey is done laying her egg.  I’m so heartbroken over the eggs lost.  Mickey and I had just candled them (yes, I broke down and bought a candler) to see if all the other badness could be overcome.  The only upside is that the eggs lost were two I had question marked because I didn’t think they were developing. I won’t, however, be risking any more eggs in that manner.

This morning, right around the same time Stacey was doing her morning bed inspections, one of the other little girls, Candy, climbed into a nest and began rearranging.

Again, I have video on Instagram.  Here it is…ourhappy homemaker.

Candy building a nest. Could I have another new egg layer soon? Hopefully, she won't be as neurotic as Stacey about finding the perfect nest for her egg. #chickensofinstagram #pullets #goldencomets #mysterybinchicks #layingeggs

A post shared by Debc@Thereachick (@thereachick) on Jul 4, 2016 at 5:56am PDT

I checked back later and found the tiniest little egg there.

No matter how you slice it, Candy’s egg is small.  🙂

Last but not least…

Here are some random visitors to the barnyard…