Eggs Galore!

We found 22 eggs today! I looked and only saw two eggs in the nest box this morning. Then later when our dear grand son went out with a friend he looked in the loft of the coop and found a stash of eggs. Today's total an amazing twenty - two eggs! ! ! The eggs found in the coop loft were all small pullet eggs. Cold however I put one of the portable nest boxes in the loft for us to look in after this hopefully the hen that's been stashing eggs in the loft will lay in that! Now I know where one of the hens was gone this morning just disappeared I looked all over for her several times have not idea where she was but around noon she showed up. I assume she came down from the loft. 


Dear grandson assured me he could climb up there and check for eggs when he was over but it seems that he had not been checking the loft as per our instructions after I put straw up there the hens had the perfect spot and they were concealed. I looked on the lower part for eggs stashed but there were none below. I have a flower pot with straw in it for them to lay in this is the first day that we found one in it too! 

We checked them to see if they floated and they did not and used a couple and seem to be fine! This is one memorable day! [They were cold; small pullet eggs.] Our grandson is taking home eighteen eggs today he had been wanting to fill one of those cartons that hold 18 eggs so we was able to fulfill that dream!   

You can bet he will be checking up there every time he is here from now on! His friend from down the street was with him to see the baby chicks after school and held the basket filling it as grandson handed him the eggs! They will both be talking about that over dinner tonight when they give the chicken and egg report! 


I think "the friendly hen" a barred rock might be in molt I had no idea how much of a challenge it was to keep hens laying consistently. Plus trying to figure out the rotation for replacement hens. Our replacement project was not the success we hoped it would be with four of the six being roosters and the hens that did start to lay are small. With only two replacements I had to think about a different plan so we bought some others this winter in December. Getting various breeds helped us to know what ones will not work out as well and we did not realize that smaller ones combined with bigger ones could be problematic as the bigger ones can be bullies; so we looked for breeds of similar size and temperament then settled on all the same ones hoping we can tell them apart when they are grown! 

I really enjoy watching the hens in the yard while I'm doing my kitchen chores! Looking out the window and seeing them.