We spent a great deal of time at the drawing board designing the perfect ... hen house. Plenty of room, plenty of nest boxes, just the right amount of light and fresh air. Seemed pretty spiffy to us.
Not sure what went wrong.The girls hung out in their new castle for awhile and did a pretty good job keeping us supplied with eggs. Then ... zero. Nothing. No eggs, ZIP-O!
They still went about the gardening thing, but seemed to be ignoring their purpose for ... being here!
It was quite by accident that we discovered what was going on. Actually, the horse gave it away. Royal would only eat on one side of his feed box, carefully avoiding the far corner... the side that was filled with eggs ... and a chicken.
Hummm ... was this an opinion of our architectural skills? Was the hen house the wrong style? Did they prefer English Tudor?
So, we rounded up the girls and had a little conference. They were given some time-out in their quarters for a few days. I mean, Easter is one thing with this egg hunt business, but everyday?
They got the idea. Now, they are agreeable to laying eggs in the proper place.
What a relief. We weren't exactly looking forward to building another chicken house.
haha, maybe they just like Royal's company?
ReplyDeleteYou know, Barngoddess, I think you are right. Royal seems to have charm. The chickens and the geese follow him around, plus Mouse-Trap parks himself on the stall window.
ReplyDeleteDo you think your chickens could be making nests where you won't be taking the eggs in the hopes of baby chickens? In the picture she looks like she is nesting.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they need a boyfriend? Baby chicks are sooooooo cute!
Jolynna,
ReplyDeleteYou are right! Lucy definitely has the mother instinct.
We once had a duck egg along with the chicken eggs. What an adorable family group that was.
They stayed pals until the pond situation came along. I must have a photo of that ... somewhere.
Royal must be a royal charmer. The chicks no a charmer when they meet one. I hope you have it all resolved. Hunting eggs was never one of my favorite parts about farming. Once I brought an egg into the house and it hatched on my kitchen counter! Now that was a shocker!
ReplyDeleteKathleen Marie,
ReplyDeleteNow, that would be a surprise. Did you then have a new pet?
Seems everything around here becomes a family member one way or another.
Baby chicks with a little duck as part of the group does sound like a cute picture!
ReplyDeleteYou are making me want chickens.
Jolynna,
ReplyDeleteChickens have amazing personalities. Never imagined that until I had different varieties.
The ones that amuse me the most are the RI Reds. They are such busy-bodies and bond with people. They become pets, regardless of what we do.
Highly recommend them. Not to mention all the fresh eggs.
I can only imagine the wonderful things you would cook up in your kitchen !!