An early Christmas gift . . .
this morning when I went to the coop to check on the chickens I found that one of the Austrolope hens (the black ones) was sitting peacefully in the nest box. She stayed there while I fussed with the waterer, which had frozen, and when I was done I decided to check under her just in case. Sure enough, she’d laid our very first egg and I know it was her because it was actually still warm and damp when I picked it up.
Its not very large but nicely shaped and when I “candled” it over the flashlight it looks like the yolk takes up most of the inside.
And here is a shot of “our” egg next to one that is rated as “large” from the grocery store. The home grown is the one on the left:
Looks like I’ll actually have to go inside the coop each morning from now on! And I’d guess that by the time we use up what I have in the fridge from the store that I many not need to buy any more. Isn’t that neat?
And it will be fun, as the others start laying, to see what colors we actually wind up with . . . we should have a range of shades of brown, some white and then the blue/green ones, with each hen laying its own unique shade. Guess I’ll have to start carrying a basket down with me when I go!
16 Dec 2007 Margaret
ain’t it great!!!!!!!!!
Excellent!!
Some times when young hens lay their first clutch runs on the small size they will probley get bigger dependent upon the breed.