Garden Hens

Comment by James Dixon on January 23, 2011 at 18:26

I have noticed that these newly laid eggs have a spiral groove running around the outside if the shell.

Does anybody know what this groove is, and if this is normal when a chicken first starts laying??

Comment by Karin on January 27, 2011 at 10:41

Hello James, we find that the white doesn't cook so well if the eggs are very fresh, so we tend to wait a few days before we use them.

Comment by Karin on January 27, 2011 at 10:49

BonnieScot, we have foxes in our garden, so we don't let our chickens out except while we are watching them. We have 3 hens in an ark big enough for 5 with a run added, so they have plenty of room to move.  We have wire mesh under the ark and run when they are on the grass.  We have moved them to the patio for the Winter. 

 

In addition we have fenced an area off for them to stay in when we are watching them.  this fencing, which is about 4 foot high and encloses the ark and run seems to deter foxes, although perhaps not if the chickens were out of the run.  When we left the entrance open foxes weresometimes climbing over the run and sending the hens into a blind panic with feathers flying everywhere.  Since we closed the entrance the foxes seem to have left them alone, at least while they were shut in their run.   I have quite a few posts about chickens on my blog, some of which you might find helpful.  There is an index on the right hand side.

Comment by Mo on January 27, 2011 at 10:55

James, You can get all kinds of weird and wonderful shapes and designs on your eggs, nothing to worry about as long as the shell is well formed and isn't soft.

Comment by Karin on January 27, 2011 at 11:03

James, we have Warrens, which is a hybrid bred for maximum egg output. Next time round we shall probably go for something a bit different.  Sometimes they lay very big eggs, too big for the egg box or egg tray in our fridge.  These have all sorts of bumps and grooves on the shell, which we assume is due to the egg being so big it has pressed against the chicken's insides and moulded to the patterns inside the abdomen.  The smaller eggs tend to be fairly smooth.

Comment by Mo on February 16, 2011 at 14:48

James - How are your chicks doing? Are they laying regularly now? Ours have come back to full time laying now after being a bit sporadic over the winter.

Comment by James Dixon on February 16, 2011 at 17:16

Mo - Well I am still getting an egg every day from my 1st hen. However, I am still waiting for the other to start.

 

A couple of days ago she started exhibiting the squatting behaviour my other did before laying, and she is becoming a lot more vocal, so fingers crossed she will start any day soon :-)

 

 

Comment by Magic Cochin on February 16, 2011 at 17:24

Any day now James.

Four of our five are back into lay after a winter break :-)

Phoebe, who laid her first egg on 1 April 2007, laid her first 2011 egg today. I think I'm almost as thrilled as I was 4 years ago.

 

Enjoy your eggs (what breed are your hens?)

Celia

Comment by Mo on February 17, 2011 at 8:02

Celia - It's like finding treasure isn't it? :)

James, like Celia says, any day now - do let us know.

Comment by Jan Willetts on February 17, 2011 at 11:03

Have let all my gardening friends know about the hens for sale in Northants as its where i am based, sadly hubby says no.

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