Tomorrow Twinkydink turns 8 years old. Today she laid an egg.
None of the hens that live in the Little Barn have laid an egg since last July. In fact, in all of 2012, Twinkydink and Buffy, between them, laid about all of eight eggs. I don’t like chicks to have access to nesting boxes until they’ve learned to roost. This keeps them from getting into the habit of sleeping in the boxes. Now that the chicks were moving into the Little Barn, and because the Old Girls weren’t laying, I had Steve remove the boxes.
Last week I noticed Twinkydink on a roost in the middle of the day. She didn’t look sick. She looked confused. I opened up the cozy side of the rabbit hutch. She went in. Once. So, I thought that that was that. But it wasn’t. Today she hopped back in and laid an egg. My chickens never cease to surprise me.
Oh, and when Twinkydink was done, Buffy went broody.
Lol, I know you said on facebook that Buffy has been making mother noises to the chicks through the door. Are you still going to introduce them soon ?
The chicks are too big for her to be interested. They’re introduced! Watch the cam tomorrow.
Seems like when you ‘give a chicken a box’ they just want to do what chickens do. Animals, birds, heck, even fish, surprise me all the time, too.
I have to tell you that I get such a kick out of the goat cam. Every once in a while, I click on it and up pops a screen full of goat face. (Or, just as often, goat butt.) Something about them lying just inches away from the lens makes it seem like some random old man is staring at you through your computer screen. Even their haunches look like the stringy legs of old men. They’re adorable!
I wish that you could hear them burp.
Oh Terry I did contact Pip and Caper’s breeder. Both his parents are still alive and their mother just had two twin bucklings. Also Pip and Caper’s quadruplet was kept by her and was named Janie. Well Janie is about to kidd on May 15th, so the boys are going to be uncles.
All nice news, Kit.
Oh sweet Jesus! They burp?? That’s hilarious.
Burping goats are healthy goats. When their tummies stop rumbling, they’re sick and needing dosing with pepto. Really.
Ah, so Buffy is feeling like her young self! Twinkydink, too.
Aw, Twinkydink. … Happy birthday to you! xo
Happy Birthday Twinkydink, you go girl! Buffy, what the heck! Thank you again Terry for sharing. I have loved all the photos and narration. Your blog makes me SMILE!
Their stamina gives this sometimes-faltering human lady great hope! Way to go, girls!
This is why I love coming to this site, always surprises. Love the old girls are getting spurts of estrogen running through their veins again. Who would have thought it? An eight year old laying eggs. Twinkydink one of my favorites. Also, I noticed you gave a shout out to Sorrento elemetary school.. Sorrento is an old stomping ground in my teen years. Oh the great memories it has brought since I saw it on your post. Thank you so much…..
Sorrento is having a chicken storytime ,
PS- Happy Bithday Twinkydink!!!
Aww Buffy… You should let her hatch and egg….
She doesn’t stick with the program all day :)
Hahaha your stories always put a smile on my face! Buffy is a funny chook!
Is it okay to eat?
Eggs from older hens are fine to eat, although the texture isn’t as good. They can be a tad grainy. The bigger problem is that the shells are thin and often crack when laid, which can let in bacteria. This one did crack, and so I fed it to Lily, who said that it was very good!
Happy Birthday Twinkydink! I love seeing Buffy so happy….how cute that she decided to sit on Twinkydinks egg.
My brothers Doberman loves eggs. It’s the funniest thing to see this big dog so delicately cracking it open and licking out the insides.
Happy Birthday to TwinkyDink. Sometimes I wish I could lay Peanuts.
Awesome,, just to think my girls could actually be with me 8 yr., even if they don’t lay an egg….but wow, after 8 yr.!
You’re my hero, Terry! Keep up the excellent care!
Never a dull moment!