The Chick Camera

As you all know last week we got our first egg. Teresa got the process started, but Julian made it infinitely more interesting. For one, she decided to use the nest boxes on the second story, which is a lot harder to get to but I’m pleased to see she likes it better. Second, she loves to make noise and brag about laying.

Teresa is a fairly low key chicken. She doesn’t make a lot of noise, ever. She seems happy enough just not the bragging type. Julian though, this past Saturday, decided it was time to lay an egg. So she starts sqwaking. Fred realizes what’s happening and runs over to be there with her in this fine hour.

They both jump up to the second level, and Julian starts digging around in the nest box. Fred stands directly in front of the nest box, as if on guard. After 10 minutes or so, they both jump triumphantly out of the nest box and start making quite the racket. Fred is loud and bragging for Julian. Julian is loud and brags for herself. After, a good 5 minutes of this Fred jumps down and takes his place out with the girls again.

Julian though doesn’t leave. But instead she jumps back into the nest box and starts scratching around again. Fred catches on and comes to join her again. Diligently on guard. After a good 30 minutes of this I’m about to leave and I’m super curious about what’s going on in there so I go to take a look.

When I pull up the egg door, Fred and Julian notice me and FREAK out. Justified I suppose, Julian is trying to “give birth” and here I am snooping. She hadn’t laid the egg. She spent the next 10 minutes making a whole lot of noise about being interrupted before finally going in to finish the deed for real this time. And there was once again, much rejoicing.