Cloud is back in lay, hurrah!

Mango is moulting and is looking very shabby. Her comb has also got paler. Cloud on the other hand still looks pristine and has a red comb.

Yesterday I could see that Cloud was getting ready to lay. It’s been three weeks since Cloud last laid. She was looking in the nest boxes and in the shelter and a corner outside the shelter. Cloud always has great difficulty in deciding where to lay.

Cloud used to lay in the nest boxes occasionally. Mostly Cloud would lay in the shelter and quite often would lay in the run. I think she takes so long running around trying to decide where to lay that it often takes her by unawares.

Cloud was spending a lot of time making a nest in the corner outside the shelter and then in both corners of the shelter. I decided to help her by putting some pine shavings in all three spots. I thought it might help her decide plus keep her egg clean.

When I returned Cloud was at the water and there was no egg in either of the three spots where I had put shavings. Sure enough she had laid her egg at the bottom end of the run in front of the ladder, sigh! This is not unusual for Cloud. It is good to have her back in lay though.

It means we now have two girls laying but also means that unlike Mango, Cloud will continue to lay for a bit of a longer season.

The night before last I went up before bedtime and picked Mango up and stood outside the run with her just behind the fence. Again Mango and Cloud were calling to each other. It reminded me of the scene from one of the Jurassic Park/World films where the velociraptors were communicating with each other. Mango and Cloud couldn’t see each other but were calling to each other.

This went on for about five minutes and then Cloud went through the pop hole and perched. I put Mango down on the chickens’ patio and she went straight through the pop hole and perched with Cloud. I’m not sure how any of this helps going forward though.

Last evening we decided to have a B.B.Q. We do this on the top patio next to the chicken’s patio. It’s really secluded and quiet there. It was also the hottest day of the year so far at 30 degrees. I felt really sorry for Mango as moulting while it’s really hot must be so uncomfortable for her. She will be feeling prickly and hot at the same time.

I decided that I would leave Mango and Cloud to do what they wanted at bedtime and just put them in myself. I felt that while it was so hot there was no point stressing them and it’s understandable that they don’t want to go in.

While we were waiting for the B.B.Q. to get going I realised that Red, Snow, Storm and Gold had all gone in the chicken shed. I could understand them going in an hour before the pop hole closes but this was two hours before the pop hole closes and on the hottest day of the year too. Talk about one extreme to the other!

I decided to get the girls out again and give them a dish of frozen peas in a little water. This would cool them down before bedtime and I would unblock the pop hole a bit nearer to bedtime. It’s the fist time these girls have had frozen peas and they loved them.

A bit later I let the four girls return to the chicken shed. Meanwhile Mango and Cloud were enjoying having the peas to themselves and had a feast.

Later just before the pop hole was about to close I returned to the chickens. Mango and Cloud were still out in the run and the pop hole started closing. I opened the chicken shed door and they both came running. They went straight through the door and perched.

This shows that do want to go in for the night but they want me to let them in. I remembered that I used to hold the door open for them rather than pick them up. That doesn’t actually help though.

I don’t know where to go from here. I am not giving up but I will just do whatever feels right from day to day. I am hopeful that maybe when the weather cools towards the end of the year they may go in. It may change it up a bit having Cloud laying and Mango not laying too although I won’t be holding my breath.

The battle of the bedtime will continue.