![\"Speckles](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/speckles_is_in_the_nest_box.jpg\")
<\/a>Speckles is in the nest box<\/p><\/div>\n
![\"She](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/watched_by_barley.jpg\")
<\/a>She is being watched by Barley<\/p><\/div>\n
She came back out without actually sitting. A little later she was shouting again and this time was in the other nest box.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/a_little_later_in_hte_other-nest_box_with_peaches_and_barley_watching.jpg\")
<\/a>A little later Speckles is being watched by both Peaches and Barley<\/p><\/div>\n
This egg laying business requires a bit of practice and is of great interest to her flock mates. A girl can’t do anything without an audience!<\/p>\n
![\"Emerald](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/emerald_shows_how_it_might_be_done.jpg\")
<\/a>Emerald shows Speckles how it might be done<\/p><\/div>\n
![\"Peaches](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/peaches_joins_in.jpg\")
<\/a>Peaches joins in<\/p><\/div>\n
![\"Speckles](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/speckles-settles_in_despite_her_audience.jpg\")
<\/a>Speckles settles in despite her audience<\/p><\/div>\n
Speckles is back in the other nest box and is being watched by Barley.<\/p>\n
![\"Speckles](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/speckles_camafluages_herself_with_shavings.jpg\")
<\/a>Speckles camouflages herself with pine shavings<\/p><\/div>\n
She is getting serious about the job now.\u00a0She has changed to the other nest box again and was very precisely picking up the shavings and placing them on her back.<\/p>\n
This has been going on since eight o’clock this morning. At half past one there was a huge amount of shouting from Speckles. She was out of the nest box and shouting her head off. There in the nest box was her first egg this year. It is huge and long. No wonder it has taken so much time and effort to get this egg laid.<\/p>\n
![\"Speckles](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/speckles_egg.jpg\")
<\/a>Speckles first egg of the year on the left<\/p><\/div>\n
On the right is a medium, big girls, shop bought, egg. For a bantam egg, Speckles egg, is huge and is longer than the standard chicken’s egg.<\/p>\n
![\"Another](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/another_view_of_speckles_egg.jpg\")
<\/a>Another view of Speckles egg<\/p><\/div>\n
What a world of difference between Barley and Speckles. Barley’s first egg was laid with no fuss, quickly and quietly, and was tiny which is why I thought it might have been Freckles egg. Speckles egg was laid with loads of fuss over a five and a half hour period and is huge.<\/p>\n
I love it when there is doubting the owner of the egg. Well done Speckles!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I have had a feeling over the last few days that Speckles was getting ready to start laying again. She has been much more vocal recently. This morning on several occasions I could hear her shouting and when I went … Continue reading