There’s been a lot of stress in mini chicken land. Chickens introduced, chickens not getting along, chickens not making it. And this is a tiny Chicago yard with only 2-3 chickens at a time. Schedules are difficult and the cluckers may not get out of the coop at the same time every morning. (I’m fairly sure that led to Flora trying to break out of her coop. Halfway broken door. No sign of predators. She just kicked the door’s butt. Because doors have butts.)
We still don’t know how old Flora is…she still might be pre-egg laying. She might have been at the chicken rescue ‘cus she just doesn’t lay eggs. But, yeah, no eggs from her.
But! For a couple of months Monarch had started giving us an egg every day or two! She seemed to have started after Beaker was lost to the raccoon; it was quite a surprise. And then the dark times came and Monarch stopped laying. Assumed it was a combination of heat and stress. Chickens can apparently decide whether or not to lay eggs–can’t say it’s conscious, so decide is probably too generous of a term.
Either way, 2 chickens, no cup…I mean egg. In the meantime they’re getting more and more high maintenance. Wish I had the pictures, but there’s been a lot of chicken petting and chicken cajoling and coop cleaning and blah blah blah. Monarch and Flora just don’t get along.
TLDR SKIP TO HERE: So, tonight, looking around the little backyard that’s become an urban jungle thanks to the crazy rain we’ve had (we have a mini pond with gold fish and lily pads), my eyes caught a glance of Chicken Island.
A double or triple-bathtub-sized pond with goldfish and lily pads and a mini-island with a tree, lights and a tiny waterfall :). Chicken Island. ‘Cus the chickens have generally found it.
And then I see
…
!!!
I wish I could really show how small this whole thing is and how surprising it was that Monarch had managed to lay *14* eggs without my seeing, but she did!
So fun! Freeloader no more! (Flora better get to work.)
Accidental Chicken 