Hermione and Frederica

It was a wonderful weekend with sunshine and so I ventured down to finish the chicken coop stoop.    I turned to look at her and she continued making these incredible squawking sounds and so I asked “Hermione, have you laid an egg?”

I clambered up from my knees and peaked into the coop, looking in the obvious corners but I saw nothing exciting there.  Then I looked behind the door and sure enough, there was a brown egg a little larger than a robin’s egg.  I picked it up and found it very hot, it had only been out for a few seconds.  Imagine the thrill of having the hen produce 2 months early (according to some blog which I now feel is unreliable).  As I praised the hen her faithful friend Winifred stood by while all the rest of the sisters were out chasing butterflies.  There was nothing for it but to give the two girls some bird seed as a reward.

I then hurriedly finished the stoop and then began to clean out the chicken coop.  Now that the hens were going to produce it was imperative that the coop be fresh, clean and ready for nesting.  The nesting boxes had been used as a roost for the last month so I had to pull them out and give them a thorough scrubbing and then raise them up off the floor so they could be used for proper nesting.  I carefully laid fresh straw in all eight nests, patting it down and making a little nest for the Henriettas’ comfort.

There was no further action on Saturday but lo, on Sunday I had the thrill of seeing Hermione up in one of the nests, making a commotion, trying to settle herself down.  I carefully shut the door so she could have privacy to concentrate.  An hour later Mother said “there’s that special squawk” so I hurried down to investigate but there was the hen, still nesting.  Another hour passed and I heard the announcement.  Again I went down and lo and behold, two eggs!  Winifred had hopped up and nested in the same nest as Hermione!  Well, the girls were getting the hang of it.

Now the question is, how quickly will the eggs get up to normal size, and when will the remaining 24 begin?  And somehow I have a feeling I will run out of egg cartons.  Now what was a wishing for?