Never underestimate a determined chicken

It seems that our chickens, like Lily, are thoroughly undaunted by obstacles.  Yesterday I was happy to see that we had eggs in the nest boxes, but I didn't see an increase in the number of eggs.  I mentioned this to Mike when he got home, and then he went out to feed the barn cats and check on the girls.  He came back in, and told me that I had to get out to the coop.  In the first 24 hours since Mike had put up the netting to block off the tree, the girls had successfully pulled down the top 18 inches or so, and there were three eggs in the tree trunk.  I've always thought of chickens as somewhat stupid animals, but this flock is proving me wrong.

Mike's netting, effectively pulled down by the girls

This morning I did my first egg check around 11, and there were no eggs in the tree but two eggs in the nest box.  I praised the girls, but since I didn't have any food with me, they were unimpressed.  By 2 there was another egg in the nest box, and one on the floor.  By 4, there was an egg in the tree.  So today's total was five eggs, which is the most that we've gotten since the first day, and the majority of the girls who laid did so in the box.  I do admire the chicken who is still laying in the tree, since it can't be easy for her to get in and out, what with the netting still covering most of the opening.

This morning's nest eggs

This afternoon's tree egg

When I went into the yard to check the tree, I was immediately swarmed by the girls.  They are convinced that my danskos are edible, so they pecked away while I looked in the tree.  My mom has proposed that we name my new chicken best friend Agnes after my dad's mother, since Alice is somewhat named after my maternal grandmother.  I called the chicken Agnes today and she didn't seem to mind, so Agnes it is.  My grandmother Agnes is not doing well right now, so send a little thought her way.

Agnes (center) and the girls

Since we've sorted out the location of the eggs, I've now accumulated a full dozen for Taperman, which I'm sure he'll be very happy to receive this weekend.  The variation in size and color of the eggs is very cool.  Below you can see a lovely brown speckled egg, which is from one of the tree laying girls.  Also, there's a shot of the smallest and largest eggs of the bunch side by side.  The difference is huge!

Taperman's first dozen

Speckled egg

Smallest and largest of the dozen

This weekend, I think Mike is going to fill the tree trunk with spray insulation to definitively block off the tree nest.  Until then, we'll just keep checking the trunk.  I'm impressed by my determined chickens.