Egg update

Egg production is certainly on the go now. We've had 15 eggs in the past eight days. Wilma seems to have a thing about laying late in the day. After 2pm seems to be her preference.

And not all the eggs are in the nest boxes, or even inside the chook shed. Have discovered a few in the orchard. Obviously if you're a chook too engrossed with finding bugs and greens, you just lay wherever you are, rather than bothering to go all the way back inside.

Yet again the girls prove their worth ... in entertainment value above all else!

Trench survives downpour

I did dare to challenge Murphy's Law, and I wasn't disappointed.

Although Build-It Bloke and his hired excavator's weekend earthworks weren't too hampered by bad weather, the open trench and looming council inspection were tempting fate just a bit too much.

Even our plumber rang to ask if we wanted to reschedule after the first 20mm the night before. But the mountains of clay each side of the trench held up. The new sewer line was commissioned. The inspection went well and Build-It Bloke has begun backfilling the trench.

Although it's hard to tell from the picture, the trench is more than 1m deep and about 30cm wide ... which represents two very full days work.

Oh, and there's clay everywhere as it's been walked from the side of the house and onto every hard surface. Who needs high heels when even your gumboots can have clay platforms?

Secret firewood stash?

We knew there was a stump out the back about where the new shed's verandah will go. Build-It Bloke discovered it when we put the rainwater irrigation lines in a couple of years ago.

However, having decided it needed to go to make way for the new shed, he was in for a bit more of a surprise.

We're pretty sure it was another Red Box. We know there was another of these not far down the block. It's hard to imagine how these two huge trees fitted within the space of our backyard.

After many hours battle, Build-It Bloke was victorious and the stump had been removed to a depth of about 1.3m, a huge crater around it required filling in and we'd scored quite a bit of firewood that will be brilliant in a year or two.

First eggs!

After exhibiting lots of promising signs (wattles and combs getting even bigger and redder, a new habit of crouching when I get close, plenty of clucking) we have had the first eggs from the 'new' girls.

I think (but don't have hard evidence) that both Betty and Wilma are now laying. Jules is a bit behind and will be a while yet, I expect.

The very first egg was broken, I think by someone else coming along and pushing it out of the nest box. These two (right) were next on the scene.

As you can see, they are speckled. Will keep you posted if/as the size and color develops when the girls have had more experience!