I tend to be rather anal...obsessive compulsive....picky about certain things. One is how the beds are made. Another is how the house is vacummed (I vacum the main living areas of our house every day). I will only eat an even # of any given snack (whether it be potato chips, cookies, french fries...). Just don't ask me to wash windows or dust the house regularly. Or even semi-regularly.... But these chickens. Are. Freaking. Me. Out.
Why?
Because they don't lay the same amount of eggs every day:
See, I am obsessive enough to keep track of how many eggs they lay every day.
Some of these hens are SLACKERS!!!
I know this is nature, and I am thrilled (really, I am!) that they are even laying like gangbusters here the end of December. Except for the Aracana - we haven't seen a 1 colored egg. And I don't think the Jersey Giants are all laying just yet (but both the Aracana hen and the Jersey Giant hens are only 23 weeks old - and I think since they are a heavy breed, it can take them up to 30 weeks to lay pretty regularly).
But you would think they would pop me out an extra egg every once in a while so I would have an even dozen eggs, rather than 13 one day, 15 one day (the night before they laid 15 eggs in a day, Todd went out behind the chicken coop and shot off his muzzelloader before going hunting Saturday - to make sure it was working. We joke that he scared eggs out of most the hens out there as I found 3 eggs laying on the floor of the coop), 11 one day, 8 one day, and then 12 for a couple days? I know these are excellent numbers for the end of December in a 17 layer hen flock.....
This empty hole in this dozen eggs is killing me! Just killing me.
Now I'm off to sweet talk them before the days' laying begins. Maybe they will gift me with 13 eggs today, and I can breath easy for a couple days. And FYI - it doesn't bother me to have an egg carton with 6 or 8 or 4 eggs, but 11? For 3 days running? C'mon.
Kris
PS - and I have tried to talk the kids into eating an extra couple of eggs every day so it doesn't bug me so much but....we still somehow manage to end up with 11 eggs in a carton.
PPS - and Abby is running along. She's apparently not in any pain from the congestive heart failure - we talked to Todd's uncle (who is a vet in Western PA) - he said she most likely will just go to sleep one night and not wake up. She was out chasing bunny rabbits on Saturday when it was 64 degrees out here so....hopefully she will enjoy each day to the fullest until she goes peacefully in her sleep. Unfortunately, there is no "miracle" cure and 11 1/2 is pretty old for a dog. I'd rather have her for the 14-15 years that Jack Russell's can live for, but that may not be.....Thanks everyone for your kind wishes!
PPS - if anyone wants to see the apron I made out of my batik fabrics before I made my quilt top - go here. This was for my brother's girlfriend for Christmas and it was HARD to give the apron up.
12 comments:
There's nothing better than to start the day with a laugh and a smile. I vacuum every day and hate to dust, too. How funny is that? And I would also jot down how many eggs they lay every day if I had hens. I just do stuff like that.
But I don't eat even numbers of candy, potato chips or cookies. Now, that's funny! :D
The apron is freakin' gorgeous! Kris, it rocks. How good for you that you gifted it! It really is cute and you did an excellent job. I love the colors, the fab fabrics, the panels & waistband. See? Easy peasy, wasn't it?!
May Abby run happy & free and silently go to rest when she's ready. I know you will all enjoy her every day.
And hope those hens cooperate and fill up that egg carton for you today. 11 eggs. I mean, really! "That just ain't right," as we like to say around here.
December goodness to you today!
Ana :)
Girl, you are so funny. You have started my day off with a big smile.
Now, quit making me laugh and go eat an egg!!!! *grin*
I once ran out of egg cartons, and put our eggs in a bowl in the fridge....this strategy might help you :) lol
Blessings,
Niki
Ha! You crack me up! I can see you going out to the coop with a carton "okay ladies, just a dzn please!" lol You're getting really good numbers for this time of year. And the truth is, chickens don't lay everyday. So they're probably all laying, just taking every other, or every second or third day off to rest. And as for your auracauna (who I suspect is probably an Easter Egger...does she have a tail? Real Auracaunas do not have tails and are a rare and expensive find) she very well could be laying....a white or brown egg, daily. Sorry! That's why they call them Easter Eggers, they lay all types of eggs, from dark brown, to light pink, to green blue to plain old white.
I don’t know if this will help with the egg count but we always put a light in the chicken coop during winter months so the hens would keep laying; if for some reason they stopped we would encourage them with some laying mesh to get production started again.
Don't worry I am the same !
I have to buy an even number of fruit - usually 6 or 8.
My son would not say the number 17 for ages - which made basic addition and subtraction very hard !
So now we often say one and a seven instead of 17 !
I do go back and check the front door is locked after I have closed it when I go out - and laugh at myself each time !
Come on Chickens you can do it yeah for even numbers !
PS - am off t ostart crocheting the kitten faces now LOL !
Just thought you would like to know !
so sorry to hear about abby. i think i have an egg solution for you. you know those plastic easter eggs that we use every year. get a couple of those and when you get 11 real eggs just pop in a plastic one as a filler. who wouldn't like to see a cute pink or green egg in the carton. might cheer up the other eggs and keep them bright and happy. and you'll be happy too! lol sounds like you had a wonderful christmas! happy new year!
I am not quite as bad as you, but I have an issue with eggs as well...I hate to see an unbalanced carton...I always use them such that it will remain symmetrical...crazy!
You are so funny. I have a little OCD too.
Too funny!! Perhaps you could consider getting another hen so you have an even number of layers? Best wishes for 2009!
Oh, you crack me up! 11 eggs would bug me, too.
Sorry to hear about your dog. I have a 15 yr old chihuahua and a 12 yr old boxer. Both are in pretty bad shape...its so hard to watch beloved pets get old.
Ha! This is one of my favorite posts! I love that you keep track of how many eggs they lay each day. I would do that, too. I would not vacuum everyday. I do make my bed everyday, though.:)
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