Monday, August 2, 2010

We have breakfast...and a winner

It was Sunday afternoon. I went outside to check on the chickens and found one of the girls sitting quietly in her nesting box. A quick toe check of the other girls helped me deduce that I might have Lorena to thank for Monday's breakfast.

I went back in the house to spy on her from the window, but that got old fast, and a watched hen never lays an egg anyway. So I headed out to the pasture with my camera to find the boys. Just as I spotted them, we all heard some serious squawking back at the house and headed that way.


When I opened the gate to the garden chicken yard, all three hens were walking around looking for bugs. I walked into the chicken tractor, hoping to find an egg in Lorena's nest. Alas, it was empty. But something caught my eye down on the ground.


And there is was, sitting next to the waterer. I scooped it up to admire it, then went to find Lorena.

Lori darlin', would you just look at this perfect egg? You are a star.


Clara was having none of it and strutted over to inspect the egg and bite my finger. She's the jealous type.


The official date and time of discovery is August 1 at 2:42 pm, which makes Gina the winner of the When will the chickens lay an egg contest. Her guess of August 1 at 10 am was the closest. Gina, e-mail me for the information to claim your $125 gift certificate at csn|stores.









35 comments:

  1. Congrats to Gina for being the winner, but a BIG hurray to "Lori darlin'" for laying that first big, beautiful egg! For a first egg, that's a beauty.

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  2. Lovely, tidy egg!
    Good job, Lorena!
    and congratulations to Gina.

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  3. Congratulations! Soon, you will be eating nothing but eggs!

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  4. I can't believe that chicken couldn't hold it in just one more day for my daughters Birthday! LOL!

    Congratulations Gina! What a great gift.

    Hey, what's up with the finger biting anyway? I think she wants that egg back!

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  5. Congrats to Gina - and Lori.

    Gosh, they grow up so quickly...

    So, scrambled or over easy?

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  6. Looks like a beautiful, perfect egg. How are you going to cook it?

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  7. Congrats Gina! Lori, you be the rock star of hens.

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  8. Well congrats on your first egg and self sustainability! I love that your hens are named after Lonesome Dove also...I was betting on Clara...

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  9. Congratulations to Gina, Lori Darlin' and especially you, Linda!! I love that last shot the best. The light is perfect and I so understand that 'first egg' shot.

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  10. Good thing you've got that big ol' egg carton ready. C'mon girls, time to fill 'er up!

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  11. What a picture perfect egg!! Congratulations to the winner and the chicken ;-)
    so,,,will you be cooking this sunny side up, over easy, or seeing that this is your first egg celebrate and have egg in the hole toast?
    signed
    Theresa in Alberta

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  12. Congrats to Gina, Lori darlin and you! You will be enjoying fresh eggs on a regular basis. I'm jealous.

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  13. It won't be long now before you will be wondering what to do with all the daily eggs ....

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  14. Congrats! I've enjoyed your posts about your chickens. I went over to a fellow blogger's house yesterday afternoon and met her 3 chickens. They come up to her windows and look inside! They are very tame! And, one of them laid an egg while I was there!

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  15. It's a beautiful egg!! Congrats Gina too!

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  16. Lovely!!! Since you can't frame and hang the egg on your kitchen wall, I assume you'll put up the picture as a memento of your first egg?!

    Nancy in Iowa

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  17. Congrats to you, Gina and Lorena. I was way off!

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  18. Hats off to the winner of the egg contest. I wonder how long it will take to fill the egg carton. Your on your way to some delicious breakfasts in future, Carson
    Best always, Sandra

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  19. As eggs go, that one's a beauty. Well done Lorena. And congrats to Gina - happy shopping!

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  20. I felt like I was watching an Easter Egg hunt, seeing it in the grass like that. Your chickens look beautiful, so fluffy and healthy. I get fresh, free-range eggs at the Farmer's Market and they are DELICIOUS! I'm out and your egg on a bagel sounds yummy. I'll have to get more on Wednesday.

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  21. Oh me of little faith - I thought it would take days longer! That is (was) a beauty of an egg, and just the beginning!

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  22. Ohh how cool, fresh eggs for breakfast lunch and supper from now on, lol. DO you think the chickens were getting worried with you eating so much chickn?

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  23. Congrats to Gina! I wonder why Lorena laid it on the ground instead of in her nesting box? Maybe because she's a newbie?

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  24. Congratulations! I love seeing that First Egg, and seeing the Chickens too---as always, such great pictures...!

    Thanks so much for your kind caring thoughts about Sweetie. I need him to be well.

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  25. Yea! There will be more to follow I'm sure.
    Suzanne
    http://windowontheprairie.com/

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  26. Last summer as fair time in Winnemucca was coming to a close; I witnessed not only the brooding of an egg but also seeing it drop from the momma hen! I even got a picture! I'll have to post it sometime, because I nurtured that little egg until I got back to the farm and stuck it in the fridge for the next morning's breakfast.

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  27. it looks so lonely sitting there all by itself...

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  28. Congrats! The most perfect egg. A question: Aren't hens possessive of their eggs at all? Do they just give them up right away?

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  29. well, I must be honest and say that I am jealous of Gina for her win and Linda for her yummy breakfast! But......congratulations on all accounts :)

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  30. Congratulations to all! What beautiful pictures of the first egg. I was 6 days off, but I did predict the egg wouldn't be found in the nesting box! You can prepare a box or nest for them, but still find eggs in surprising places! Watch where you step......

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  31. Congratulations on your first egg! Now, are you going to eat it or save it?

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  32. I have raised chickens for too many years now. If you put a golfball or 2 in the nesting box it will inspire the hens to put their egg there instead of wherever the urge occurs.
    They make ceramic and wooden eggs for the purpose but to a chicken a golfball does the job. After a couple months take the golfballs away.

    Leaving the natural eggs is unwise as occasionally they get broken, you don't want the birds to learn that eggs are edible, egg eating is an incurable habit and those hens make a oneway trip to dinner......KWIM?

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  33. That is one mighty fine lookin' egg. Well done, chickey. Although, I am a bit put out that you didn't wait a few days. I guess Linda was looking a bit peckish...sorry, I couldn't resist.

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  34. yippee! your first egg! isn't it an amazing feeling? The other two will catch up pretty soon...I just know it!

    And while we're talking chickens, I have a question. Do you let your girls free-range in the garden without supervision, or are you always out with them? I'm wondering about the prevalence of hawks and foxes in your neck of the woods?

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  35. Yeah! So it wasn't rain that was calling you back to the ranch after the horse show...it was serious laying bein' done. Good job girls...ALL of you!

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