This morning around 9am I found Tilly sitting in the right nesting box. Sitting in the neighboring nesting boxes were Dolly and Feathers. Dolly and Feathers are both broody. I quickly checked beneath all of them for eggs. There were none, so I went on my errands for the morning.
When I came back around 11am, things were the same. Tilly was still in the box. This was so unlike her. I felt underneath of her and I could feel that her lower abdomen was full. She needed to lay an egg. Typically, Tilly takes about twenty minutes to lay her egg. My heart sank; either she was newly broody, which would be a first for her, or she was having trouble passing this egg. I prayed she was not egg bound.
One of the projects on my to-do-list for Spring was to reseed the lawn near the chicken coop. The girls had done a number on it last Fall and it did not grow back like it had in the past. I needed to spread down a layer of compost and then apply new grass seed. Today was perfect for this job. This way, I could monitor what was going on in the coop with Tilly.
Before I started, I went into the house and grabbed a large ripe juicy tomato, a handful of baby carrots, and some over-ripe strawberries. In the yard, I picked some baby ferns. The girls love baby ferns! This would be a test. As I shouted out to the girls, they all came running except for Tilly. I could not believe that she stayed behind despite the tomato dangling in the wire treat ball outside the coop door and the rest of the goodies. Something was not right.
As I spread the compost on top of the existing patchy lawn, I could hear Tilly making noises inside the coop. The sounds were new to me. They were high pitched, rolling, and sounded painful. They were sounds made from exertion. She must have had an egg stuck. I decided to continue working and let her be for a little while. Maybe she would end up passing it without my help. Please!
Just as I was finishing up and tossed the last grass seed on top of the compost, I heard Tilly’s voice behind me. I turned around and she was there. I squatted down near the run and she came over to me. She was very vocal and told me her tale. She looked so cute cocking her head back an forth when I answered her back. Surely, she seemed to be feeling better. As she headed over to what was left of the dangling tomato, I headed to the nesting boxes. I opened up the latch and lifted up the door. There it was still warm- Tilly’s egg. It was a stout plump brown egg that was a bit wider than usual.
Photo Credit: Tilly’s Nest
21 thoughts on “Tilly’s Feat”
Scary! So glad she's okay!
Poor Tilly. My girls have not started laying yet. Too young but I will hate to see them strain to pass an egg. That has to hurt.
Poor Tilly, but what a trooper! She should be proud of that achievement.
Oh, I am so glad she's all right! You had me worried!
That was a big job for her….good work Tilly.
Whew..
Whew! Good job Tilly! It's hard work being a chicken! (-:
She showed that egg who was boss! Glad the tale ended safely and happily. 🙂
something similar happened with one of my girls a while ago. Miriam was in a nest box and I was just puttering around, doing odds and ends in the coop. All of a sudden, she started making the most God awful sounds squealing and chattering and I thought OMG! what's wrong with her?? Is she dying? All of a sudden, I hear "clunk" and she's looking underneath herself (it's so cute when they do that), looking amazed as if saying "OMG! did I do that?" I had a good giggle at myself on that one!
Oh, my. This story is so sweet. I can't wait to have chickens.
Poor Tilly- I'm having flashbacks of childbirth…. OUCH. I got my first two eggs yesterday morning! I was so excited!
Congrats on the eggs! How exciting!!
Aw, poor Tilly! So glad she's ok. 🙂 I'm also afraid of one of our girls getting egg bound any time they take longer than usual to lay. Luckily it hasn't happened.
Thank so much for all of your sweet comments and stories. One of the more serious worries for chicken keepers. Thank goodness, it only happens few and far between.
Whew is right!! You had me scared for a bit. Poor Tilly ~ Happy everything is okay 😀
Congratulations for the blog. It is included in blogs of note.
Mentioned the blog in my blog as well as the Coffee Shop.
http://nraoblogs.blogspot.in/2012/05/blogs-of-note-tillys-nest.html
So glad your Tilly is alright and everything went well. It is hard to stay back and be an observer sometimes.
@ 3Beeze Homestead
My hens have not started laying yet. Lots of firsts to look forward to with a bit of nervousness about episodes like what you described.
Thank goodness!
I've named a goose after Tilly 🙂 It fit. She is Tilly the Toulouse. <3
Glad she is not broody, or egg bound.
What a great name 🙂
Thank God she passed it. Whew!