Monday, 30th May 2011

I let Lola out of the henhouse, and she was first out- usually Ellie barges past her, but not this morning! No food in her crop, although she really didn't want to wait a whole second while I checked- far more important things to be doing :-) She proceeded to charge about the run like a loony, up and over the perches, through the bath, behind the perches, absolutely full of the joys, and a total bundle of energy!
I took the girls some breakfast (wet ex-battery crumbs) at about 8.30am and let them out of the run, Lola had a good feed. It was tipping down with rain, but Lola did not want to be indoors! This is fairly unlike Lola, but I went with it as it wasn't too cold. By the time I convinced her it was a good idea to come indoors for a bit, she was absolutely sodden! I dried her off a bit with some paper towels, and she settled herself on my shoulder and smooshed herself right up against my face for a wee snooze. The fidgets got the better of her, so she had a good preen, then I upset her by getting the hairdryer out to get a bit more water out of her feathers!
I had planned to go out to a smallholding in the Malverns to look at some chooks, and decided that I was happy enough to leave Lola. Anyone who knows me at all will know that if there is ANY doubt at all about my girl's health, I will not leave them. They can go downhill far too quickly, and it is not a risk I am ever willing to take.
When I got back, all was well as predicted. They came out for a play in the garden, did some digging etc When I took them some tea out at 6.30pm as usual, Lola was nowhere to be seen. I had only been in the kitchen a couple of minutes (the garden is in view), and I called Lola, and she didn't answer me. She knows that the magic green bowl always contains something yummy, and she knows when it is teatime, because if I am late she will stand in the kitchen chattering away in disgust. I soon found her in the nestbox...I showed her the bowl and she got up and tucked into her favourite boiled rice with mealworm garnish.
At 7.15pm I went out to give Lola her metoclopramide (I asked our vet who suggested I continue with this treatment until I am happy she doesn't need it) and she was back in the nestbox. Sure enough she laid a very abnormal egg, it was horrid, poor little mite. The shell wasn't really formed at all; very soft, it peeled away from the membrane, which contained a huge yolk (unusual for Lola) and parts of it looked as if they were partially cooked- that mushy texture you get when cooking a fried egg with a runny yolk. I don't think Lola has ever laid an egg in the evening. It is normal after implanting to lay the occasional egg in the beginning. If they have already ovulated when they have the implant the egg obviously needs to continue it's journey.
As soon as she had laid it, she got up, came out in the garden and had a wander around with Ellie before going back into the run and then off to bed.

The offending egg after I had pulled it all apart to check it