Oops goes the egg!

Busy knitting day today, so there was no plan to add to my blog here tonight. However, Shelly popped round for some chat and some machine knitting advice, and Shelly KNOWS about hens!

This evening, post shopping expedition and knitting day, I went out to give the ladies some corn on the cob and some left over peas. Betty looked a little, well, round! She seemed to inflate as I was watching her. And this was somewhat alarming. The next thing I know, she gave an unhappy squawk, and egg yolk and white shot out of her, splatting all over Jiggly! This, by the way, did not phase Jiggly at all, who just guzzled the bit that missed her. (Shudder!)

Ok, so I panicked then! After all, it's one thing to see an egg come out of a chicken; it's quite another to see an egg, without a shell, come shooting out of one!

I rang Shelly. I realise this was probably bad manners - they may have been eating - but I was very concerned about Betty. Thankfully, my phone call was received graciously and, more importantly, with good and sensible advice.

Paul answered and I untied my tongue long enough to explain who I was and why I was calling. What a gentleman! Between him and Shelly, I learned that the ladies are now exercising more than they ever have before, and, as they have begun to adapt to the fresh air and freedom, their dietary requirements have changed.

Betty is short of calcium, and probably vitamins and minerals. Hence the egg without the shell. Kind and informative advice saw me hard boiling her an egg, and adding some spaghetti to the water once it was cooked.

Then I popped outside, with the egg suitably crumbed, and distracted Jiggly and RazorBeak with the spaghetti, whilst Betty munched on her boiled egg. No, she didn't want soldiers with it, but she did have a couple of strings of spaghetti to help it all down. I've also cooked down and crushed up the shell, and that, along with a bit of grit and pellets, has been popped into the pot for feeding them tomorrow morning. They also have broccoli hanging down from their run.

The kind guardians of chicken welfare have assured me this is not a deathly illness - yes, I was that dumb! - and I'm going to keep an eye on all 3 of them over the next few days to make sure they are getting all the goodness they need.

A million thank you's to P and Shelly for being kind and helpful, and not impatient with the out-of-the-blue call!