I have two 8-year-old hens, a drop dead stunning Show Quality Silkie and a Silkie/Serama/Cochin cross. The latter went broody (odd, at eight years old for the first time) but my friend and I slipped six black Catalonian Penedesenca eggs under her, and they all hatched out.
We left her one baby (“Xesca”, it means “girl” in Catalon) and they are very bonded, she is precious. She hatched in April, and I also adopted a cockeral a few weeks older than her to guard the flock from the feral
alley cat population problem that I have.
The other day I was astounded to find a beautiful, dark brown egg at the
entrance to the dog carrier that is in their pen. I was so proud (and amazed!) of my little 3-month-old pullet that laid her first egg. I carried it up to the counter and started bragging on it and calling all my chicken friends, who were equally amazed.
A day or so went by and I was messing around in the kitchen, and the egg
happened to catch my eye. I picked it up and looked more closely.
There is the number “2” written on the end of it.
Oops.
My chicken might be mensa, (no pun intended) but even I doubt she can
lay eggs with numbers on them. Um … clearly that was not her egg.
Dorene, not so genius, either
