Delay in breeding plan

When we first brought the Indian game trio home we kept them separate from the other hens. After a week we introduced the Ixworth and Australorp to them. After three weeks my intention was to collect eggs from the two hens as a fertility test hatch. Three weeks are required as the birds had previously been running with a different cock and not a cross I wished to breed. A week has past and I had been counting the days, planning when and how a hatch would best fit in. However today I had a phone call form my son suggesting I may need to delay any plans by a further week....why??

Somehow the Australorp, a big heavy bird not known for being flighty had escaped from the paddock she was in to an area appropriately name the 'Fowl's run' to liaise with her previous mate the Gold Duckwing Welsummer cockerel, who also had escaped from his pen.

Both have now been returned to their appointed flocks, the gap in the fence mended and the bottom of the gate boarded off.

Three weeks and counting ...!