All is not well...

....with the Welsh Black hen.

Yesterday she twice came out from the hay bales, within an hour, announcing to the world she had laid an egg. There was not an egg in sight. Concerned she maybe be egg bound I kept a close eye on her all day. She appeared fine going about her daily business as usual and then mid afternoon she dropped a shelless egg in the middle of the paddock. Surprised she turned to have a quick look and then wondered off to join the others. Thank goodness she wasn't egg bound after all.

This morning she was behaving strangely, dropping her wing and circling an Indian Game hen in the same manner as the cockerel.

The Welsh Black came to us at the start of the year on a clutch of eggs. She proved to be a fantastic mum and is a very friendly bird. She has however, never been a very reliable layer, unusual for her breed and the eggs she did lay had poor quality shells.

I have only set and hatched one egg from her, due to the quality of the eggs. The chick hatched with very little down on it's back and is small in comparison to the other chicks from the same hatch and also from expectation of the breed.

She is a fine looking bird, with glossy feathers, a red comb and always active. Looking at her she is a good representative of her kind but something is not right with her.

I will keep her for now, as she is well but will watch her carefully and I certainly won't breed from her.