Our first egg!

Good job, chickens. Next time, please don't poop all over it.

Later that same day, another hen got in the act. She went upstairs to the nesting boxes and started making all kinds of racket. Her hen friends all joined her, squawking their encouragement, and the rooster paced around downstairs making worried sounds. Five minutes later, the squawking stopped, and Jo ran out to find a fresh, warm egg.

Still later, we heard more squawking. Another egg!? The squawking went on and on, but this time, the hen's fellow birds did not join her. At long last, the squawking was done, and Jo ran out to find--nothing. False alarm! An hour later, the hen was back at it again. Jo ran back out and--no egg. At this point, we were beginning to think "hysterical pregnancy." But then, close to dusk, we heard "squawk-squawk-SQUAWK--" and out the egg finally came.

After months of no eggs, we get three. Go figure! We're ready though. We have lots of egg cartons all saved up, and Jo is ready to take orders...