Day 331.

Camilla. Photography by F L Campbell

Bush eggs: two. Nest box eggs: none. Feed hopper: full.

For all that Camilla is a bland-natured little hen, she really flew off the handle (handle of what, I’ve always wondered) when Ella returned from laying her second egg and gave Camilla a peck in passing.

Camilla has no automatic right to the number five spot in the peaking order but she assumed she would come directly below her mother, who is number four. But laying an egg is one of those irrefutable signs of dominance.

I wrote a poem for Camilla about the situation:

A poem about Camilla by Ruby
Get laying wee Camilla
Life is passing you by
Without that first egg at hand
Ella’s lead will amplify
She already pecks you
And shoves you around
Lay an egg as soon as you can
And her insults will be less profound
So sit there, squeeze and push
Take as long as you need
But lay your first egg my girl
If you don’t want to be bullied


Wonderful!!

I recited the above excellent poem to her and, though she still looked extremely het up from her little tantrum, she did go off and sit on the nest for a bit.

And apparently Jack is Ella’s new best friend as well, it seems. Sigh.