Finding Contentment

The chicken and the egg

Isn't it beautiful? Our very first chicken egg! I knew the chickens, according to their age, were supposed to start laying sometime in September. We have been watching the nesting boxes very carefully and while I was sitting with my SIL in the hospital I got a call from Hubby!

I felt like a proud Mama! And I may have - actually I know I did because he told me so - completely embarrased my brother by telling everyone at the hospital, "We laid an egg, we finally laid an egg!"

The egg was a light brown color, so we know it was laid by one of the black sex-links (as opposed to the Aracuanas). Then last night, lo and behold, another egg! In the exact same nesting box in the exact same spot, presumably laid by the exact same chicken.

The eggs are tiny compared to the ones we buy at the store, but I know they will grow as the chickens grow. Chickens are the only "farm" animals we can have in the city, so we were very anxious to make sure they were productive. What a big step in our homesteading efforts!

And what an affirmation of God's work. All we had to do was provide shelter, food and water (and in the case of our particular chickens, a lot of love) and God provides a way for us to take care of ourselves.

Okay, reading back on this post, it seems rather ridiculous to get so excited over an egg. But it's what that egg stands for on our little homestead that means so much!

Oh, and another blessing. Remember Big Mama, the chicken that was attacked by our black Lab? We built a mini coop for her within the big coop. The chickens tried to peck at her through the wire, but eventually they began to accept her. When we saw that we began to slowly but surely let her in with them for small amounts of time, and eventually they allowed her back into the flock with no problems. She isn't at the top of the pecking order anymore, but she is accepted. At this point she was still hopping around on only one leg. It was nice to see the other girls accepting a one-legged flockmate.

Now Big Mama is starting to use the leg a bit for walking. She still favors it greatly, and when she stands still she stands on only leg. But she is slowly but surely putting pressure on the injured leg. She is skinnier and more skittish than she used to be, but that is understandable. I don't know now if she will ever lay, but she has a forever home.

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11:15 PM, Friday, September 14, 2007 .. Posted by meme21713

I know how you feel with the first egg...We have a hen setting on 10 for the first time..You would think this was baby we are waiting for..lol..she and the eggs are checked on several times in a day...And she is not in the coop she continously would get out the pen...and now we found her setting on the eggs in my granddaughters play house..lol....Debbie....Praying your sil is improving...

Alright!!!

10:11 PM, Saturday, September 15, 2007 .. Posted by Vickie

That's one fine looking egg!
Have a great day.

Oh Congratulations!!!!

08:42 AM, Sunday, September 16, 2007 .. Posted by Anonymous

Oh I can feel how much hope is in that egg, what the implications of it means for your family. Hiting and Congratulations.......I would be telling everyone we laid and egg as wel...lol.....

How is your SIL doing? I have put her on two ladies groups to offer up prayers.

drats...

08:43 AM, Sunday, September 16, 2007 .. Posted by Anonymous

I wish I could edit my comments sometimes because I get so wrapped up in one thought I forget to type out the other thought I had.....

I just wanted to say that I was really glad to hear that Big Mamma was back with the other chickens now =)
Blessings,
Melissa D. SC http://www.xanga.com/MelissaDSC

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05:27 PM, Tuesday, September 18, 2007 .. Posted by FoggyMountainFarm

Nothing better than farm eggs!!! Glad Big Mama is doing better.

I have soemething for you.

http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2007/09/you-make-me-smile.html

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08:13 AM, Wednesday, September 19, 2007 .. Posted by Karen

Just checking in to ask how your SIL is doing. How are you and the whole family doing?

Hope SIL is doing better!
Karen
http://thetagblog.blogspot.com/