Guess who was my second layer???  At the ripe old age of 22 weeks and 6 days, Miss Violet laid her first egg!  She had been checking out the second floor of the coop for a few days now, her comb had turned bright red and she exhibited the “chicken squat”; all signs of an impending egg.  This morning I saw her snuggled in a nest and I wished her luck as I left for my morning walk.  When I came back, she had left me a small (1.5 oz) tan/pink egg, perfectly formed. (Rosie’s first egg was only 1.25 ounces.)

In yer face Rosie!

I took a photo against a white plate so you could get an idea of the color. 

This egg deserves a standing OVA- tion!

Then I took a photo of the egg next to one of Rosie’s (she’s sitting on a nest as I write this).

The beginnings of a lovely Easter Basket!

I was under the impression that Violet’s eggs would be dark brown, but as I searched the chicken sites, I read from many chicken owners that a Black Australorp can lay any color from light pink to dark brown.  If you send your congratulations to my Violet, please do refrain from putting any pressure on Daisy to lay any time soon.  She is my late bloomer and that’s fine with me.  She’s lucky to be alive and if she never lays an egg she’ll alway have a home and an endless supply of grapes as long as she lives.  Her eggs are supposed to be jumbos and judging from her “full figure” she will more than live up to the challenge.  Yes, I’m going to milk another bottle of champagne out of Jim for the ceremonial “eating of the first egg”.  Maybe this time he’ll get a better bottle and I won’t have to turn the label around for the photo!  Wish me luck!