Henhouse drama

Brian or I have been checking for eggs often to help prevent any more "casualties." Yesterday Brian came to the house with two eggs, complaining that they were "icky." Looked like yolk smeared on them to me, but he said there were no shells or wetness in the nest box. I went down later to see for myself, and found a puddle of egg white in the bottom of the nest box - but no egg shell in sight. I cleaned up the mess, added more shavings, and when my tired DH got home asked him to add another piece of trim per Suzanne's suggestion so the hens couldn't kick out the shavings as easily. He obliged this morning before leaving for work. Morgan immediately availed herself of the amended accommodations.While I was snapping pictures of her and the new waterer and feeder Rick bought and installed before we left to go camping last Friday,Ebony entered the henhouse.She seemed inordinately interested in Morgan's business - and then pecked her in the bottom! Morgan left the box with a squawk and a flutter, showering the witchy woman with shavings.Soon Morgan returned to the nesting box, followed closely by Ebony. Not one to let nature take its sometimes-cruel course, I parked myself at the doorway of the henhouse so Morgan could lay her egg in peace. The Rhodies went in and out of the henhouse at will, but the newcomers are still much too leery of me to venture that close. The results of my "mother hen" efforts were some decent chicken portraits - and the freshest egg possible.
Later in the day when I checked for eggs again, TWO Rhode Island Reds were in the same nestbox! By the end of today we had four intact eggs for the first time, and the nest boxes remained well padded.

That's it for now at . . .