With 34 eggs collected in the last week, that puts the count for the month of July up to 97 eggs collected. Those adept with numbers will be quick to note that one-third of these eggs were laid in the last week.

This is with 6 known layers, and I'm averaging four point something eggs a day. And I think there are some others who are in training to lay, given their behavior of late and the frequent discovery of soft shell eggs.

Over the weekend I attempted to re-educate the hens on where they should be laying by leaving in the coop until early-to-mid-afternoon. Sunday after church I was rewarded with four eggs - all in the same nest box, even - for my efforts.

But Shadow is being a problem child. Under no circumstance does she want to lay in the coop. She wants to take the long way into the tack room and lay in a secluded corner by the door, which is where she began her career not long ago.

I added another next box to the coop over the weekend, one that was part of the original farm and probably hadn't been used in decades. No interest in that one, either. Maybe if I put some strips of burlap up over it to give more of an illusion of privacy.

The roos, in the meantime, continue to practice crowing. Roger, the boss, is by far the best of the three. Jean Bob has most of a crow in place, but tends to cut it short. And poor, pathetic Rocky is just now coming out of the stage where he sounds like a party horn. Maybe I should rent him out for bar mitzvahs and children's parties.