Ooooh broody.

[Heldi]

Oooooh beggar I've got a broody!  Aeryn Sun. Have tried taking eggs away from her and all the things that one does. Given up..too much like namesake...except... she is getting picked on when she ventures out of the nest for a drink...quite viciously. It's been going on for a while now.Had a thought..Dicky down the lotty has eggs for the hatching...bantams french wyandottes. ...yes he will give me some eggs to shove underneath Aeryn Sun. Watch this space as yet another part of the shed goes over to birds of the chook variety.

[Hyacinth]

What does 'broody' mean, please? Is it like us when we see cute babies in prams (or asleep in cardboard boxes)?   Do you think that the poor little thing's seen too many easter-egg cards?

[Robert_Brenchley]

It gets an urge to sit on eggs. Just what's needed if you want to hatch some chicks, but a nuisance otherwise.

[Hyacinth]

Aha Robert, I've had it all explained to me via PM....wimmen and their hormones, eh?

But why do the others pick on her, please?

[Heldi]

I don't know why they pick on her Alishka. I was quite shocked to see it myself.  She is still broody so OH will hastely make a quiet corner for her where she can sit,still see the others but can't get pecked.

[teresa]

Oh if she was the top of the pecking order the others have established a new pecking order and reminding her she is bottom right now.
My broody was not top just bottom so they left her alone and got on with things.
So babies in a month? spring is here ha ha

[Hyacinth]

so it's like being in purdah?

[Heldi]

Ah ha Teresa that explains alot. The hens to most have a go at her were the last ones in and the ones that were definately at the bottom of the pecking order.

[teresa]

I always think of hens like naughty school boys,
 they will fight ,squable and pick on each other then next you see they are the best of friends.
If they see blood well cannables.
 I went into the run once with red nail varnish on my toes never again I got out very quick  they were all after me. Oh well we learn.

[Heldi]

Hen antics are a continuing source of delight,amusement and even quite shocking sometimes!

[Heldi]

This evening we have sectioned off a part of the hen house.  OH made up a new nest box, then we went down to Dicky's allotment and he gave us 12 eggs.  Broody hen is now tucked up in her new apartment, sitting on some wee bantam eggs. Aw. (And there was me telling everyone that I don't want chicks...ho hum!).

[teresa]

Oh Heldi,
You most likely know all about this but may be of some interest to others reading.
I found this chart realy good from day 1-21 have a look new life is great
http://p072.ezboard.com/fbackyardchickensfrm30.showMessage?topicID=31.topic

[Heldi]

Hey teresa thanks.    I'm going to show that to my son.

[teresa]

Heldi your welcome print it off for him and you can both track each days progress untill hatching. Oh course not all make it for one reason or another but its nice to see what is happening inside the shell.
Beware this can get adtive ha ha.

[Heldi]

Heres a pic of Aeryn Sun hr very own nest box sitting on her eggs.  She will have sat for six days by this evening.

[teresa]

Oh love the house shes lovely, what is she and how many eggs is she on its so exctiting mine just hatching in incubator 4 so far another 4 to go I hope.

[Heldi]

She has 12 eggs underneath her. I was sure it was too many but the guys on the lotty said I had to make allowances for some that might not hatch. I'm still a bit worried about the amount of eggs but it is lovely to see her sitting there everyday and when I see her I can't help but be excited! She makes lots of delicate chirping and clicking sounds. Its just so sweet!

[HO]

Congatulations on the arrivals in a fortnights time! Robert has it right , though, broodiness is more often than not a pain in the nestbox and puts your best layers out of action and out of sorts and clogs up your nestboxes no end. So here is the solution, learnt from my father: wait till the bird goes to the nest, give her about two minutes, no more, lift her off and then launch her into the air, carefully but firmly so that she has to fly about three or or four yards. Dad used to reckon that you need ten feet of elevation but he was from Wiltshire and they have a cavalier attitude to broodiness there; less is OK. This may sound odd but it works and it stops you getting increasingly irritated with your little darlings.

[teresa]

Well I have heard of putting them in a cat basket supended in a tree to cool them off and putting them in cold water now send them flying. Its all very interesting how to change a broodys mind.

[Heldi]

Thanks HO ,I'll bear that in mind if one of the others goes broody! I have wondered what to do if another starts getting the motherly instinct and no doubt this broody will be broody again at some point. I can't give in to all the of them !