In spite of wanting to throw her in the pot, we just let her do her thing. I finally got a system down where I'd flip the nesting box sideways to evacuate her and steal the eggs, thereby reducing my chances of being pecked to death. While we have two nesting boxes, all three chickens have only used the one on the left so, even though Sarah was constantly occupying the nest, the other chickens would squeeze in with her to lay.
Emma declared last night, as we were watching them free range in the backyard, that we were so lucky that we have chickens even though we don't live on a farm.
Anyway, a big woohoo! to Sarah for finally getting out of the nest. She has redeemed herself.
4 comments:
I hope I don't have to wait 2.5 months! I had my Light Sussex go broody early in the summer and other than lifting her out of the nesting box a few times a day I just let it run her course. She finally got back to laying and for a couple of weeks all three girls were laying. Woo hoo! Then the Barnevelder went broody, then a week or so later the Light Sussex started molting. I'm down to just one laying hen again. I guess this is why folks get more than 3! But I'm still managing. Since the tomatoes started ripening I'm big on toast and tomatoes for breakfast instead of eggs.
Since you are in the city and can't have roosters, and therefore won't be hatching out any chicks, there is absolutely no reason to have a broody-breed chicken! There are many breeds that simply don'y don't GO broody and thus lay all summer without interruption. Barred rocks, for example, seldom go broody. Rhode Island Reds seldom go broody. Check out McMurray's hatchery website for a list of broody and non-broody breeds.
Broody is annoying when you have 60 hens... it must be a serious logistical problem when you've only got three! Congrats to Sarah for getting over it and getting back to business. Hope your dinner was delish! We've got "breakfast for dinner" on the menu for tonight here as well.
My parents' Buff Orpington, Cora, went broody last month. She suffered all kinds of strange moods, wouldn't let other hens in the nest and was being a general pain in the ass. The hens weren't liking her either, she must of been putting off some weird vibes. My Dad said he'd give her a month and if she didn't snap out of it she would be dinner. Her broodiness lasted only three weeks and she laid an egg a few days after. Apparently it was quite the annoyance, you have my sympathy and congratulations that she's finally over it.
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