Broody Hen, broody again.

Good ol’ gal, yes she’s setting again. Although she tried midwinter, I knew the weather wouldn’t hold out for her so I stole her eggs away. Now that winter has seemingly ended and the snow has dwindled away, the flock is buzzing around the yard. She seems to feel the quiet calm near the coop without the bustle of winter crowding.

She and I however are having some disagreements this time around. I’m sick of her taking over the most used nest box to hatch her eggs. Other hens lie on top of her, push her out, sully her eggs and add eggs that take precious body warmth away from hatching eggs.

So I made a decision to put her in my small Aframe now. She is not excited about this and after her morning routine time off the nest, paces trying to get back to her chosen spot. I found she does not settle on her own. Therefore it easiest to let her out of the Aframe so she can run to her spot clucking like a fiend and then I pick her up and put her where I want her.

I’ve given her just a couple eggs to get her started. I want to make sure she is settled and concentrated before giving her a real clutch without adding too many extra days to her laying time. If all remains well today I will put them under her tomorrow morning. I have collected good sized and round shaped eggs today and yesterday for hatching. I choose rounder rather than the more pointed eggs because of the myth that they are females. This proved good for me last hatch when I ended up with only 1 male in 6.

If she can settle the issue of the Aframe as her spot I hope that from here on out if she wants to go broody, she will choose to go to the Aframe. We’ll see.