Broody Again

Ethel can flatten out and puff up with the best of them.  Once again she is broody.

Today is was 7 eggs!  I think she must have it worked out with the other girls that if they lay them she will sit on them.  Well, that is until I come and have to physically remove her from the nesting box.

Good news is that I think she has finally figured out that she can't sit there all day long because this morning she came out for a treat with all the other girls.

She's Up To Her Old Tricks Again

Looks like Ethel might be spending some quality time by herself tomorrow night in the sick house.  She's gone broody again.

 

She huffs and puffs.

And gives you that look.

I think she scared the other girls too.  Only two eggs from the Big Girls today.  Tomorrow might not be her lucky day.

 

Must Have Been A Long Night

By Ethel's actions today, last night was a long night for her.  She turned over her water and food.  She knocked the ladder off the edge so I think she possibly slept on the ground last night.  She was not happy to see me again.  She actually jumped feet first for me when I came to let her out.  All the girls came out early today and stayed in the yard until just before dinner.  That was fun getting them in.  My chicken helper, Luke, from next door helped me get them in.  Inez thought she could sneak in with the Little Girls.  Luke had to climb in the run to catch her.  And as a result of the extra time getting the girls in, dinner was a little over done.

 

Anyhoo...Ethel spent most of the day under the burning bushes with her head tucked in her wing sleeping.  It was so sweet.  I thought at one point she might be dead.

Susie and EffieGrace stayed with her all morning while she slept.  I guess they were on hawk watch for her.

 

I have one question...Can the other girls feel sorry for her having to spend time away from her friends?  Not one of the Big Girls has laid an egg today.  I did remove all the wooden eggs from their nesting boxes.  Maybe that has something to do with it.  Guess I will just have to wait until tomorrow to see what I find.

She's Broody Again

This is what Ethel looks like when she thinks she has eggs to hatch. 

I've tried to break it to her gently...they are wooden you goof!

She just sits there on them hissing and growling and me.   She even has the audacity to even puff up at me.

You better watch it sister.

For her own sake I have to take her off the nest so she will eat and drink.  In her mind those are her eggs and little baby chicks are going to hatch from them.  Nope.  And I'm telling you that I will not be finding fertilized eggs for her to sit on.  I will just enjoy the hatching on God's Lil' Acre down the street.

I remove her from the nest and have to close the door so she doesn't sneak back in.  And she tells me about it under her breath the entire time she is trying to figure a way to get it.

Susie figured if she jumped up to the open doors where I clean out the coop she can get on the nest.  I am hoping that doesn't mean that I have two that have gone broody at the same time.  Heaven forbid!

Oh my, my sweet Ethel had turned into a wicked chicken.  She figured out how to get in and fluffed up her feathers and made herself look twice as tall and was telling Susie that those were her eggs and that she had better be getting off them ASAP.

 Just look at those neck feathers!

 

I mean she was furious!

Finally all things returned to right in her broody world.  Susie gave up and got off the eggs.

She just moved down two empty nesting boxes and puffed herself up.  One problem Susie...you got no eggs to sit on!

 

I am telling you right now there is always entertainment on NottaLotta.  You all should come and visit!

Playing In The Rain

EffieGrace and Keithetta Renetta having a little discussion...probably about what happened to EG.  And looks like someone has poopie butt.

Esthelle looking like she is on to something.

Ethel looking for Chickie Pa and his treats.  Just standing in the rain looking up trying to figure it all out.

Dixie running around like a crazy chicken.

Crispy checking out the camera.

RayJeana looking not so happy about something.

This is he dirtiest chicken on the farm.  her face and head are always covered in something.

I think Judy is stretching to see if she can be as tall as the big girls.

 

 

So Far So Good

Empty nesting box this morning.  Yea Ethel!

And look who is out in the run this morning with all her sister chickens!  Keeping my fingers crossed that it was as easy as that.

Ethel Is Going Broody

When a hen decides that she wants to set on a bunch of eggs...or in chicken language...a clutch of eggs this can be a good thing and it can be a bad thing.  I think in Ethel's case it is going to be a bad thing.  We have no clutch of eggs to hatch.  Ours are not fertile.

 

Yesterday I noticed that every time I check the nesting boxes she was there all puffed out and sitting not willing to move for anything.

So I went to my best chicken books, Fresh Eggs Daily and My Pet Chicken Handbook.

 

Here is what I have learned.....When chickens sit on eggs to hatch them their bodies go through lots of things.  They sit for long periods of times only getting up to eat, drink and stretch their legs.  When there are chicks involved, when they start peeping it is her signal that her body that the brooding time is over and her hormones go back in check.  If she should continue to sit there for the 21 day incubation period it could cause her harm.  Broody hens don't lay eggs during the time that they are broody.  So I am not getting those beautiful chocolate eggs that I have been waiting for.

 

I NEED TO BREAK THE BROODY SPELL.  To do this I have several options depending on how deep she is.  First I have taken all the wooden eggs out of the nesting boxes.  I have emptied the box that she likes of all pine shavings leaving her to sit in cold tile flooring.  I took her out and placed here in the run with some treats.  If she continues to be broody I need to put frozen water bottles in the nesting box she likes.  And if all those things don't break her, I will have to put her in a dog kennel inside the run with no nesting materials.  This is designed to cool her abdomen and vent area, which hopefully will help break the broodiness.  Good thing Spring Break is next week.  Looks like I might have my work cut out for me.

 

 

She's The Strong Silent Type

'Look me in the eye and say that'.

 She's loud and proud!

 

And the white legs!  She's my chocolate colored egg layer.  I think I have one egg from her already.  Those chocolate ones seem to be taking longer to make.

Ethel Is Growing Up And Out

Check out her eating form!  Love the high tail.

I noticed that she loves to eat the Stella Doras.  this might not be a good thing in the spring.

I've seen her 'practice' sitting on the nest but no eggs yet.  I am not very patiently waiting for her to lay one of the chocolate colored eggs.  Looks like she is almost ready but the size and color of her comb.

Chocolate Eggs On The Way

I'm checking everyday to see who had a bigger and brighter comb.  Looks like Ethel is on her way to being the newest layer.

Then yesterday morning she was trying out the nesting box.  I must have checked a thousand times to see if she laid an egg.  I think I made her a little nervous.  So last night I gave her a little extra bit of treats.  Cleaned everything up and added rose petals and lemon balm to the boxes.   Gotta keep the girls happy!