I had a close encounter earlier this summer but managed to avoid it. This time around Treacle will not be moved. She is determined and will not be broken despite being locked out of her nest box daily for the last week.
I have had to move her to the broody coop as her antics were upsetting the other hens and my boys, as the egg supply was becoming erratic. Combine the broody Treacle with a spot of egg eating and supplies in our household have dropped significantly.
Just in time the bantams on the plot have come to the rescue and have started laying, and they are laying well. We are still waiting for the crested legbars to start laying, but at 21 weeks old it will not be long. I think inspection of the nest box for blue eggs is the main reason for the boys insisting on coming with me to the plot on a daily basis. It's nice they are that interested though.
I never thought I would say this, but I did have to think very hard. I was not sure I wanted her hatching any more, this year anyway.
I have a pen full (and more) on the plot, but it is hard if not impossible to resist the lure of hatching under a broody.
I have heard that chickens make great surrogate mothers for ducks, and I am keen to see how it works in practice.
So there you have it, after a little searching I have 6 Welsh Harlequin duck eggs on the way from a breeder in Ammanford, Wales.
A few things to look out for to establish if your hen is broody.
1. Sitting in the nest box refusing to move.
2. Looking as though they are in a trance, staring at the wall.
3. Loss of condition, comb going pale, not looking after themselves.
4. Being aggressive and trying to peck you if you try and move her or retrieve the eggs.
5. Plucking out feathers on the chest area to line the nest and enable skin contact with the eggs.
Thanks for reading.
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