Now what are my girls up to?

[LavendarFeather]

I have two BCM pullets that started laying end of July. Three days ago, one went broody. It just so happened I had hatching eggs on order, so yesterday I placed 9 Silkie eggs in her care. This bird had been "deflowered" the day before.

These girls were pretty much laying every day, with maybe one day off a week. The first day that Megan was broody, there was no egg from Nurse R. Second day, Nurse R got in there when Megan took a break and layed a HUGE egg, like she'd been saving it up. Third day, no egg from her. This morning, Nurse R is on top of Megan in the nesting box. I don't yet know if she managed to deposit an egg, since Megan isn't coming out and I don't want to disturb her eggs. If there's one in there, I'll get it at some point. It won't be fertile b/c my rooster is afraid of Nurse R. She has actually mounted HIM.

There are other nesting boxes, but of course no one wants to use those. I tried moving Megan's box, and putting a less popular box in that most popular spot. (they are dog crates) I put two ceramic eggs in the unoccupied box. When I came back out, one of the ceramic eggs had been pushed out of the box, and the other had a little mound of feathers placed over it. What's up with that?

 

[Judy]

Sounds like you're going to have to confine your broody if you want an undisturbed nest. They will move eggs from one nest to another, lay on top of others' pile of eggs, lay on top of each other, etc.

A good size dog crate should do it -- but they do need room to stand and get a little exercise, plus of course food and water.

It's pretty common for a bunch of hens to use only one nest box and leave others undisturbed. Mine switch around, often staying with one or two for weeks, then switching.

LOL at Nurse R!

 

[LavendarFeather]

Oh, thank you for the insight. I think I will put Megan's crate in the chick pen. I worry about her in a closed in dog crate when it's so blasted hot out there. She'll be in shade, but still... ugh.

The R in Nurse R is for "Ratched," like in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Very dominant and large. When she grabbed the rooster that time, he was APALLED. Ran away, shook himself off, and crowed three times. (I AM a man, I AM a man, I AM a man!) But he'll probably be bigger than her one of these days. He's just 21 weeks.

 

[LavendarFeather]

Oh, I almost forgot. What about the feathers on the egg? Is that something they do, pull out their own feathers and put them over an egg. It seems so sweet.