Quasi-broody hen

[Pineywoods Peepers]

I've got a Delaware pullet (almost a hen) who is driving me nuts. One day she's broody. The next day she's out free ranging with the rest of the flock. I haven't put any eggs under her, but I have started collecting them. I'm just afraid that when I do separate her from the flock and put some eggs with her, she's gonna get off the nest. I'm in the process of fixing up a broody pen for her, and I have thought about putting some golf balls under her while I collect a few more eggs just to see how she does and if she stays on the nest.

 

[Laigaie]

I have a very similar problem. Our SLW is being broody when there are eggs in the coop, and acting like she's not broody the rest of the time. We're giving her a ton of golfballs to see if she stays broody when there are eggs in the nest. I was wanting to hatch out some eggs from a local, but I don't want to risk her not staying broody once given eggs, either.