What the heck makes them go broody when they are not sitting on any eggs???? This is the second time this has happened to us. Wishbone sat dedicatedly on her nest for ten days, never left it except for once a day. One afternoon I was out in the barn when she got off the nest to eat and drink, she was starving and very thirsty. I took the opportunity to wander over to see how many eggs she was sitting on...none, of course.
I'd been picking up eggs so I slipped three into her nest. It was hilarious cause when I turned around she was standing behind me staring at me, I swear, with an outraged, how dare you! expression. Then, she started on me...swearing up a storm, bawk-bawking me all the way out of the barn. When I went back a couple hours later I was pleased to see her sitting on the new eggs...yay! Next day I saw she had thrown one out. I wondered about the others...I could imagine her saying..."these are not MY eggs...MY eggs are invisible!! Today she abandoned the nest and all the eggs are gone. I suppose this is the equivalent of false pregnancy, except in a chicken????
