Picture this written in very small text or whispered behind a closed hand so my kids don't see or hear:
Guilty as charged! Gem, my bantam cochin, had been trying to go broody all Spring, so I finally gave in and ordered hatching eggs from another show line - to freshen up my bloodline (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!) She abandoned the nest, which I didn't realize until MUCH too late ... or so I thought. I moved what was clean into my NR 360 (neat coincidence!) and pretty much walked away, not expecting anything.
Meanwhile, Gem went broody again (I could have STEWED her!) I couldn't break her this time, so I gave her some VERY old eggs from my kitchen counter. I honestly figured she'd break again. Long story short - I have seven beautiful RC Nankin bantams ready to go out to the coop, soon - and Gem has nine ... count 'em NINE little Nankin muttlets on my front porch.
On top of that ... My BJG, prefers the smaller box coop to the big playhouse coop. The smaller one is lower, so she doesn't have as big a jump to get up or down - for some reason, ramps are "Ewww!" As a result, she rarely shows up for evening "roll call." I usually just glance inside to make sure she's in before I close up.
Well, yesterday she looked "flat" - broody flat, so I checked a little closer. Yup - she's sharing a nest with my New Hampshire Red and another Nankin. Eggs of all sizes, most look ready to go in about a week. I know I should, but I simply can NOT pitch eggs that far along! Luckily, my Nankin rooster is too short to fertilize her eggs properly, so most of those are duds ... but the smaller ones are viable and two of the larger eggs look possible. If they survive, they'll be an interesting mix, for sure ... but where in the world am I supposed to put 'em?
