Broody Hens

The two Ameraucana are broody!

We ended up loosing a few of the girls over the last few months (to dogs and an unknown sudden death) and so we had been talking about getting more.  However, getting chicks takes more equipment and resources so we never got around to it.  Vague plans were made for some wondrous future when time and money were abundant to be able to pour into the idea for more chickens... yeah there is no such thing, that does not exist when you are homesteading.

Then we noticed that the green eggs had stopped.  Three days went by with not a egg to be found, but every time I opened the nesting boxes, Joanie and Ethel were sitting in there.  Hmmmmm

I reached in to pet Joan and she totally snapped at me!  Ethel joined in too.  They had never made attempts at biting before.  Then they both puffed up and squawk.  Very peculiar.

A quick Google search revealed that they were broody.  Ah yes, it was about that time, they are just about 9 months old and I hear that is prime brooding time.  It all made sense, little mama hens were protecting their egg!  It wasn't even their egg!  Jessica laid one and now Joanie and Ethel were competing over who would be the one to hatch it.

It was kind of a no brainier, it was decided that we would buy some fertilized eggs and let the broody hens hatch them.  The hens would be happy, and we get more birds with out too much more work - win win!


We got a dozen Ameraucana (I think two or three are actually Easter Eggers) and put half in one box and half in the other.  Right away they both went into one box and after some arranging, settled in on them.

Fingers crossed most will hatch!
Fingers double cross that we get mostly girls!!

Happy hens with their eggs

"Stay away from my eggs!"