Calamity Jane is broody again
It’s Spring and Calamity Jane is broody again. Apparently this is her thing. None of the other 6 hens has shown an interest in sitting 24/7 in the nest box, waiting for chicks to magically appear beneath her.
My initial reaction was utter disappointment. I thought (very pragmatically): “I’ll have to find a home for her”. And then the reality bubble burst and I decided: “…or I can let her raise chicks again!! Cause that’ll be adorable!!” Oh dear. It’s a disease.
So here we go again. This morning I purchased a dozen mixed fertilized eggs from The Bradley Farm near my work in Puyallup, WA. They set me up with 2 lavender orpingtons (remember George?), two salmon faverolles, one light sussex, one partridge chantecler, two blue orpington, two blue-laced red wyandottes (like Rooroo and Little Sister), and two Marans – one black copper and one white.
The dozen fertile eggs from The Bradley Farm
I got CJ set up in the broody box this evening, with enough time to get comfortable on the eggs before dusk fully descended. Good thing too because, as per 2012, she only managed to pull two or three of the eggs underneath her before settling into the corner. Also as per 2012 I just shoved the rest underneath her, though I didn’t fret about it this time.
It was only after all was said and done that I remembered my plan this year was to stick day-old chicks under CJ if she went broody again. Oops.
Sustainable Scientist 
I have to say, I`d rather deal with ducks than chickens. I swear chickens smell fear, and feed off it. I kind of have a grudge against the species. They chased me down and attacked me like wolves or something as a child, and I really haven`t forgiven any of them, though I had met a German variety that was relatively nice.
Wow, that’s a lot of eggs! Did you put all of them in there? How many can she actually sit on? (says the clueless nonfarmer)
Hey Teresa, so she threw out the two dark ones (I am guessing she decided they looked suspicious rather than being nonfertile) and she is in fact setting on 10. I am still amazed when I see her hunker down on them, but she does the shimmy, lifts her shoulders out, and they all disappear under her. She looks so wide and flat! I want to try to get a picture of that…
I love having a broody hen and the excitement of hatching chicks. Have fun.
Great to discover your blog. Can’t wait to see how the chicks get on in your next posts.
Oh CJ … although I remember Val saying CJ was her favourite online personality 🙂
Side note: since you’re thinking of getting into bees, a colleague passed this link to me (since i’ve had a sore throat for 1 month and no one seems to know why), and i thought i would share: http://www.theorganicprepper.ca/raw-honey-liquid-gold-in-your-pantry-03262013
Love you, mi hermana
Great article.