Daisy is setting on unfertile eggs.

I’ve written about “broody” hens before. But Daisy has never been broody before. “Broody or setting” means the hen’s instincts tell her to hatch some of the many eggs she has been laying. In the wild the hen will lay a clutch of eggs. When she has layed enough, she will spend about 21 days setting on the eggs, keeping them warm, until they hatch into chicks. Awwwwww…………

Now, I shouldn’t have to explain this to you, but you need a rooster to have fertile eggs that will hatch. We don’t have a rooster so the eggs that our hens lay can never become chicks. If I want the hens to hatch eggs, I have to buy fertile eggs or buy little chicks and put them under the setting hen. No one ever said that hens were the smartest creatures in the world. They don’t understand when you slip some chicks under them, and remove the eggs she’s been sitting on, they are not their own. They just mother them as if they were!

All fluffed up, clucking, clucking, clucking.

Daisy has been acting “broody” for about a week. She is all fluffed up and clucking, clucking, clucking. She continued laying eggs every day. But today, when I reached into the egg box she gave me a threatening growl………… “Don’t touch my eggs,” she warned. Daisy has never pecked me. She is the sweetest hen in the world. I gently pushed her from the nest and gave her some hen scratch (treat). But she was back on those two eggs in about five minutes.

We will continue to take her off the nest to eat and drink. We’ll remove the unfertile eggs beneath Daisy. We’ll put buckets in the nests in the late afternoon after all the hens have finished laying for the day. We will put her on the roost at night. Other than putting her in a cage by herself, that is about all you can do to discourage a hen from setting on unfertilized eggs. Why don’t we get her some chicks? Because when we built the henhouse and run, we were only going to have 3-4 hens and it is quite small. But I got “chick fever” and, as a result, have five lovely hens. It wouldn’t be fair to any of the hens to crowd in a few more. So, Daisy dear, get over it. I know your biological clock is ticking but it isn’t going to happen. Motherhood is just not in the cards for you, sweet girl, but if I ever have the room for more chickens, you will be the first to get those little ones you’d like to have.

It Doesn't Matter What You Mother!

This has been around a while but it makes me smile every time I see it! Love to all on Mother’s Day.

Don's big hands dwarf the size of these large eggs. On this day, all five hens layed.

We are getting some beautiful eggs this winter. Daisy and Poppy are laying extra-large eggs nearly every day. I’m not in the egg-selling business so I don’t put pressure on the girls to lay every day. In fact, a couple of eggs a week from each of them would be fine. I would rather have them lay fewer eggs for a longer period of time (usually five years is the limit) than to wear out their “egg makers” by laying every day.

Sweetpea's tiny egg

Once in a while the hens surprise me. Last week, there was this miniature egg lying among the normal ones. It was perfect, egg-shell and all. What happened? Well, one of girls obviously took a half day off and went shopping at the mall, leaving behind this perfectly shaped jewel to deceive us. The tiny egg weighs in at only 3/4 of an ounce. Our hens normally lay eggs that weigh 2 1/4 ounces. I’m not sure it has a yolk and white inside. I hate to crack it open to see. It is so precious as is!

Well, the thought was there, Sweetpea. You did your best and we all have days like this! Next time take the whole day off my dear. You deserve it.

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Four out of five are laying each day.

Our five girls are back in business. After a productive first year we hit some bumps in the road and the hens slowed down. First, Daisy became sickly and stopped laying. Then the ladies began molting; some for the second time. Molting happens about once a year so is to be expected. It lasts for about two months so we became a little “egg deprived” when several of the hens were molting at the same time. The biggest bump in the road, occurred in the wet days of early winter. Rosie, our best layer, died.

Now suddenly, in the warmth of winter on the Central Coast, our five hens have “snapped out of it”. All hens are laying once again. What a delight to lift the nest box cover yesterday and see four beautiful light brown eggs inside. The only one missing was an egg from Tulip and today she joined the others and gifted us with one of her light green beauties.

I’ve only had to buy a dozen eggs in nearly two years so I’m not complaining. All hens now have molted except for Poppy who has continued to be a consistent layer. I’m still putting ground egg shells in their feed and the egg shell on their newly minted eggs appear to be smooth and strong. Here’s hoping the girls stay happy and healthy in the coming year. These are our pets. And what other pet puts food on your table rather than taking it? Blessings!