[WoodyK]

Hello All

Firstly may I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and thank you for all the advice you have given me this year.

I'll try to keep this brief.

I got 3 ex batts in July, they have free range of the garden but never stray out of the garden and always come running as soon as the kitchen door is opened.

I didn't seem to be getting any eggs from Nigella, the smallest one, and assumed it was because of her condition. I used to get the odd soft egg which i assumed was hers.

Anyway, she went missing for a few hours last Sunday which is unlike her, especially as i was digging and the other two were after the worms.

Last night she didn't come home at all and i feared the worst.

This morning, we found her in one of the wooded areas sat on a nest of eggs! There is also an egg away from the nest. (bottom right of photo).

As she is an ex batt and we don't have a cockerel I can't imagine the eggs are fertile. I really dont want to leave her where she is as she will probably be fox food.

Any advice greatfully received.

Woody


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[Kate and her Ducks]

Clever girl! Think it's lovely that nature will out over all man's interferring and breeding and attempts to suppress their natural instincts!

That being said if you have no cockerel they will not hatch and if she is not safe and protected you will have to put a end to it quickly. Sure someone chickeny will be along soon but what most seem to recommend is shifting them off the nest and removing the eggs and keep doing this every time she returns. Cooling her by putting her bottom in cold water has also been recommended a couple of times.

The other alternative is to move her to a broody box where she will be safe and get her some fertilized eggs

[naughty nick]

hi, what about lifting the whole lot up, sticks and all and rebuilding it some where safe in her run .  we used to have some silkies that allways were broody, they would sit on their eggs and when we took the eggs they waited for the others to lay and then went and sat on those :? , eventually they give up, but do the whole thing again 3 or4 weeks later :roll:

[Vember]

Hi WoodyK

If it were me I would take all the eggs away and move her off the nest as nothing is going to happen if she's not been near a cockerel in the last 3 weeks

You could do as Nnick suggests & move the whole thing but she will continue to sit until she gets bored.
The longer she sits the longer it will be till you get any eggs off her again

As Kate say's it is fantastic that she has gone broody normally this doesn't happen in ex-bats
Could you get her a boyfriend? Then next time you could leave her to it if she's in a safe place

Sarah

[WoodyK]

Just moved her off the nest and she was sitting on 15 eggs.

We haven't had an egg in the nest box for about 4 weeks.

I cracked one open and it was a lovely fresh egg.

Thanks again

Woody

[Foxy]

Woody


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aww woody, what an amazing photo! So unusual this time of year as well, a very clever hen!  

[WoodyK]

I want to know where all the eggs came from ;-)

[Foxy]

I want to know where all the eggs came from ;-)

Dont thinks she gonna tell you!