Booger.

I ordered a broody hen containment system from Hayneedle for 79.98 <.http://www.hayneedle.com/Ware Premium Backyard Hutc>.  It looks just like our hen house - cedar tee-pee style.  And I ordered six fertile Easter eggs for our broody hen to hatch.

Fertile easter eggers from My Pet Chicken

Unfortunately, the containment system is on back order but I received the fertile eggs.  What to do?

Improvise.  Necessity is the mother of inventions.  I needed to get the broody hen out of the nest the other hens use for egg-laying duties and into her own area.  I used what I had on hand, an old wire dog crate, poultry wire under the bottom, newspapers over that and a basket turned on its side and then some pine bedding and a tarp to keep the hot Bama sun off them mid-day.  Ta-Da!

The new incubation and containment system

Now what would the broody hen and her sisters think of it?  

H'mmm, I don't remember leaving these eggs here.

Maybe.  We'll see what tomorrow brings.

A Grand Experiment

Is already hot today - the high is expected to be 97 degrees F - heat index well over 100.  Chickens do not do well in heat.  Heat stresses chickens much more than freezing temperatures.  So lots of tender loving care for my little flock of ladies.  Today also begins a grand experiment.  It is time to cull my flock but before I do that I want a little broody hen, Pick, to incubate some fertile eggs for me. I have a new experiment to set up.  I have ordered six fertile Easter eggs (type of chicken that lays pastel colored eggs known for their very low cholesterol).  I have one very broody speckled sussex hen.  Under the hen goes the eggs and in 21 days we'll see what we have.  When eggs are incubated this way, ratio of hatch is 50:50.  Ratio of hens to roosters is 50:50.  So I expect 3 eggs to hatch and either 2 roosters and 1 hen or 2 hens and 1 rooster.  Hoping for 2 hens and 1 rooster.