After Penny stubbornly proved herself a very dedicated and wishful mama hen this past weekend, the kids and I decided she had earned a real chance at hatching some eggs (which she does not have without intervention due to the lack of a rooster over here), and we set about hatching a plan (ha ha, see what I did there?).
I wasn't interested in attempting to order fertilized eggs from a hatchery, juggling the logistics, and going through all that stress this close to winter. However I also wanted to do more than just allow her to sit in an empty box... my solution was to text a neighbor around the corner with a flock of chickens (including several roosters) and barter a few home-canned goods for a few of his flock's fertilized eggs. Luckily, he was very enthusiastic about our plan.
After school we popped over and made the trade, and before dinner Penny was proudly sitting on her very own clutch. Audrey, ever the thoughtful Chicken Friend, drew a big chalk 'X' on the outside of the nesting box Penny has claimed, with a warning to not collect any eggs from that box. She also made a reminder that one can't help but see every time you walk out the door...
'Do not disturb the nesting box with the X! PS Penny is sitting on eggs! -AW'
I have no idea how long Penny will sit on these eggs before they could possibly hatch, as they were taken from another broody hen and lord knows how long she's been sitting on them... but if all goes well, we'll have a chance to see Penny fulfill the desire of her little mama heart soon... as long as the weather cooperates!
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