Hot and broody

We are hot. But we're not hot like a broody chicken. Due to some combination of temperature, season, and chicken hormones, Fluffernutter decided she was determined to sit in the nest box until she either hatched a baby chick or died, whichever came first.  In other words, she became broody.

Ah Fluffernutter, our perpetual problem chicken.  First to discover that the top of the electric outlet in the coop is the most desirable perch, perpetrator or two separate egg eating incidents.

It took us a few days to discover she'd ceased to leave the nest box, and then another few to realize we were supposed to do something about it (given that we don't have a rooster and the possibility of her hatching an egg being non-existent).

Various wisdom on breaking broody chickens includes:

- Simply pull the hen off the nest box as soon as you notice it (works best if caught in the first few days before the habit is set)
- Confine the broody hen to an area without good nesting spots (wire cage, chicken tractor)
- Dunk the hen's bottom in cold water

Option 1 resulted in Fluffernutter walking around a bit disoriented for awhile and then going back to the nest box.  Option 3 seemed kind of mean.  Since we had the chicken tractor handy we decided to stick her in there with some food and water and treats.  I don't know if chickens can actually cry, but she did her best imitation of sobbing.  I am a soft hearted farmer, I'm not going to lie, it was sad.

The other chickens gathered around the outside of the tractor in what I thought was concern, but then, twelve hours later when we opened the door it turned out they just wanted to get into the tractor and eat the untouched treats.  Poor Fluffernutter, who had been sitting in there all day, was immediately blocked from the exit by 11 other chickens squeezing in with her.

This went on for three days, with one of us having to physically move her off the nest box and onto a perch every night after all the chickens had settled in to roost (we even let her sit on the electric box).  Finally, after a few days in the sun, she doesn't seem disoriented anymore and is venturing out on her own.  Our total egg production however, has dropped by half.  Are the chickens stressed out by all the drama or just the heat? I guess time will tell.  Fluffernuter seems to be feeling better, but the forecast says the heat is here to stay.