Princess Layah makes headlines in another blog

Princess Layah, one of our two sex-linkeds, began sitting on eggs in a nesting box without moving, even for food and water, about a month ago. Jemi turned to the many chicken guidebooks that Elizabeth was given for Christmas, but kindly left here for our use in tending her small flock. Then, having identified the behavior as "brooding," Jemi turned to Wendy, who gave us our four hens last summer, to get her take on this behavior.

Here's what Wendy wrote after offering advice through a few private exchanges:

http://simplethrift.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/lesson-277-its-what-mothers-are-programmed-to-do/

Note: the photo in Wendy's post is NOT our bird, but we recognize the intense expression, plus can imagine a similar low grumble, though Layah hasn't pecked any of us...yet, anyway. (It's VERY obvious why grumbling, sulking and intense dark behavior in humans is known as "brooding").

And many thanks to the person who, through Wendy, offered us fertilized eggs. With a fox prowling the South End again, not sure Jemi could handle the anxiety of a real brood, though.