Smoke is broody again!

Since Smoke started laying after her last broody spell she has laid ten eggs in twelve days and then gone broody again. She seems to be going broody sooner than ever.

I am so fed up of the constant broodiness that this time I decided to try to break her out of it straight away before it really got hold of her. Seems that this is easier said than done.

I have been keeping the nest boxes closed and opening one when I can tell that a girl needs to lay. I tried to make a one way system so that the laying girl could leave the nest box after laying but Smoke couldn’t get in. I don’t really want to shut a girl in the nest box.

Not very sophisticated but I propped the lid, from the tub that holds the sunflower hearts, against the ramp of the nest box. This was yesterday.

Today when Ebony was in the nest box I decided to leave it open. Ebony and Smoke are the two most aggressive girls and I didn’t think that Ebony would tolerate Smoke with her or that Smoke would be brave enough to go in with her.

While broody, Smoke always puffs herself up like this, when she is near Ebony.

I can only try to keep Smoke out because I am home all the time at the moment. At last we are having some lovely sunny weather so I am spending my time in the garden and can keep an eye on the girls.

A little later I heard Ebony shouting and when I checked she had laid her egg and Smoke was sitting on it. I removed the egg and lifted Smoke from the nest box and closed it once more.

I am not sure this is going to work as it is already Smoke’s third day of being broody but I will continue for another couple of days and hope for the best.