broody

ok, what does "broody" mean ? Does that mean your hen is sulking in a corner and thinks she's setting on eggs or something ? By the way, anyone on the forum out here near California or Nevada ? It is SO smoky right now here north of Reno from the fires that visibility is less than a mile...

Hi smartchicks. Yup, that is pretty much what it means. When a hen thinks she is hatching eggs she goes into a state where she is almost in a trance and determined to sit on her "clutch" even if it is a pile of rocks. She eats and drinks very little and her metabolism changes to provide the optimum conditions for the eggs to develop. Great if you are hatching chicks--but a proplem if you want eggs, since she won't lay at all during that time.

Sorry for the smoke. We are smoky here again in the Central Valley after one day of clear skies. Last week I was up in Colusa County just north of Sacramento and got sick from smoke inhalation. I am on antibiotics now. So be careful if the smoke gets too thick, stay indoors and wear one of the diposable masks if you have to work outside. Never thought it would bother me, even though they had issued warnings. We've been hearing here that the smoke has been moving up into the Reno area and my father in sourthern Utah is seeing it too. I think most of the western mountain area is under fire threat right now. Take care.

Hi Catscan,
thanks for the informative response on "broody". That is terrible that you got that sick from the smoke ! I used to be a hotshot for USFS, i.e. a wildland firefighter. I used to get horrible headaches from working in smoke for hours and hours, but never had to go on antibiotics. That sounds really bad to me. Anyway, we are trying to stay inside as much as possible here, but I have a 1 year old who is Mr. Outdoorsman already. I am running out of fun indoor activities for him !!!

What a cutie!

I've never been bothered by smoke before--but everyone here is starting to get tight chested when they go out in the smoke areas. The sky has cleared a bit again. Hope you get some good winds to blow it away---

hey, smartchicks, i haven't doen this yet, from my 365 fun things to do with baby book:

using different jarred baby foods, fingerpaint on a mat, like the floormats you use around there high chair [turn it over so it is plain white....

use a rainbow of colors: bananas, carrots, peas, raspberries, apples, butternut squash, etc.

then for clean up let him dance in the rub under the shower! [just started this with my 15 month old, he loves it more than baths, and it takes less time to get more food off!]

stay safe!
tf