this is my new science project: i took four eggs out of the ducks' nest (they lay eggs in there, but neither of them has shown any inclination to actually set the eggs), and stuck them under a broody hen who has taken her stand in one of the nesting boxes and hasn't seen the light of day for a week. for those of you who are city people*, a "broody" hen is one who suddenly takes it into her head (where, believe me, there is p-l-e-n-t-y of room) that she HAS to have babies or die. so she lays eggs in the nesting box (or under a bush) and insists on sitting there day after day after day, waiting for them to hatch. my broody hen will wait a long time, since she's never even SEEN a rooster in her life. there's a chance that the duck eggs are fertilized, so i guess we'll see what happens.
*we have lived in the country for exactly two years.
