Our Broody Hen

Recently one of our hens, a Phoenix, “went broody” as Calvin puts it.  When chickens do this they are determined to brood until the eggs hatch.  The hen will only leave her eggs a couple times a day for not more than 20 minutes to eat and may not get all the nutrition she needs.  Another problem occurs when leaving the nest; another hen will get in her nest.  Without a consistent brooder for the developing chicks many will never hatch (especially in winter).  We could confine her, but we decided to take some of the eggs and incubate them.

At 4:30 in the morning a few days before Christmas, we found out from a very excited Calvin that the first egg hatched.  The kids and I excitedly watched nine chicks hatch over the course of eight days.  After each chick was born and dried off in the incubator, it was introduced to its mother.  She eagerly took them in. 

It is amazing how she can fit them all underneath her and not crush them.  I would think it would be uncomfortable to hold my arms out in such a way and keep all my kids huddled.  I’d also have to generate 95 degrees of heat.  They are in the cold garage now which is around 50 degrees or so, but those little chicks stay nice and warm under her and make happy little chirps.

When it is feeding time, the mother hen picks up a little food pellet, brings it close to the chicks, makes clucking noises and drops it in front of them.  They happily chirp, run over and eat it.  When the chicks chirp too much because of being cold, she gets in her brooding position and they all eagerly run under her.  As they get older, a couple of them will venture out or jump on top of her.  She just sits there and occasionally gently tucks them back under with her beak, the same beak that can be used to defend them if necessary.  Her life is completely dedicated to the chicks now. 

Being so close to God’s creation is great. These chicks willingly and eagerly run and hide under her. They are content and protected. The Lord implored stubborn Israel in Matthew 23:37 as well as us today, “…how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…” The almighty, powerful God, who called all things into creation, longs to gently tuck us under his wing. Under the cross, because of Christ we have this refuge. Christ, who poured out his life for us.