Jesus likened himself to a...
Illustration
Jesus likened himself to a broody hen when he said he longed to gather Jerusalem under
his wings to protect them. A chicken will generally lay one egg a day. Only after she has
laid a certain number, called a clutch, she will begin to incubate them. This ensures that
the eggs will hatch at the same time. At this point, her physiology changes, and she
becomes "broody." When danger approaches her nest, she will utter a low growling noise
and may peck at the intruder. For up to twenty days, she will sit on the nest, leaving only
once a day to water, feed, and defecate. Once the eggs hatch, the hen remains on the nest
for another day or so, then, she will take her newly hatched chicks on their first walk. If
any eggs haven't hatched by then, they are left to die.
The broody hen continues to protect her chicks away from the nest. She will call them to her when faced with danger, spreading out her wings to gather them in. She will charge at intruders, pecking and clawing at them in an attempt to keep them at bay. In cold temperatures, she will gather her chicks under her and squat on them to keep them warm.
Interestingly, breeds such as Leghorns and Rhode Islands Reds, have had the brooding gene selectively bred out of them, so only on very rare occasions will the hens become broody.
The broody hen continues to protect her chicks away from the nest. She will call them to her when faced with danger, spreading out her wings to gather them in. She will charge at intruders, pecking and clawing at them in an attempt to keep them at bay. In cold temperatures, she will gather her chicks under her and squat on them to keep them warm.
Interestingly, breeds such as Leghorns and Rhode Islands Reds, have had the brooding gene selectively bred out of them, so only on very rare occasions will the hens become broody.
