Broody in the Henhouse

Miss Mouse decided to go broody on us yesterday.  Nestled down in the left nestbox some time in the morning and hasn't moved since. The girl has gone all zombie-esque, with her eyes half-closed and staring.  Last night I tried to stand her up and hurry her along, but she seemed to have lost all function in her lower limbs and maintained the squat position, even when dangling in mid-air.  Also, she's plucked all of her chest feathers, apparently in order to better bake the two eggs and a golfball I found underneath.  Eww.
Unfortunately for Mama Mouse, the two eggs are about as likely to hatch as the golfball -- no Roo in residence. 

When she isn't zoning, Mousie sometimes gives us a half-hearted hiss.  I guess that's her idea of defending the nest, but all of the cute feather fluff detracts from her ferocity somewhat. 

With Miss Mouse staked out in the left nestbox, the right side is getting a lot more business. 

And the cranky hens are getting crankier.

I posted to the Backyard Chickens listserv regarding ways to Bust a Broody.  Had several messages back about isolating her in a bedding-less wire-bottomed cage for a few days to cool off her nether parts.  A couple of the more chick-crazy listserv members bemoaned the "waste" of a good broody and suggested that we buy a few fertilized eggs, stick them under her, and let her hatch a few.  Problem is, we don't have room in our coop for anybody else.  So, friends, would you like Miss Mouse to hatch any little fluffernutters for you?  Liz P., you know you want some.