Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread - Page 822

Hey guys!!! I'm baacccckkk. Have you missed me???  

Just hatched out 11 Silkies which brings me up to 12 Silkies now. SURELY one of those will be female and be a future broody for me. Anyway, that's not why I'm here. Question for the broody experts. I have a coming on 4 year old Barred Rock hen that hasn't laid an egg in over a year that appears to have gone broody. She just savagely stole 3 eggs from one of my Ameraucanas. This girl brooded for me her first year (and not very well!) but then suffered (and survived) a hawk attack. She is now quite over-weight because of her life of leisure and quite arthritic, I believe, from her troubles with the hawk. I'm sort of thinking I'm going to HAVE to let her sit on some eggs because if I don't, she's going to keep harrassing my layers. Peg still runs things in the coop .... Am I nuts???? (Fertile eggs are in abundance around here so I certainly don't have to worry about the eggs.)

This is Peg her first time brooding  with her one and only chick ....

I still can't find mine. I know she's somewhere nearby as I've caught her eating food near the barn, but I have no clue where she's hiding. This I believe is the same chicken that went broody last year in an old cat cubby that had blown onto the compost heap. :P If I find her, I'm moving her - if she breaks, the incubator is already up and running. But she's only been missing a few days so the eggs won't be that far along. Today I'm trying another search, but I have 26 acres of tick infested woods so not going TOO far. :)
 

LOL.... sounds like you NEED some Guineas..... 
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by perchie.girl 

 

LOL.... sounds like you NEED some Guineas..... 
 

 

 

Oh, I HAD some guineas. 17 of them. Until they decided they didn't LIKE my acres of tick infested woods, they preferred my front lawn. At 6AM. Neighbor's houses are MUCH more interesting things to honk at 24/7. :P I had to rehome them before people showed up with pitchforks. :)

LOL....  We have a saying "it takes at least ten guineas to make one brain" ...  I take it you werent able to  train them to coop up at night.  Not a fool proof solution but it helps.... but it is a lot of work I know.  I have one female that BuckWheats all night long. 

forgot to mention how precious that pic is!  

Hatched out 2 blue Silkies, 5 splash, 2 lavenders, 1 porcelain, and 1 white (with a big vault so I hope that means female!!!) - just for my avatar, Elliot, I hope!!! 

Will keep you posted on the broody. I don't entirely trust Peg but I do agree, would probably be good for her to have a job again! If she'll stick to it.

 I'm glad I found this post.I am getting ready to hatch eggs broody style and this post will come in handy.