california white

[Nomibear]

That is such an early broody! My AliceAnn was exactly that way. She was a dedicated broody til the day she died.
I wonder if the presence of the broody duck had anything to do with it. I have never had any others go broody because one did, but they tell me this can happen, and does.
How nice you were able to find hatching eggs for her. I absolutely love having a broody and chicks running about the place. Sure beats the heck out of a box brooder! Plus, someone else trains the chooks to do what we do here in the farmyard (ie, how to forage, how to stay safe from hawks, etc, where to lay eggs).
It seems so late in the year to be going broody, but since they make their own heat, I guess it doesn't matter much.
What breed of hatching eggs did you get?
Make sure to post pics when the fluffy butts arrive, and are ready for their first photo shoot!
Thanks a million for the answers!

I hope she will do it a couple times a year. I would rather not get/pay for an incubator...
I don't know if the duck had anything to do with it, but it sure is fun/scary to have them hatching the same week! The chicken is sitting on 5, and the duck is sitting on 23 or more!!
For us here in South central Tx, we are still getting temps in the low 90's. If we're lucky, it may freeze in late Dec-mid Feb 3 times. By then the chicks and ducks should be feathering out... I think.
I have no idea what breed I got. Lol! I just know the eggs are brown with a some light speckling. It will be a surprise for sure
I do hope they hatch. I don't know The guy I got the eggs from well. I can't even tell you what breeds he has, except he has a lot of bantam sized ones.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

I hope she will do it a couple times a year. I would rather not get/pay for an incubator...
I don't know if the duck had anything to do with it, but it sure is fun/scary to have them hatching the same week!
For us here in South central Tx, we are still getting temps in the low 90's. If we're lucky, it may freeze in late Dec-mid Feb 3 times. By then the chicks and ducks should be feathering out... I think.
I have no idea what breed I got. Lol! I just know the eggs are brown with a some light speckling. It will be a surprise for sure
I do hope they hatch. I don't know The guy I got the eggs from well. I can't even tell you what breeds he has, except he has a lot of bantam sized ones.

Oh that is fantastic you can hatch almost all year! I should have been paying more attention to your location (clearly listed in your profile

) before I said that about it being late.
Wow, that will be such fun to have a surprise brood! I have only ever hatched our own BA eggs, so I never have that kind of surprise. I am starting to wonder what would result from my BA roo and the CW ladies, but I am so delighted by the BAs I probably won't even try hatching the BA/CW "mutts". I have often thought of making some Austrawhites with some leghorn ladies, but have heard they are super-flighty and tense, and my BAs are so calm I don't know if I would like it or not. If I do, I am going to try some leghorn eggs from Trader Joes fertile eggs from their store. Cheap thrills, I figure. Maybe if they are brooded by our hens, their personalities might be affected by it. Hard to say.
Thanks for sharing your experiences here. Now I am just dying to see pics of the little surprises!!! And the ducklings!

 

[Nomibear]

I wish he had BA's. I would have Pd for those eggs! BA's and Isbars are the other breeds I want to add to my flock.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

I wish he had BA's. I would have Pd for those eggs! BA's and Isbars are the other breeds I want to add to my flock.

They are wonderful birds and I am just crazy about them. True "dual purpose" birds. They have fulfilled my need for loads of eggs and the ability to procreate thru broodiness (they truly live up to their reputation- of 6 hatchery pullets, 2 went broody), thus providing me with plenty of meat for the table as well.
My luck with more pullets than cockerals in a hatch has yet to be anything resembling good. First home hatch, 2 chicks, one pullet 1 cock. Second batch, 2 p 3 c.

But, I do butcher my own, so we have been happy for the meat. Because we free range, the meat is so flavorful and good, and if properly rested and prepared, so much better than storebought, if not as large.
Not everyone is interested in them for meat, but I can recommend them to those who are.
I will hatch another brood next Spring, given my propensity to make roos. I don't have a lot of room for more hens, but as I don't get that many, it isn't a problem.
Too bad you don't live closer! Our fertility rate is excellent (Thank you, Maximus!) and you could get as many hatching eggs as you wanted!

 

[Nomibear]

I'm just a few hours away from Ideal and got my girls from there. What hatchery did you use? How have they been doing as layers? I'm a vegetarian, but many of my friends and family are not. I wouldn't mind having birds people could also eat.
Yeah, you are a bit far to drive for hatching eggs....

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

I'm just a few hours away from Ideal and got my girls from there. What hatchery did you use? How have they been doing as layers? I'm a vegetarian, but many of my friends and family are not. I wouldn't mind having birds people could also eat.
Yeah, you are a bit far to drive for hatching eggs....

In peak season they lay almost every day (most 6 a week each). I always get over 66% unless they are broody or molting (by that I mean of 9 hens I get 6 eggs a day).
I got some beauties, indirectly, from Privett . I bought them at a feed store, but they came from Privett in NM. I have also gotten some from Dunlap, but I wasn't anywhere near as happy with them. If you can get them from a hatchery you can drive to, all the better. I prefer they don't have to travel by post.
Once you have some, you can make more, providing your broody turns out to be a good Mum. They are not always sexed at all hatcheries (Dunlap doesn't, Privett does, I don't know about Ideal) If they do, grab a roo in the mix and keep them together, or if you only have CWs then the brown eggs are the ones to hatch

.
I love them and highly recommend them to anyone seeking loads of beautiful brown eggs, and a potential for a broody in the mix.

 

[Nomibear]

My girl hatched 3 total. One didn't make it out of the shell. Another was found out of the nest box, and as it's in the 50's this week, i think it died from the cold. The 3rd was also found out of the nest about 5 min after getting out of the shell. This one i brought inside, and put under a heat lamp... SMH I don't know that she makes the best mommy:/

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

My girl hatched 3 total. One didn't make it out of the shell. Another was found out of the nest box, and as it's in the 50's this week, i think it died from the cold. The 3rd was also found out of the nest about 5 min after getting out of the shell. This one i brought inside, and put under a heat lamp... SMH I don't know that she makes the best mommy:/

That is good to know.
I am sorry your hatch wasn't more successful.

That poor lonely little peep! You will have to find a friend for her!

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

PS-
Ideal does sex their BA chicks. I just looked to see if you could buy pullets, and they have them sexed and straight run.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

PS-
Ideal does sex their BA chicks. I just looked to see if you could buy pullets, and they have them sexed and straight run.

They also have BAs available right now, from this week's hatch. You could get some friends for your newest peep!