I have a BROODY!!!!

[Mom2Cool]

Quote:

sounds like here because mine tolerates me too. Actually I think it's what endears me to him in a way I mean we're not all that hard to please right? LOL We're crazy & yet it keeps life interesting. & the incubator is a good idea IMO & remember hubby should be wearing gloves & long sleeves when he picks up that hen because that hiss they often follow through on. LOL My hubby always said it doesn't really hurt but they poke enough so you know they mean business...

 

[dancingbear]

You said you were leery of putting food near her? How is she eating? Make Mr. Rooster go away, if you need to, (in a crock-pot, even the toughest old birds get tender eventually!) but mom has to have access to food and water.

I have two new mom hens, that while they were broody, were very calm and sweet, let me pick them up every day to check for new eggs and so on. Now, however, they will peck the heck out of me when I'm trying to help them get their babies back inside at dusk. They are fierce defenders of the chicks. There are actually 3 hens, (the 3rd one always tried to kill me when I checked under her) who are sharing 10 chicks. They started out with 11, but one was evidently killed in a squabble or something in the coop. Two of the hens were brooding in a large group nest, a couple of feet from each other. They had eggs due to hatch a week apart. When the first set hatched, (3 of 4 eggs hatched) both hens decided they now had 3 chicks and were done setting. I moved the abandoned eggs to another broody with eggs due the same date. They were still warm, so no problem.

Another broody, in the only "private maternity suite" that I have available, hatched hers the same day. One of them got out through a small crack, (tiny little bugger) and joined up with the other 3 chicks. I was confused about where the heck the forth chick came from, until I counted the other bunch and she now had 7 instead of 8. When I let her out of the private room, (and moved a different broody in to replace her) the whole bunch of chicks started playing "musical moms". They don't seem to care which hen they go to, and all three hens seem to be happy to take care of any or all of them.

If she's where other hens can't get in and lay eggs, you only need to check once in a while to make sure there's no broken eggs getting stinky in the nest. Otherwise, make sure her eggs are marked so you know which ones they are, and you can remove unmarked eggs daily. Some hens start to calm down about this procedure after about a week. Some don't.

If you take a good-sized pot lid with a handle, you can hold it like a shield between your hand and her beak, and while she pecks the shield, you can slip your hand under her from behind, (make sure there aren't any eggs tucked under her wings) and lift her up to have a look. I've used this tactic many times. An empty egg carton works pretty well, too.

 

[Barbara9642]

Poor Ole boy- the husband- I do this regularly- the new animal thing. One morning he came home from work at 8 a.m., went to sleep, and woke up to a cow in the back yard. We have over 30 acres- I have a bunch of stuff. Just emailed somebody about a new goat.

We went out and picked her up last night- marked all the eggs she had. DH picked her up, and it didn't occur to us she would hide eggs- so one was dropped. Bad news- egg gone. Good news- there was development. Not much, but you could see viens, blood, the changes in the material- which makes me excited that chicks are developing. Her nest is very clean, no droppings, and I left her food and water nearby- hopefully the rooster will leave it alone. I hope to have a portable coop done by the time she hatches- then I can play musical chickens. Unless ya'll think it is safe to just let her loose in the barn. I worry about the dog- he's not a chicken eater, but he is big, young and VERY HAPPY!


She tried really hard to get DH, but he won LOL. Mind you this is 12:30 at night after a very long shift! My life is a hoot. And if dh can't outsmart a hen I think he deserves to get bit. I get bit- all lot- dogs, goats, chickens.

So, now we are having a contest- who will get here first? The baby chicks or the grandson??? Lovely month in my little corner of the world!

 

[TwistedRee]

my hubby also tolerates my chicken fetish well! He just nods and smiles and pretends to understand! ... With my broody hen Miss Crabby, I have her and her eggs seperate from the others in what I'm calling the Broody Hut. I have food and water with her .. but she doesn't seem to be eating. Drinking a little though. I scoop all the poop out daily and tonight I'm going to candle all the eggs for the first time. .. I did have another hen in with her, What's-it, decided after two days she didn't want to hatch eggs. So Miss Crabby has a fair number under her! .. They should hatch between the 24 and the 27th .. the 25th is my son's birthday ..

 

[chickenchickenbulkbulk]

Quote:
I laughed the whole time reading your post because the Ausrolorp I have (pictured here) can be SO mean to the others that hubby was just saying the other day "she is a beotch!" To us she is a darling but to the rest of the chickens she makes SURE they know who is the queen & she has not gone broody! LOL Anyway I had to laugh at your speaking of how all your broodies are acting. I was just amazed that mine are normally so sweet & then when broody they look so evil if you go near them...

Hey Mom2Cool, can you imagine if she is a beotch not in the broody mood...can you image her in the Broody mood!! Wow!! You will have a good watch chicken!!! Get it Watch chicken instead of a watch Dog!!

Your dog will need to be protected from your Austrolorp!!

Broody hens are GREAT!!