OHio ~ Come on Buckeyes, let me know your out there!

[mlaff]

Officially have 7 little wiggly chicks in lockdown. Sad, because out of 27 I have 7 left. But it is what it is. Hopefully I get some pretty little frizzle showgirl babies and my choc silkies within the next couple of days. For some reason mine always hatch 2 days early. Plus I'm waiting to see if I have eggs hatch any day now from my broody. She is sitting on 5 or 6 of them. I have another naked neck who has become broody but we don't have any mature Roos anymore so the poor thing is trying to hatch nothing.

 

[cluckitall]

Khow old are your coronation Sussex, cluckitall?

Minihorse, they're just 8 months old, which is what Lloyd told me to expect on laying. They're still filling out! I can't believe it. I cleared out the "cache", marked one and left it so I'd know which it was, and now I can start getting a sense of who's laying and how many

all but one of my hens have stopped laying. They lay for a few weeks, then stop for a few weeks. I would love to stumble upon a hidden cache!

OHhappychicks, all my birds slowed was down in August -- I don't know why, but I've heard from a lot of people in the area ho had the same problem. Maybe it was atmospheric or something, I don't know!

Blessedchick, I can't wait to see your silkie babies!!! SOOO looking forward to Delaware! And see, that's another reason not to give up on silkies -- I need broodymamas!

i run mine all year, but it gets more tricky to brood them. - dont hatch more than you can easily brood, it takes longer than a month in the winter.

if broody hens are hatching them its different, the hens will keep them just fine most of the time. i had a bantam rock hen hatch 3 out of 4 when the temp was in the teens, and raised them all.

Yeah, I need to slow down this winter. Probably not as much market for chicks, and I can only keep maybe 50 in the house at any given time -- and that's when they're little! 4-5 weeks I really can't accomodate more than a dozen -- and I am NOT putting a tarp down in my kitchen again this winter!

Last winter's madness:



And that was before I built the 3x6 grow-out pen and stuck it under the table...

 

[cluckitall]

Officially have 7 little wiggly chicks in lockdown. Sad, because out of 27 I have 7 left. But it is what it is. Hopefully I get some pretty little frizzle showgirl babies and my choc silkies within the next couple of days. For some reason mine always hatch 2 days early. Plus I'm waiting to see if I have eggs hatch any day now from my broody. She is sitting on 5 or 6 of them. I have another naked neck who has become broody but we don't have any mature Roos anymore so the poor thing is trying to hatch nothing.

Oh, the poor girl! Can you sneak some fertile eggs under her?

 

[mlaff]

Oh, the poor girl! Can you sneak some fertile eggs under her?

I would but I don't have the funds for any this week til friday. Otherwise I'd be hatching some more silkies or showgirls out. Lol

 

[mlaff]

Ok, I have never had a broody before.why is she sitting on some eggs but moving and leaving others? A couple have been kicked out of the coop totally.

 

[minihorse927]

Ok, I have never had a broody before.why is she sitting on some eggs but moving and leaving others? A couple have been kicked out of the coop totally.

Could be inexperience from her. Is it get first time sitting? She also might know something you don't. I had a hen that would kick out 2 eggs everyday. It was always the same two eggs. After a week of fighting with her over it, I candled them. Both were infertile, cracked then to make sure and no bullseye. Don't know how she knew but apparently she did.

 

[fallenangel79]

bloomingburg Ohio.

 

[minihorse927]

bloomingburg Ohio.

 

[mlaff]

Could be inexperience from her. Is it get first time sitting? She also might know something you don't. I had a hen that would kick out 2 eggs everyday. It was always the same two eggs. After a week of fighting with her over it, I candled them. Both were infertile, cracked then to make sure and no bullseye. Don't know how she knew but apparently she did.

It is her first time. It has been 3 weeks and nothing yet. :/ Hopefully something hatches either from her or ill put any of the ones in the incubator with her. She is super determined though. She has also gotten very protective the last couple of days and started pecking anyone putting their hands in the coop. I am hoping that is a good sign.

 

[Inkheart]

i have had the same and trust once you have cochins and lil bantam rocks - generally you have broody hens constantly - but they seem to have a sixth sense and kick out the infertile or bad eggs in my experience.