Yay! Hen finally sitting!

[EyeHeartBantams]

Went out to feed and water my Jungle Fowl today and low and behold, one of my girls is finally sitting! She jumped off her nest to see what I was doing, so I took the chance to count the eggs; eight lovely little ivory eggs all nestled nicely in the nest. So I might get some chicks out of them yet. Very excited, and means I don't have to worry about building or buying an incubator to hatch out some of my JF eggs.

Letting the waiting begin!

 

[FreedomLover]

congrats!

I'm really hoping (in the future) that one of my BO hen's becomes broody. I'd love to not have to purchase chicks or go through the hassle of hatching and brooding.

 

[EyeHeartBantams]

I hadn't really thought they'd go broody, but it appears that at least one of them will be. I have four eggs I'd been saving to incubate but I might try to slip them into her nest instead and see what happens. If/When the eggs hatch, I might pull a couple of chicks to raise in such a way where they'll be more pet-like though, or to sell at some of the local poultry club sales.

 

[EyeHeartBantams]

Only six more days before the hatching should start! So excited! But I may not be home for it. *pouts* If I wanted to hand-rear some of the chicks, could I take the away at a day or two old and still be okay?

 

[EyeHeartBantams]

And returning from a long weekend away, Penny is now sitting as well! Also came home to find one of the eggs cracked open and covered in blood and yolk with a tiny dead little chick inside. Not sure how that happened, but alas. Not sure how many eggs Penny is sitting on, but holy cow I'm suddenly expecting at least 8 chicks.

 

[FreedomLover]

So how did it turn out?

One of my red's went broody almost a week ago. She's sitting on 11 eggs right now. We'll see how things go!

 

[EyeHeartBantams]

Hatched three chicks, the hens booted out two of the eggs on their own and they're still sitting on the rest. Lost two of the three chicks due to them slipping through the chicken wire (**** are they tiny) and so am hand-raising the third one to leave the hens to their eggs. If more chicks are to come, it should be next weekend.