Newyears baby chicks

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Thank you! Has anybody ever had experience with a difficult broody hen that refuses eggs? My Dark Brahma will sit in the same corner 24/7 for 3 or 4 weeks at a time but will not accepts eggs when I give her fertile eggs. She will sit on them for a few hours before she kicks them out of the nest and the eggs become cold.
 
Kristin Brown said:
Thank you! Has anybody ever had experience with a difficult broody hen that refuses eggs? My Dark Brahma will sit in the same corner 24/7 for 3 or 4 weeks at a time but will not accepts eggs when I give her fertile eggs. She will sit on them for a few hours before she kicks them out of the nest and the eggs become cold.
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I have never had this happen, how many eggs do you put under? Maybe break her then next year or next time she's broody she will be more dedicated.
 
Kristin Brown said:
Thanks for the response! I would imagine if a bantam rooster crossed with a standard size hen, that the eggs would be the large size however the chicks may only grow to be smaller than average size? What do you think? My rooster is a Red Pyle Old English Game. I have 10 laying hens - Minorca, Ancona (2), Barred Rock, Golden Laced Wyandotte, Dark Brahma, Black Cochin, Ameraucana, Silver Laced Polish, and White Plymouth Rock. Not sure if any of these would make for a good barnyard cross. Any suggestions?
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I really don't think would work.
1) your rooster is probably way to small to mount any of these hens properly as you have quite large breeds here.
2) if he does manage to fertilize any eggs (maybe your Polish or dark Brahma) the chick that hatch are not going to be good layers (just because you cross breeds doesn't make them better).
Hope this helps.
 
I had 3 chicks hatch on December 30th...almost New Years babies! One of my Buff Orpingtons went broody, so she was laying on 6 eggs. Only 3 of them hatched. The father is an Americauna and the mothers were either Rhode Island Red or Buff Orpington. It was really neat how it turned out, because one was buff colored, one was red, and one was more like the roo! I'll post pics a little later. I don't have time right now. Just wanted to comment on the thread. They are as cute as they can be, and very rambunctious and playful! So happy that I decided to let her hatch them.
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Thank you for your wisdom! I can see what you mean as to the faults that could come with mixed breeding of standard and bantams. I have always loved Speckled Sussex since I was gifted two hens of the breed a couple summers ago. I've been considering doing an order of 50 Speckled Sussex chicks to raise for breeding and my own personal learning. Although, I'm not sure if they are quite so broody.. I may have to research more on the incubator method.
 
Kristin Brown said:
Thank you for your wisdom! I can see what you mean as to the faults that could come with mixed breeding of standard and bantams. I have always loved Speckled Sussex since I was gifted two hens of the breed a couple summers ago. I've been considering doing an order of 50 Speckled Sussex chicks to raise for breeding and my own personal learning. Although, I'm not sure if they are quite so broody.. I may have to research more on the incubator method.
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If you are panning on breeding I would only suggest concentrating all you efforts on perhaps 1-2 breeds for now (even top breeders don't do any more than 3-4 different breeds at one time).

I would start with a flock of 10 Sussex hens which you would cull for (presuming you know what your looking for) or you could just choose the prettiest ones if your not aiming to have quality offspring and then have 1 rooster (that's usual 1 roo- 10 girls) if you go any bigger you will have to set up breeding pens and it all gets to much if your just starting.
I don't know to much about Speckled Sussex but I know Light Sussex are good broodies, so I would presume Speckle's are to. But just In case I would have 3-5 Silkies in another pen as they are top broodie mums. (don't put them in the same pen as the Sussex as the roo will mount them and hurt them and also you will get crosses in with your offspring.
Hope this all helps- This is what I would do if I had a project but alas I'm not allowed a rooster
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...but that wont stop me.shhhh...lol.
Have fun with this one god luck.
 
Wonderful advice! I like the ideal of the Speckled Sussex hens and rooster for a main focus, with a couple broody Silkies to pick up the slack. Thank you! I will consider that when I am ready to replenish my flock.
 
Kristin Brown said:
Wonderful advice! I like the ideal of the Speckled Sussex hens and rooster for a main focus, with a couple broody Silkies to pick up the slack. Thank you! I will consider that when I am ready to replenish my flock.
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Your welcome, I have always liked the idea of just having 2 favourite breeds and just focusing on feather plumage or egg production.
 
Definitely! I just started a new job close to home and am thrilled to be able to come home for an hour on my lunch break to spend time with my farm critters. So many ideas are flooding my head of projects I want to do this spring and summer. Baby chicks is a priority, and I think it could work out where I could keep them at work in my preschool classroom. We'll see!
 

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