- May 5, 2011
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I think I hurt something from patting myself on the back today!
Saturday, I decided my smallest BO had gone broody: wouldnt get off the nest, zoned out, shrieking at my hand entering her space. Sounds like broody to me!
Since I have no rooster, I hunted around for fertile eggs, couldnt find any. Even got a spanking from Freecycle saying dealing in live animals was not what they do, and deleted my post. A fertile egg might be alive in a sense but it not viable unless its hatched. I figured this was somebody that no grip on chicken reality and shrugged off her nasty remarks to me about wanting fertile eggs for a broody hen. Jeez!
Yesterday, went to Murdochs to get the sale BOSS seeds and OMG! chicks. I got a green egg layer, 2 Ameraucanas (EEs), and a barred rock. Took them home and put them in a temp fruit box and food, heat and water and set it on Ms. Broody hens cage. (yes, I separated her to a rabbit cage in the house) I figured that since the chicks in the eggs a few days before hatching start making cheeps that the hen can hear and she talks back to them, I would simulate that process. I figured them sitting on top of her cage would get her used to hearing them cheep and peeping for a few hours and just maybe she would accept them. Fast forward about 8 hours later, it was getting late and I turned out most of the inside house lights and darkened where she was and slipped the chicks under her one by one (removing the 2 eggs also).
This morning, that hen had an amazed look on her face as chicks started popping out from beneath her, she absolutely looked stunned. I watched her for a long time and I saw the exact moment she came out of her broody trance-you could see her whole demeaner change to MAMA! The cluckeling going on in there is the most delightful sound.........(cluckeling is a cross between chuckling and clucking).
And I have succumbed to "chicken math". I knew it was gonna happen sooner or later.
Saturday, I decided my smallest BO had gone broody: wouldnt get off the nest, zoned out, shrieking at my hand entering her space. Sounds like broody to me!
Since I have no rooster, I hunted around for fertile eggs, couldnt find any. Even got a spanking from Freecycle saying dealing in live animals was not what they do, and deleted my post. A fertile egg might be alive in a sense but it not viable unless its hatched. I figured this was somebody that no grip on chicken reality and shrugged off her nasty remarks to me about wanting fertile eggs for a broody hen. Jeez!
Yesterday, went to Murdochs to get the sale BOSS seeds and OMG! chicks. I got a green egg layer, 2 Ameraucanas (EEs), and a barred rock. Took them home and put them in a temp fruit box and food, heat and water and set it on Ms. Broody hens cage. (yes, I separated her to a rabbit cage in the house) I figured that since the chicks in the eggs a few days before hatching start making cheeps that the hen can hear and she talks back to them, I would simulate that process. I figured them sitting on top of her cage would get her used to hearing them cheep and peeping for a few hours and just maybe she would accept them. Fast forward about 8 hours later, it was getting late and I turned out most of the inside house lights and darkened where she was and slipped the chicks under her one by one (removing the 2 eggs also).
This morning, that hen had an amazed look on her face as chicks started popping out from beneath her, she absolutely looked stunned. I watched her for a long time and I saw the exact moment she came out of her broody trance-you could see her whole demeaner change to MAMA! The cluckeling going on in there is the most delightful sound.........(cluckeling is a cross between chuckling and clucking).
And I have succumbed to "chicken math". I knew it was gonna happen sooner or later.
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