My broody Gold Brahma is on day 21.....this hatch is precious.
My Gold Brahma boy dropped dead suddenly the day after I had decided to let her brood again only 6 weeks after her previous hatch. She had set outside between the house and our domestic oil supply. I provided her with a makeshift shelter as there was no coop available at the time (barn being rebuilt). She decided to roll the eggs out until she had the eggs virtually on bare earth (in Wales, night time temperature in the 50's). She has sheep hurdles with chicken wire over them and a loose sheet of corrugated iron for a roof, but it's wide open really.She initially had 8 eggs, but broke and ate the contents of one of them.
So the chances of hatching may not be so good, but she is a good broody.
This morning (start of day 21) I went to look at my hen to find all my adult birds sitting around her pen, including a Warren who has not been near the coop even at night for weeks. She got up to drink and empty, so I was able to see her eggs. No pips, no rocking, no cheeping......nothing. The eggs, however were arranged with military precision. They formed a wishbone sort of shape with the apex where she places her breast, all about the same distance apart and all with the pointy ends pointing inwards. On one side there were 4 eggs and on the other 3 with a stone forming a position opposite the egg on the other side. Weird!!!!
Anyway, while I was going to fetch my camera she sat back on the eggs.
Later on today I went to take another look at her to find all the juveniles sitting around her pen. None of the chickens have ever done this before.
Now, my understanding tells me this hatch may not happen, but my birds seem to know something is happening.
Well my fingers are crossed, but anyone else had this type of behaviour?
Sandie
My Gold Brahma boy dropped dead suddenly the day after I had decided to let her brood again only 6 weeks after her previous hatch. She had set outside between the house and our domestic oil supply. I provided her with a makeshift shelter as there was no coop available at the time (barn being rebuilt). She decided to roll the eggs out until she had the eggs virtually on bare earth (in Wales, night time temperature in the 50's). She has sheep hurdles with chicken wire over them and a loose sheet of corrugated iron for a roof, but it's wide open really.She initially had 8 eggs, but broke and ate the contents of one of them.
So the chances of hatching may not be so good, but she is a good broody.
This morning (start of day 21) I went to look at my hen to find all my adult birds sitting around her pen, including a Warren who has not been near the coop even at night for weeks. She got up to drink and empty, so I was able to see her eggs. No pips, no rocking, no cheeping......nothing. The eggs, however were arranged with military precision. They formed a wishbone sort of shape with the apex where she places her breast, all about the same distance apart and all with the pointy ends pointing inwards. On one side there were 4 eggs and on the other 3 with a stone forming a position opposite the egg on the other side. Weird!!!!
Later on today I went to take another look at her to find all the juveniles sitting around her pen. None of the chickens have ever done this before.
Now, my understanding tells me this hatch may not happen, but my birds seem to know something is happening.
Well my fingers are crossed, but anyone else had this type of behaviour?
Sandie
