Arkansas folks speak up.........

[Kadu]

ha! Half my coop is covered in snow so I had to go step on it so it melts a little. All 10 birds were just hiding in the back today LOL they wouldn't dare step on it. Maybe your birds thought freedom=snow? lol

 

[draye]

ha! Half my coop is covered in snow so I had to go step on it so it melts a little. All 10 birds were just hiding in the back today LOL they wouldn't dare step on it. Maybe your birds thought freedom=snow? lol

I've noticed that the younger ones are more curious about things like that. Maybe they get over it when their grown.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

We ended up with less than an inch. Grass is still visible. Today the chicks don't seem to mind it but last week when the first one came, they wouldn't touch it. One of the Phoenix girls got pushed out of the coop and she flew herself in a circle to land back inside just to avoid touching it.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

I have a broody question for anyone with broody experience: I have a young one setting, I want to use her but I need to wait about two weeks to let her start as we have some vacation plans and I don't want my chicken sitter to have to deal with hatchlings. This would put her brooding about 5 weeks plus. Should I they to break her because that is too long and hope she tries again later or will she be alright for that long?

Thoughts?

 

[draye]

I have a broody question for anyone with broody experience: I have a young one setting, I want to use her but I need to wait about two weeks to let her start as we have some vacation plans and I don't want my chicken sitter to have to deal with hatchlings. This would put her brooding about 5 weeks plus. Should I they to break her because that is too long and hope she tries again later or will she be alright for that long?

Thoughts?

Ive heard if folks putting golf bales under them and them sitting until they finally hatch chicks. Heard also they will give up after sitting up to four weeks.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

I'm just not sure what to do. That is another fear I have, that she will get close to the end and then quit. . Why didn't she consult me about MY schedule before she decided to do this!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Chickens can’t count. Some broodies will stay broody sitting on a nest for months on end, but many will eventually stop. Before a hen even starts to lay eggs she stores up a lot of extra fat, mostly in a fat pad in her pelvic region but there is fat all over her insides, some more than others. That fat is what they mostly live on while broody. The good ones break when that fat runs out, but not all do.

Each hen is an individual and will store different amounts of fat. The more they eat and drink while broody the longer what fat they have will last. Normally five weeks would not bother me, most can handle that, but his time of year they are using a lot of energy just keeping warm. You’d probably still be OK.

I really like a broody to hatch and raise my chicks but with this time of year and with your vacation plans, I’d personally break her.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Chickens can’t count. Some broodies will stay broody sitting on a nest for months on end, but many will eventually stop. Before a hen even starts to lay eggs she stores up a lot of extra fat, mostly in a fat pad in her pelvic region but there is fat all over her insides, some more than others. That fat is what they mostly live on while broody. The good ones break when that fat runs out, but not all do.

Each hen is an individual and will store different amounts of fat. The more they eat and drink while broody the longer what fat they have will last. Normally five weeks would not bother me, most can handle that, but his time of year they are using a lot of energy just keeping warm. You’d probably still be OK.

I really like a broody to hatch and raise my chicks but with this time of year and with your vacation plans, I’d personally break her.

I'm leaning that way. I really want to be around to see her through as this would be her first go and I don't know how her flock mates will behave either. I wish my chickens would consult my calendar before they do things like this! . Oh well. She is so insistant and adorable on the nest. Guess I'll pull the broody buster out.

I know that most will just go until there are chicks and my biggest concern is for her health as I know they eat/drink very little while brooding. Hopefully she will try again at a better time.

 

[ducksanddoxies]

Sleet and ice in Monticello. We are forecasted for snow tomorrow morning. Ducks seem to be ok with it. This was early in the storm so not much accumulation.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I wound up with about an inch of accumulation just outside of Prairie Grove. The bottom is pretty much ice, the ”snow” flakes that fell first were more like ice crystals than fluffy snow. But there is a layer of real dry powdery snow on top. I don’t have to drive anywhere so I’m fine but I wish others luck.