Beat this record! How long broody stays with chicks? Pics!

[Thassa]

Thanks! Hopefully the 2 silkies will stay with the 2 chicks at least another week, they definitely aren't ready. The 3rd Mama might come back at night or when she feels like it. The 16 with the 2 hens chicks really not too worried about, they have most of their feathers and don't really fit too well under the Mamas now anyway. (they are Freedom Rangers under BO hens)

 

[oesdog]

Thanks! Hopefully the 2 silkies will stay with the 2 chicks at least another week, they definitely aren't ready. The 3rd Mama might come back at night or when she feels like it. The 16 with the 2 hens chicks really not too worried about, they have most of their feathers and don't really fit too well under the Mamas now anyway. (they are Freedom Rangers under BO hens)

They don't sit on them all the time! As the babies grow mom will take them outside with her and teach them lessons like worm hunting. She should still sit on them at night as the temp drops.

oes

 

[Thassa]

I know that, they have been outside for the last 3 1/2 weeks learning chicken stuff. I mean they don't fit under at night when I say they don't fit under Mama.

 

[suebee]

Well I'm the original poster of this thread and I'm thrilled to say another silkie broody of mine has beaten Lola's record. (pics post #21, #22 for reference). My Fifi is still with her "chicks" at 3 months, 5 days. One of the chicks crowed yesterday but she still won't let go. She's the porcelain (yellowish) with 4 chicks surrounding her. She can barely fit her wing around one.

 

[oesdog]

Ohhhhhhh how sweet!!!!! It is lovely to see their mothering instinct so strong. Has she stopped or is she still going????
Does she still herd them into a corner and climb on top at night like my Bertha used to do??? I do so miss my old girl and the lovely chicks she had. We only have one survivor now little Betty all the others are long gone. It seems such a long time ago now. I would love to see another Hen brood as long or longer than Bertha - maybe your girl will keep going?????

Oes. - they are real puff balls!

 

[LTygress]

I can't do pictures, because I actually just forced her to split from them three days ago....

But I have a mixed-breed broody that was still with her babies and they hatched February 28th. Two of her babies were silkies (purchased eggs), but she has absolutely no silkie in her background at all. So from February 28th to September 12th....

 

[oesdog]

I can't do pictures, because I actually just forced her to split from them three days ago....

But I have a mixed-breed broody that was still with her babies and they hatched February 28th. Two of her babies were silkies (purchased eggs), but she has absolutely no silkie in her background at all. So from February 28th to September 12th....

Does she sit on them?????? Or do they roost on the bar overnight?
I forced Bertha away from the chicks but she made an awful racket for three days I gave up and had to put them back!

Oes

 

[LTygress]

She couldn't quite sit ON them anymore. But they all huddled together on the nest box which sits on the ground. They didn't roost at all. They stayed in that nest box.

But in the meantime, I've got a mille fleur roo and a cochin frizzle roo that are going crazy! The Cochin is getting aggressive because he's not getting any, so I had to put her alone in a separate pen with him to get her to finally breed again.

 

[ladycat]

I wish I had pictures of my hen C.C that I had for a few years.!

She was a red sex-link. She raised her chicks until they were half grown.

It was a hilarious sight at roosting time, as she tried to gather all the teenage chicks underneath her. Of course they didn't fit, so what happened was, they gathered in a circle around her with their heads stuck underneath her, and their bodies sticking out. I imagined them all raising up at once and carrying her about on their heads, like a football player gets carried by the team on their shoulders.

But C.C.'s chicks would eventually get tired of being babied, and would start leaving on their own to join the main flock.

Poor C.C. would hang on until the last chick left home, and then she would finally lose her broodiness. Until the next time she laid a clutch of eggs.

 

[nettifer]

well iave a brahma x cockin mum and 2 chicks the chicks will be 14wks old on friday, but even though they free range they are allways with mum and they all sleep in the same nest box togeather