Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[3riverschick]

Quote: Hi Pozees,
Good to hear from you. If she has already been sitting on nothing in a bare box for two weeks, do you think adding shavings to the box and some eggs will keep her on the nest for another three weeks? Or will she get off in a week(which to her is the full 3 weeks of nesting?). I didn't put shavings in the box, hoping she would be uncomfortable and leave it but no such success there, sigh.
Best,
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: PA is pro-gun.
Karen

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Well, what do you know...GJENSEN and I live in the same town. He and his son came over today, and we had a nice visit. I handed him a broody 7 month old pullet. He agreed..."Big bird ". Lots of the old girls in disarray, but he said he liked them. I want to see his New Hamps next. Those tails look good in his photos. Nice to find a large fowl guy in this desert of OEGB breeders !

Small world! How much fun!

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Hi, Karen! If you want to break your broody, put her in a cage--not a dog crate--a bright, light, airy cage, with food and water for three days. On the fourth morning, let her out, and it should be over. She should start laying two weeks later.

Best,

YHF

 

[cluck-cluck]

Hi Pozees,
Good to hear from you. If she has already been sitting on nothing in a bare box for two weeks, do you think adding shavings to the box and some eggs will keep her on the nest for another three weeks? Or will she get off in a week(which to her is the full 3 weeks of nesting?). I didn't put shavings in the box, hoping she would be uncomfortable and leave it but no such success there, sigh.
Best,
Karen

if you want her to hatch a few eggs, yes, she'll stay on them. She has no idea how long she has been incubating invisible eggs, and when she gets some real eggs, she'll know how far along they are naturally (I suspect it's the amount of heat the eggs put out??)

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: Hum, reading Yellow Farms and your posts. .. I think I am going to break her. Her comb is pale and rather wilted. She looks tired. Thinking to stop this and let her decide if she wants to raise another brood when she starts laying again. Not sure if chickens truly do need a break or if I am humanizing this bird.. But if this bird was human, I would say it needed a vacation before it went back to work again. Does that make any sense?
Best,
Karen

 

[Pozees]

Hum, reading Yellow Farms and your posts. .. I think I am going to break her. Her comb is pale and rather wilted. She looks tired. Thinking to stop this and let her decide if she wants to raise another brood when she starts laying again. Not sure if chickens truly do need a break or if I am humanizing this bird.. But if this bird was human, I would say it needed a vacation before it went back to work again. Does that make any sense?
Best,
Karen

They do need breaks, their bodies need to move about, increase air exchange, rebuild muscle, and they need to get good rations into them for a while between broods. If she isn't looking particularly well, then I agree with YHF, you might be better off trying to break her. They can't count, though, and while there is never a guarantee, most will stay on a nest until hatch if given eggs.

I am watching a group of Silkies I have do all manner of things with brooding - the group consists of one cock bird and four hens. I had one hen decide to brood 4 weeks ago, a second a week later, and a third a few days after that. They have switched nests three times, and the last to go broody wound up hatching the first clutch of eggs, the first to go broody hatched the second but is still on the nest so I suspect she has rounded up more eggs, and the second hen is also still on eggs. The fourth hen will rush over and plunk herself down on eggs anytime one of the others gets up for a break, but willingly relinquishes them when the hen returns. The hen who hatched the first clutch has declared herself Head Chick Raiser, and she spends most of her day taking beakfuls of FF and breaking it into tiny pieces for the chicks, who fill up then go back under one of the other hens for a nap. They have dry crumble available as well, and do eat it. So interesting to watch this little family group.

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: Oh, that's hysterical! What a circus. LOL. That's so cute! I am kinda disappointed I didn't get the 42 chicks I was aiming for this year. But, I guess that's not a bad thing since we have been scrambling to increase our coopage as they grow. It is really easy to hatch more chicks than one has room for. I insist on 4 sq. ft. per bird inside and 10 per bird outside. That 4 sq. ft. inside, I just don't have problems with stress in inclement weather. The male's tails stay real nice too, not chewed on or broken feathers. Course, I don't have roosts either. the birds nestle down in the shavings. When we finish the new grow-out coop, for over wintering that will give us 3 coops. One for a male and female; one for a male and 2 females; and a third for a male and 5 females. That's plenty to overwinter, esp. since I have lights on 24/7 to prevent the males combs from freezing.
Best,
Karen

 

[gjensen]

Well, what do you know...GJENSEN and I live in the same town. He and his son came over today, and we had a nice visit. I handed him a broody 7 month old pullet. He agreed..."Big bird ". Lots of the old girls in disarray, but he said he liked them. I want to see his New Hamps next. Those tails look good in his photos. Nice to find a large fowl guy in this desert of OEGB breeders !

It was a privilege to meet you Vickie. I enjoyed the visit. You have a beautiful place. It reminded me of a Japanese garden. There was so much to see, that you stay one step behind taking it all in.

Jason, talked about your dogs on the way home. He liked the "little queen", and the Butterfly Koi.

And yes, your birds are beautiful. I think they fit the setting. That is what I like about the variety of breeds. They represent the variety of ideals and perspectives of the owners.

I also picked up on a few ideas, and enjoyed chatting.

 

[colburg]

Hi, Karen! If you want to break your broody, put her in a cage--not a dog crate--a bright, light, airy cage, with food and water for three days. On the fourth morning, let her out, and it should be over. She should start laying two weeks later.

Best,

YHF

We normally sit our cage on some cinder blocks so that her underside is forced to cool too. I'm not sure if that always helps, but it's something I learned here on the great BYC.