Broody Australorp Now Mother Hen!!!!!! Lots and Lots of Pics!

[SallyF]

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I'll be watching and waiting.... we're only 50 miles or so from Murfreesboro and I'd love to have some hens who might go broody someday. All I've got are black sex-links, great for eggs but they're not interested in being mamas!

 

[cwhit590]

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....SO.........if I come trick-or treating at your house Preservation Acres, do I get a chick?

Looks like Melbourne is a natural. I love seeing the momma with her babies. So cool.

How did the rest of the hatch go?

 

[Preservation Acres]

Cleaning out the "brooder" AGAIN!!!! The quail waterer I bought for them very easily tips to one side and leaks out water a little at a time.

Anyway, here's everyone hanging out on a beach towel while I clean up.

Here's Mom teaching her babies that it's safe to take food from my hand.

 

[Preservation Acres]

We had only one dud egg. I candled it, and it hadn't even started to develop.

I'm thinking about saving it to make an omelet for my old boss.

From my best guess, we have 3 australorps, 4 RIR's, and and 4 BO's. Some look pure and others are slight mixes. One of the 3 australorps has white spots underneath. So cute.

One of the BO's has a red head. I love this. I should hatch for a living.

I want to sex them later tonight by wing tips. I have to look up again how to do it. All of them that I've looked at so far have the same length feathers. Not sure if that means male or female, but I checked 5 so far...probably means male! lol

 

[Preservation Acres]

Quote:
....SO.........if I come trick-or treating at your house Preservation Acres, do I get a chick?

Looks like Melbourne is a natural. I love seeing the momma with her babies. So cool.

How did the rest of the hatch go?

Hey, come over, and you're guaranteed your pick of the "litter!"

 

[cwhit590]

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That's a really good hatch PA.

You're lucky to be able to enjoy them for a little while in the house.
Good luck on the sexing...!

 

[Preservation Acres]

THANKS!!!

So here's my question of the day. At what point do I start worrying about momma. She absolutely WILL NOT eat. She hasn't eaten for days. I give her food, and all she does is break it up and give it to the chicks. She won't even swallow one bit of it.

She's lost so much wait since this all started.

 

[Preservation Acres]

Does anyone out there have experience with mother hens who refuse to eat???

Calling Speckled Hen! Calling Speckled Hen!!

Your wisdom is needed!!!!!!

 

[cwhit590]

My broody would let the chicks eat first, then she would normally sneak in a few bites here and there. I think when the chicks first hatched she gave more to them, but as time went on she would hog more and more of it (once the chicks had gotten the hang of what to eat and all...)
Just make sure the food is readily available, and offer some good treats like scrambled egg. She should eat more as time goes on and as the chicks learn.

 

[Preservation Acres]

I put a small plastic beach bucket toy full of layer mash within her reach. She's picking up beakfulls, crumbling it more, and dropping it for the chicks. She definitely has all the food she needs if she's willing to eat.