Crow went broody about 3 weeks ago ... Of course I'd been taking the eggs up till then, but the other hen, Bebop (I only have 2 plus the little roo) laid four more in their one shared nest, which I left for her. At that point I made a separate nest for the broody in a dog kennel, on my porch, with a blanket draped over but open next to the wall for air. I also took two of the broody's recent eggs back out of the fridge and slipped them under her. So she's got four of the silver-laced polish's white eggs and two of her own baby blue ones. Daddy (Lover Boy) is a serama. I pulled another blue egg from the fridge last night to try to candle but couldn't see light through it, but I did manage to compare a refrigerated white one with one from the nest, and there's definitely a chick in there! So, I will get at least one baby, maybe 6!
I haven't been stressing about it too much ... figure momma will know best and I'd put her and the chicks outside as much as she'll let me, so they can learn to forage right away and also be immediately familiar to the other two chickens. But it's really CHILLY out now. High of 60 today, and raining. I've moved her from the porch to the basement, with the heat cranked up down there, because I think hatch date is imminent. This is all very exciting ... my first time, obviously. Crazy to let her brood, considering that I will be putting my house on the market within about a week, and I don't even know yet where I'll be moving to next! But I just couldn't resist....... I know my Storey's book has a chapter on letting mama do the brooding, but it's buried in a crate somewhere in the basement until the new carpet gets installed upstairs, on Friday. By then I expect to have peeps!
Any advice, anyone?
Cheers,
Regina
I haven't been stressing about it too much ... figure momma will know best and I'd put her and the chicks outside as much as she'll let me, so they can learn to forage right away and also be immediately familiar to the other two chickens. But it's really CHILLY out now. High of 60 today, and raining. I've moved her from the porch to the basement, with the heat cranked up down there, because I think hatch date is imminent. This is all very exciting ... my first time, obviously. Crazy to let her brood, considering that I will be putting my house on the market within about a week, and I don't even know yet where I'll be moving to next! But I just couldn't resist....... I know my Storey's book has a chapter on letting mama do the brooding, but it's buried in a crate somewhere in the basement until the new carpet gets installed upstairs, on Friday. By then I expect to have peeps!
Any advice, anyone?
Cheers,
Regina
