Well if you've followed my "Journey" thread you know I had two of my original flock go broody this Spring. Both died. One kept escaping coop and running out to old abandoned barn where her nest was (even after I moved the nest to coop) and got herself killed by a predator. The second one went broody at same time but in coop which I thought was smarter and safer. She didn't have fertile eggs at the time and by the time I got some ordered and under her she had been broody for over a month and wouldn't leave nest to eat or drink. Toward the end I tried to get her to leave nest and to eat and drink but she wouldn't. She finally left nest, too weak to walk, got on rafters to roost and fell off dead.
So, I didn't think I wanted anymore broodies.
Tonight I go out to laundry room which is in outside building and where our freezer is, to get some ice. I knew something was wrong as soon as I turned on the light. There was chicken poop everywhere. On my folding table, on washer, dryer, all over floor. It looked like there had been a whole flock of chickens in there having a pooping party. I had been in there just a little earlier and there wasn't poop everywhere - so I start looking. I found her under the folding table, in corner. She was sitting on four eggs on floor. I don't know how long she has been in there but I took her some food and water and she got off nest and started eating liking she was starving. When she did I quickly got some hay and made her a proper nest, put her four eggs back and added several more from those laid the last couple of days - everyone's eggs are super fertile since I have 12 roosters. She got back on nest and pulled the eggs under her.
At least in there she will be safe. Not sure when she got in there - I keep the doors closed and locked but DH is always leaving them open when he goes to freezer. I was washing and drying clothes all day yesterday and if she was there she didn't make a peep. But from the amount of poop it looks like she has held it in for quite awhile and then got off nest and went on a pooping rampage.
This time I hoping we get a broody that actually hatches some babies and LIVES through it. I contemplated putting some of the eggs from my bator under her. They only have one to two weeks to go but I was afraid she might break them or abandon nest and I don't want to lose them at this point. She's a young Barred Rock - hatched Valentines Day.
This should be fun - broody check.
So, I didn't think I wanted anymore broodies.
Tonight I go out to laundry room which is in outside building and where our freezer is, to get some ice. I knew something was wrong as soon as I turned on the light. There was chicken poop everywhere. On my folding table, on washer, dryer, all over floor. It looked like there had been a whole flock of chickens in there having a pooping party. I had been in there just a little earlier and there wasn't poop everywhere - so I start looking. I found her under the folding table, in corner. She was sitting on four eggs on floor. I don't know how long she has been in there but I took her some food and water and she got off nest and started eating liking she was starving. When she did I quickly got some hay and made her a proper nest, put her four eggs back and added several more from those laid the last couple of days - everyone's eggs are super fertile since I have 12 roosters. She got back on nest and pulled the eggs under her.
At least in there she will be safe. Not sure when she got in there - I keep the doors closed and locked but DH is always leaving them open when he goes to freezer. I was washing and drying clothes all day yesterday and if she was there she didn't make a peep. But from the amount of poop it looks like she has held it in for quite awhile and then got off nest and went on a pooping rampage.
This time I hoping we get a broody that actually hatches some babies and LIVES through it. I contemplated putting some of the eggs from my bator under her. They only have one to two weeks to go but I was afraid she might break them or abandon nest and I don't want to lose them at this point. She's a young Barred Rock - hatched Valentines Day.
This should be fun - broody check.
