Broody Hen Thread!

[fisherlady]

Technically this is not a broody hen but she might as well be. I had got hatching eggs off a lovely lady but my one precious d'uccle egg didn't hatch as it had a tiny crack in it I hadn't noticed so it stopped development at about day 15 (it's the end of the season here in New Zealand so I was pretty gutted). This lady found me a little approximately 12 week old d'uccle pullet in her free range flock and offered her to me. We don't have good d'uccle stock in New Zealand (certainly not the gorgeous colours you have in America) but they are still a sweet little bantam - I'm hoping she will get a big of facial fluff as she just has sparse whiskers at the moment. My daughter wanted a frizzle pekin bantam (cochin) so we bought two chicks off this lady as well - a 1 week old and a 2 week old. She boxed them up together and we brought them home.

The chicks were cuddled up with the pullet when we got them home so I put them in an indoor cage together and gave them a heat lamp. We called the d'uccle Hope and she has seriously adopted these two frizzle chicks as her own, and they look to her as their mother 100%. Hope will let them cuddle with her to keep warm, she shows them food, she even rushed one of our cats when it got too close to their cage (our cats aren't interested in the chicks, they are just jealous of the attention the chicks get). And for a chicken that was free ranging, Hope is very docile and sweet.

I had read that older chicks hatched in an incubator (as these 2 were) won't recognise another chicken as their mother so I had a brooder all set up for them rather than trying to attach them to one of my broody hens (which I had thought about doing before I did some research). But now Hope is looking after them and I don't have to worry. Makes my life easier that's for sure!


From left to right, Hope, Cracker (who is VERY cuddly), and Avalanche

Adorable chicks and wonderful story! So glad they have each other!

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Technically this is not a broody hen but she might as well be. I had got hatching eggs off a lovely lady but my one precious d'uccle egg didn't hatch as it had a tiny crack in it I hadn't noticed so it stopped development at about day 15 (it's the end of the season here in New Zealand so I was pretty gutted). This lady found me a little approximately 12 week old d'uccle pullet in her free range flock and offered her to me. We don't have good d'uccle stock in New Zealand (certainly not the gorgeous colours you have in America) but they are still a sweet little bantam - I'm hoping she will get a big of facial fluff as she just has sparse whiskers at the moment. My daughter wanted a frizzle pekin bantam (cochin) so we bought two chicks off this lady as well - a 1 week old and a 2 week old. She boxed them up together and we brought them home.

The chicks were cuddled up with the pullet when we got them home so I put them in an indoor cage together and gave them a heat lamp. We called the d'uccle Hope and she has seriously adopted these two frizzle chicks as her own, and they look to her as their mother 100%. Hope will let them cuddle with her to keep warm, she shows them food, she even rushed one of our cats when it got too close to their cage (our cats aren't interested in the chicks, they are just jealous of the attention the chicks get). And for a chicken that was free ranging, Hope is very docile and sweet.

I had read that older chicks hatched in an incubator (as these 2 were) won't recognise another chicken as their mother so I had a brooder all set up for them rather than trying to attach them to one of my broody hens (which I had thought about doing before I did some research). But now Hope is looking after them and I don't have to worry. Makes my life easier that's for sure!


From left to right, Hope, Cracker (who is VERY cuddly), and Avalanche

Sweet Story.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Here is my little survivor. Her (I hope) and mom are on the ground and doing well. The rest of the flock seems to be dealing with her just fine. I like to keep a close eye the first couple days to see if I have any who are the jealous type. I do have some young ones who have not experienced chicks before. Also one of those is showing broody tendencies so I don't want mom and mom wanna be to get into it.

 

[cscarney]

It's spring and the bantams are broody! I currently have 4 out of 6 of my Phoenix bantam hens sitting on eggs. The first one went broody 2 weeks ago, a second one followed suit the end of last week, number 3 went broody Monday, and the 4th one started today. The first two are sitting on mixed clutches of LF Langshan eggs and their own eggs (half a dozen of each) and the last two are sitting on clutches of their own eggs....We also have a silkie x d'Uccle hen who's broody and will be getting the rest of the Phoenix eggs I collected this week from the two remaining hens who aren't broody (yet!).

I also just set 4 dozen LF Langshan eggs in the incubator and have 2 dozen Brabanter chicks in the brooder, so I will be awash in chicks in a few weeks!

Catherine

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Soo my bad I mislabeled my new chicks from Danz here are the correct colors and breeds (Sapphire) Splash Brahma Gold laced Orpington (Lit Blu), (Blue Diamond) Blue gold double laced Brahma ( my project color),(Onyx) Blue Orpington, and(Wookie) white Araucana.) And Partridge Orpington (Wild Child)

 

[poodlechicks]

Now that I have fertile eggs, I wish one of my girls went broody...

 

[Justplainchickn]

I was so excited about hatching eggs out under my Silkie hen Cleopatra. I had, yes I said had, a beautiful silkie rooster who I really badly wanted to have offspring from. I was waiting a little longer for the weather to warm up more but my silkie hen went broody and stopped laying, then a week after my rooster died ( waiting for the necropsy report still). I was is tears that rooster was my little buddy would follow me around and was so sweet, never attacked me and very protective of the ladies. I contacted the guy I bought my first silkie eggs from and took advantage of the broody hen situation. I have 6 silkie eggs I placed under her and she looks so happy and proud to be sitting on something other than a empty nest.

This is my rooster Casper whom recently died... Still having a hard time with it

Cleopatra on her throne, proud mother to be

 

[poodlechicks]

So sorry about your rooster. Here's hoping your Cleopatra hatches beautiful, healthy chicks!

 

[16 paws]

Here is my little survivor. Her (I hope) and mom are on the ground and doing well. The rest of the flock seems to be dealing with her just fine. I like to keep a close eye the first couple days to see if I have any who are the jealous type. I do have some young ones who have not experienced chicks before. Also one of those is showing broody tendencies so I don't want mom and mom wanna be to get into it.

Adorable little baby and mama is beautiful. Congratulations!

 

[16 paws]

Sweet Story.

Great to hear that a pullet would actually take care of the babies...Too cute