Broody Hen Thread!

[JaeG]

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

Casper was a gorgeous rooster - on looks alone I can understand why you're having a hard time, but the fact that he was your little buddy too. That's just too sad. Let us know how Cleopatra gets on - I'm sure we all agree, everybody loves to see pictures of Mamas and babies!

 

[16 paws]

Ok here is my up-date

Today is day 20 for my white silkie Puff. I went down to the coop to check on things and I could not help myself. I lifted her up a wee bit to sneak a quick peek and lo and behold caught a very quick glimpse of a baby just getting out of the shell. I quickly took my hand out and backed off. I was afraid I was going to mess something up!

So I have to use all my strength not to keep going in there to try and see if anything else is happening! I didn't candle the eggs because I thought whatever will be will be and now I cant wait to see what will be! lol this is so exciting......no wonder we are all helplessly hooked

Can hardly wait for tomorrow to see if any of the 7 blue eggs hatch from the Lavender Americana

Stand by all......

 

[16 paws]

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

Wowsers, thats a lot of mouths to feed! lol
Love Brabanters.....

 

[16 paws]

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

Aw thats too bad about your roo. He sounds like he was so special. Hope your girl has a great hatch for you....

 

[Puddin Fluff]

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

Sorry about the Roo but good luck with the babies.

Adorable little baby and mama is beautiful. Congratulations!

Thank you. I am anxious to see how "she" feathers out.

 

[cscarney]

Hi 16 paws--

Yeah, it's a lot of mouths, though I don't anticipate 100% hatches anywhere and certainly not from the incubator. The Brabanters are from Ideal, so I know I won't be keeping very many of them as breeders. The Langshans are better, but still anticipate culling most of them out. At least there should be a market for well started chicks or even young birds from both breeds around here that I can sell them easily....

Of course, now that I've said this every egg will hatch AND the market will bottom out for started chicks...

Catherine

 

[Wendy High]

Wendy High, are those Welsummer hens? I have 5 Wellies and so far nobody has gone broody.

Puddin Puff, we are no kill either. I gave two roosters to a neighbor. They told me honestly that they were keeping one and eating the other. Since one was mean I understood that decision on their part. I've butchered before or rather helped with butchering and I have no desire to do that again.

I just wish that now that the weather is turning towards spring, another hen would get the urge and go broody.

My main flock are black breasted red old english bantams.

 

[Wendy High]

Adorable little baby and mama is beautiful. Congratulations!

Beautiful hen.

 

[Wendy High]

Ok here is my up-date

Today is day 20 for my white silkie Puff. I went down to the coop to check on things and I could not help myself. I lifted her up a wee bit to sneak a quick peek and lo and behold caught a very quick glimpse of a baby just getting out of the shell. I quickly took my hand out and backed off. I was afraid I was going to mess something up! 

So I have to use all my strength not to keep going in there to try and see if anything else is happening! I didn't candle the eggs because I thought whatever will be will be and now I cant wait to see what will be! lol this is so exciting......no wonder we are all helplessly hooked e  
Can hardly wait for tomorrow to see if any of the 7 blue eggs hatch from the Lavender Americana
Stand by all......

I learned patience is the toughest thing with sitting hens, just in the last month.

 

[Wendy High]

Hi 16 paws--

Yeah, it's a lot of mouths, though I don't anticipate 100% hatches anywhere and certainly not from the incubator. The Brabanters are from Ideal, so I know I won't be keeping very many of them as breeders. The Langshans are better, but still anticipate culling most of them out. At least there should be a market for well started chicks or even young birds from both breeds around here that I can sell them easily....

Of course, now that I've said this every egg will hatch AND the market will bottom out for started chicks...

Catherine

Why are the chicks from Ideal not many keepers? What's up with that? I just got a batch from Ideal. Is there something I need to know?