Broody Hen Thread!

[Miss HennyPenny]

Okay...my all time best Broody is my Silkie...3 hatches just this year.
My next best is a Welsummer/RIR mix (might be more Welsummer than RIR...breeder wasn't sure if she was pure Welsummer or not as color was a little off). She hatched a clutch for me in May. Her sister (or half sister) another Welsumer/RIR also went broody at the same time, but didn't really stay the course, so I didn't use her this year.
Then I have had 2 Black Stars go broody...neither had fertile eggs so ended in frustration for them. One almost made it but pushed off the nest by the Welsummer/RIR and sulked in the coop...I encouraged her to end her brood with treats as she was just sulking.

So, I guess those are my breeds.
Lady of McCamley

Aw, poor girl. Your Welsummer is determined isn't she? Are they known for their broodyness? My 10 week old chicks are half Welsummer, 2 of them look very Welsummerish if you overlook the red tinge! Lol

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Day 2 and the foster babies are looking GOOD...this attempt is going much better...so far!

While I really enjoy hatching from eggs, I like the idea of fostering day or or so old chicks to get the breeds I want AND a 90% chance of a pullet....I hate having to re-home roos...I always worry about where they'll end up.

...but unfortunately I can't keep them. Don't want to rock the boat too much with the neighbors.

My 2 foster Ameraucana (EE) feed store chicks with my Momma Silkie ( the Super Broody!)

Lady of McCamley

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Aw, poor girl. Your Welsummer is determined isn't she?

Are they known for their broodyness? My 10 week old chicks are half Welsummer, 2 of them look very Welsummerish if you overlook the red tinge! Lol

I know, I know...this May I had 4, count them 4 determined broodies...Black Star, Welsummer, Welsummer/RIR, and Silkie (is she ever NOT brooding?). I had my husband build a brooding hutch to get them out of the main coop...they were clogging up the nest boxes!

No Welsummers are not known for going broody....I think it is something in the water here. All that Oregon rain.

Lady of McCamley (who seems to be knee deep in broodies for some reason)

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Reds eggs are hatching! One hatched, and at least one pipped!! She was almost smothering the one poor chick, in between some eggs, so should I check under her every couple hours to make sure all hatched and future hatched chicks are doing fine?

I like to leave things alone as much as possible as mom usually does a better job without my interference; however, accidents do happen, and if you've got a lot of eggs under her and really want to watch out for this hatch, it might be a good idea of check on things periodically (without hovering too much).

Lady of McCamley

 

[sonz77]

Day 2 and the foster babies are looking GOOD...this attempt is going much better...so far!

While I really enjoy hatching from eggs, I like the idea of fostering day or or so old chicks to get the breeds I want AND a 90% chance of a pullet....I hate having to re-home roos...I always worry about where they'll end up.

...but unfortunately I can't keep them. Don't want to rock the boat too much with the neighbors.

My 2 foster Ameraucana (EE) feed store chicks with my Momma Silkie ( the Super Broody!)

Lady of McCamley



Awww, I'm glad it's going well, they look so adorable. I can't wait until I get to see that!

 

[AmateurChickie]

Broody got off her eggs! I'm not sure if she'll go back on, so I took them (they were getting quite cool!! I made an incubator from a shoe box, lamp, glass of water (for humidity) and an old dog jumper thing, which is very warm. The eggs are still warm for now, but what do I do? Should I keep them in my shoebox or put them back in the nest in the hopes broody will come back? There's mites (thanks sourland for telling me what those were!) so I'm sure that's why she keeps leaving.

 

[chickarooo]

What an amazing job u have done

 

[chickarooo]

My day old chicks

My chicks that are a few hours old

 

[OneCrazyCowgirl]

She's doing much better. Her name is Sora and today she is drinkin and eatin a bunch

 

[Miss HennyPenny]

[quote name="Lady of McCamley" url="
No Welsummers are not known for going broody....I think it is something in the water here. All that Oregon rain. 
[/quote]

Don't they? Well with my track record I'm sure mine will!

My little Hy-line is still sitting.. gave here a couple of eggs. If she isn't going to lay she is as well earning her keep that way!