Broody Hen Thread!

[Lady of McCamley]

hi everybody
what is the best broody breed, I have heard that silkies are the best but that their feathers strangle their chicks is this true
thanks

My Silkie gal has hatched plenty of happy healthy chicks for me...so chicks strangling in feathers is not a common occurrence.

You only need to trim their long feet feathers. I have had a chick get caught up in the feet feathers and dragged to death. Trimmed feet feathers; no more issues.

Lady of McCamley

 

[fisherlady]

Thank you all for the nice comments on the pics... we do have fun with our crew...and to take your mind off of the miserable weather... allow me to provide a little cuteness to brighten the morning.

One of our roosters spending time with the little ones... watch how the one keeps grabbing his waddles

Mindy is busy watching another broody in nearby box, babies are having a fine time exploring

Just a bit more of the little ones learning how to act like proper little chickens

I posted these over on the old fashioned broody thread also, but figured I'd share over here too

 

[Chicken-Man]

I had a broody hen, and I am almost 100% sure she has stopped... But she still isn't laying... well, at least I don't think she is. I have read that fire red combs and wattles is a sign of a laying hen. But this girl's comb isn't "fire red" Is this normal??

 

[Angelicisi]

Hubby surprised me with 6 new layer chicks to get us some fresh layers in the flock. Hehehe I promptly set up the brooder next to Broody Blues brooder and she flipped out hearing peeps...so I put them in her brooder and she is happy to have them even tho they're a week younger heh heh heh

 

[sonderah]

Hubby surprised me with 6 new layer chicks to get us some fresh layers in the flock. Hehehe I promptly set up the brooder next to Broody Blues brooder and she flipped out hearing peeps...so I put them in her brooder and she is happy to have them even tho they're a week younger heh heh heh

How cute!!!

 

[fisherlady]

Hubby surprised me with 6 new layer chicks to get us some fresh layers in the flock. Hehehe I promptly set up the brooder next to Broody Blues brooder and she flipped out hearing peeps...so I put them in her brooder and she is happy to have them even tho they're a week younger

heh heh heh

She is being an awesome mama!!

Congrats... and treat her like a rock star and queen all rolled into one! Good broody hens are hard enough to find, but a good 'foster mama' is an exceptional bird and worth her weight in gold!

The only precaution I would give.... hens who love adopting chicks (I have one who does this) also will try stealing chicks from other broodies! So if you have another hen who is hatching out chicks you will need to watch very closely that your beautiful hen there doesn't try to help herself to the chicks and cause a hen war, and if you've ever seen a fight between broody hens, or even one broody and one not broody... they are very, very ugly.

 

[Angelicisi]

Thanks
She has done a great job. I love it.
She's my 1st broody and the others are trying to sneak in the room now but still getting eggs from them so yay! Im excited to see how integration goes. She was out there ranging last week before this cold snap and the others looked but wouldn't come close lol she's mastered the stink eye look. Hopefully all goes smoothly because she's boss hen

She is being an awesome mama!!  Congrats... and treat her like a rock star and queen all rolled into one!  Good broody hens are hard enough to find, but a good 'foster mama' is an exceptional bird and worth her weight in gold! 

The only precaution I would give.... hens who love adopting chicks (I have one who does this) also will try stealing chicks from other broodies!  So if you have another hen who is hatching out chicks you will need to watch very closely that your beautiful hen there doesn't try to help herself to the chicks and cause a hen war, and if you've ever seen a fight between broody hens, or even one broody and one not broody... they are very, very ugly.

 

[Angelicisi]

Hahaha I love seeing the chicks try the waddles lol Too cute. I can't get nuff of babies this year

Thank you all for the nice comments on the pics... we do have fun with our crew...and to take your mind off of the miserable weather... allow me to provide a little cuteness to brighten the morning. One of our roosters spending time with the little ones... watch how the one keeps grabbing his waddles Mindy is busy watching another broody in nearby box, babies are having a fine time exploring Just a bit more of the little ones learning how to act like proper little chickens I posted these over on the old fashioned broody thread also, but figured I'd share over here too

 

[coltcogburn00]

what breed is the roo and hen?

 

[fisherlady]

what breed is the roo and hen?

If you are asking about the ones in my videos above... the rooster is my 1 year old Australorp and the hen is a 11 month old Black Giant...