Broody Hen Thread!

I finally couldn't wait any longer and lifted up an ornery broody to see if both eggs hatched and yes they did!

Two little angels! One (obviously male) is twice as big as the other (formerly known as "dud" egg) but both appear healthy. The runt chick also looks male, he is very small so I hope he does okay.

Broody hen is already peeved at me for bothering her this morning so I will wait until later today to snap pix, hoping when the temps warm up the chicks will start peeking out from under her.
 
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I have a broody that is due on Wednesday. Some under her and some in the incubator. I am anxious because she will be sitting for 5 weeks by Wednesday and she hardly eats anything and rarely poops. This is her first time, she is 12 months old. My other broody was a bit of a wild girl who wanted to peck at me and everything I put near her so I would hold the nipple waterer over her and she would get some water that way. This gal won't do that. It's hard to tell if she is drinking but I assume she couldn't not drink for 5 weeks and still be alive. I do know she doesn't eat everyday because I just have a small dish of fermented food in with her and some days it is not touched. Anyway, She is a Crested Cream Legbar and she has one CCL egg under her but the others are three Black Java eggs and there are 6 Black Java eggs in the incubator. If she does well with her new babies I will add the ones from the incubator. I hope they hatch about the same time, being incubated two different ways I guess could make a difference. Good luck with yours.
 
I have a question about my broody bantams. I have a mille D'uccle Fluer and a frizzle Cochin bantam. Both are broody and due to hatch a few days apart.
I have them in the same coop. My cochin is doing great still eating , drinking, dust baths & streching her legs. My mille is not! She's so determined !! She's barely eating anything or drinking and I have to pull her off eggs to make her do these things. Her comb looks terrible ! Like she's getting sick.
Anyways mille is suppose to hatch first. I have read horrible story's about bantams fighting over chicks. Will my Cochin ditch her clutch when my Mille hatches? Should I seperate them?
I have a Australorp who just hatched all eggs a day ago. She's in the broody coop now.
I also have another standard OEG sitting and due the sane time as the bantams.
I'm having my husband build another broody coop for my other standard . Should I have 3 rd built for my bantams?
I don't want them hurting eachother, ditching clutch or fighting over babies. Any info would be great! Thanks in advance!

P.S. mille is a super mean broody! bites me and she's my favorite! It's like the devil has entered her body! Is this normal? None of my other broodys do this ! she's my nicest funnest hen. She has me scared of her now.
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I have a question about my broody bantams. I have a mille D'uccle Fluer and a frizzle Cochin bantam. Both are broody and due to hatch a few days apart.
I have them in the same coop. My cochin is doing great still eating , drinking, dust baths & streching her legs. My mille is not! She's so determined !! She's barely eating anything or drinking and I have to pull her off eggs to make her do these things. Her comb looks terrible ! Like she's getting sick.
Anyways mille is suppose to hatch first. I have read horrible story's about bantams fighting over chicks. Will my Cochin ditch her clutch when my Mille hatches? Should I seperate them?
I have a Australorp who just hatched all eggs a day ago. She's in the broody coop now.
I also have another standard OEG sitting and due the sane time as the bantams.
I'm having my husband build another broody coop for my other standard . Should I have 3 rd built for my bantams?
I don't want them hurting eachother, ditching clutch or fighting over babies. Any info would be great! Thanks in advance!

P.S. mille is a super mean broody! bites me and she's my favorite! It's like the devil has entered her body! Is this normal? None of my other broodys do this ! she's my nicest funnest hen. She has me scared of her now.
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This is only my experience, I can't say that it's true for everyone, but I have a d'uccle pen and a silkie pen. This year I have had multiple hatches in each pen. It's amazing to watch the interactions between the chicks and their respective mothers. My silkies and d'uccles are exeactly the same. During the day, they all range together, the chicks playing with each other and the mothers taking turns covering them when they are cold. At night, they go under the hen that hatched them. It's amazing to watch, and I don't know how they know. I have also had polish eggs hatch under a silkie, and as long as they hatched in the pen, the silkies don't mind that the chicks look different.

edit: And yes, my broodies are evil
 
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That good to hear!
This is only my experience, I can't say that it's true for everyone, but I have a d'uccle pen and a silkie pen. This year I have had multiple hatches in each pen. It's amazing to watch the interactions between the chicks and their respective mothers. My silkies and d'uccles are exeactly the same. During the day, they all range together, the chicks playing with each other and the mothers taking turns covering them when they are cold. At night, they go under the hen that hatched them. It's amazing to watch, and I don't know how they know. I have also had polish eggs hatch under a silkie, and as long as they hatched in the pen, the silkies don't mind that the chicks look different.

edit: And yes, my broodies are evil
Mine are right next to each other. Should I keep them together? I will build a back up coop just in case. Since mille is due Friday curly due Saturday / Sunday I'm wondering if it won't be a problem intel the chicks start to move.
I really hope I have the same experience !! My frizzle is molting at the same time. She's not so pretty right now
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mille may hatch early , we just got rain and I know she's only coming off eggs when I take her off. With gloves
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Anyone else have expectancies with two broody bantams?
Thank you for your reply! I appreciate it!
 
That good to hear!
Mine are right next to each other. Should I keep them together? I will build a back up coop just in case. Since mille is due Friday curly due Saturday / Sunday I'm wondering if it won't be a problem intel the chicks start to move.
I really hope I have the same experience !! My frizzle is molting at the same time. She's not so pretty right now
1f61c.png
mille may hatch early , we just got rain and I know she's only coming off eggs when I take her off. With gloves
1f633.png

Anyone else have expectancies with two broody bantams?
Thank you for your reply! I appreciate it!
Mine hatch in the pens, along with the other broodies, the non broodies, and the rooster. I haven't had any problems. I have even seen my d'uccle rooster covering chicks while the mommies were foraging
 
Here are both of the littles. Turns out the runt is a little girl so woo hoo! I should have put a coin next to them to show how tiny she is. Oh well. The mama/broody who hatched them is a 5-6 year old Quail OEGB, they are crosses from my OEGB Ginger Roo (avatar) and my BB Red Hen.






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