Broody hen tries out Trader Joe fertile eggs

[kcfuerst]

Couldn't get a hold or "real" eggs, or day old chicks in 21 days, so I opted to cure a broody with some potential babies. Have no clue if it will work. May not need a hen since our weather is over 100° for the last several days

Wish me luck, I've never attempted anything like this before. Miss Broody already broke one egg stepping on them. Down to 11 eggs. No chance to add chicks on the fly or use an incubator since I have no way of separating new chicks from the old ones. At this point, I'm just hoping mom stays on the eggs long enough to hatch some.

Went out with a flashlight at 10:15 pm to see what was going on...She's on the nest and it's 90° in the coop. Bless her pea-picken' beady little head.

Since I live in town and am limited to number of birds, I'm hoping any hatchings over my limit will go into the freezer.

They are white eggs. Darn. Guessing they're leghorns. Time will tell.

 

[gryeyes]

Trader Joe's fertile eggs in Northern California will hatch out White Leghorns.

Meet TJ, whom I hatched with three Josettes.

 

[kcfuerst]

Thanks Greyeyes! Wow, it can really happen!! I'm excited and very nervous. Hmmm....Leghorn wouldn't be my choice for a pet-like bird, but I understand they are great egg industry layers. What do you think my odds are of getting any pullets - should any hatch, of course?

 

[sourland]

Your odds are 50/50 unless ranchhand steps in with her rooster voodoo hoodoo.

 

[kcfuerst]

Oh, yes, give the the voodoo hoodoo!!! Ha! Well, looks like if an hatch, they most definitely will head for freezer camp. A Leghorn isn't really a dual purpose bird, will there be any meat on them?

 

[mikki717]

I just went on lockdown with 16 TJ eggs, with another 7 under a broody Silchen. Bator or Broody... maybe both!

Oh, and the leghorns are pretty lean. Whole foods has brown eggs that hatched out white chicks... I am thinking Delawares.