Broody in Feb!!!??

[boxermom]

I'd say she is ready to go back to "normal". Mine is still locked with the chicks so she's still Momma.

 

[fordmommy]

Yup. She's done being 'mama'. I, personly, would seperate them completely so she doesn't turn on the babies.

 

[mychickensrock]

My 2 broodies keep getting in the same box. The one girl was leaving her eggs to get in the other box. So I put all 7 eggs in the one box so they can divvy them up. I candled again yesterday. I could just barely seen veins on a few of them. They should be further along than that. There was only one egg that looked really good with strong vein lining and movement.

 

[Doug the Chicken Man]

We now have 3 broodies as of 27 Feb. The first is just hatching today so far we have 2 out of 9. The nest one is due mid next week and the last is about 21 Mar.
THe first Broodie is a Pheonix, the second is a Silkie and the Third is a bantam cochin. so we curretnly have 9 under the first, 8 under the second as of Saterday all were developing well and are all D'Uccle eggs. the last broodie has 9 6 are D'Uccle and 3 are Silkie/D'Uccle cross.
I will try to get some pictures up tommorrow.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Quote:
I was thinking about putting the babies in the little fenced off area we have in the coop with a light. I think mama just wants to be a part time mama and if it were not so cold the babies would probably be ok. Today mama laid her first egg since going broody.

Ok I went out around noon today and evicted the three teenager wellies from the divided area of the coop. I then put the two babies in there with a light, food and water. Later I went out and checked on them and they were fine, just hanging out under the light. Then I had to go into the city and was gone till about 6:30, just at sunset. I went to lock up all the chickens and check on tha babies. The little black baby is missing! I could not see where it could have gotten out, did not hear it or anything. It's just gone

I have no idea what happened. My DH even looked for it and we still don't know where it is. Meanwhile the other baby was so upset about being alone that I let it out with the others. They aren't being mean to it at all. I went back out to see if I would have any luck finding the missing one but no luck but the other one somehow managed to get up on the roost with the big chickens. It is about 6 feet up. I have to say that after this experience I will try to break a broody if it happens in the winter again.
I hope everyone has better luck.

 

[boxermom]

I am so sorry Hillbilly hen.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Great news! The missing chick is back! My DH woke me up this morning to tell me that the little chick is in the coop with the others. [which also means he went out to the coop to check first thing. He cares!] Anyway the only thing I can figure is the baby must have been hiding under another chicken on the roost. I checked last night but did not see any little feet.

 

[boxermom]

That little bugger knows how to keep warm.

 

[Shared Acres]

Mine never care when they go broody, I have 3 broodies hatching this week! They get their own special rabbit hutch run with heat lamps--to give them warmth and babies extra warmth.

 

[fordmommy]

Awe Hillbilly, you are lucky! With DH and the baby. I just read these posts and almost started to cry for you. Man-o-man. If it's not one thing it's another. Is it possible to give those babies their own cage and put it in the coop with the others? Just a thought.

That little stinker!