*Buff Orpington Thread!*

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You can try a few. Typically duck eggs need extra moisture, especially at hatching time for them to get out of the egg. I personally haven't tried hatching them under a chicken so I don't know if there would be problems. Typically a duck takes a bath before returning to her eggs so she is damp. 4 would a good number to try.

 

[robyn8]

I'm looking for opinions on whether to let my broody hatch her eggs or try putting some day old chicks under her. Here's the situation:

I ordered 4 pullets that will be here in 4 weeks. She went broody yesterday. She was sitting on one egg and I put two more under her. I don't really want 7 chicks. But since I doubt all 3 eggs I have her will be viable and girls it wouldn't be horrible to let her hatch them and also brood the 4 I ordered myself. But then integration seems so much harder with two new groups to deal with. I was going to brood this new batch in the coop in a dog kennel so I could let mama have that and figure out a different brooder for the garage.

Thoughts? I've gotten very mixed opinions so far so I'm looking for more.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You won't get one correct answer. Many hens go broody, some are good mothers some are poor and will attempt to kill the chicks. As far as adding ones she didn't hatch, many hens won't take them, some will. Hens bond with the chick while still in the egg. They peep back and forth to each other learning the sound of one another during the last day before hatch, so hens can recognize that peeps aren't from her chicks.

Best you can do is try. You need to add the chicks the day of hatch though, though your numbers don't add up, your eggs will hatch a week before and most hens won't take chicks after the first day or so.

So no one right answer for you unfortunately.

 

[robyn8]

Thanks! My husband got her all set up nicely in her maternity cage while I was gone so that somehow made the decision for me. I'm trusting Mother Nature for now and we'll figure out what to do with the ones i order d later I guess!

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Question: I think my Buff is broody, and have some fertile duck

so I was wondering how many I could fit under her. She is on the smaller side about 4 lbs and just thought I might have to turn the eggs for her????

I would just give her two in order to make sure they stay warm.

 

[CuzChickens]

I had an accidental hatchery rooster and found someone on Craig's list looking for free animals for their mini farm. The lady picked him up in a Mercedes so I don't think she was going to eat him. My other two 'roos were fancy English Orpingtons (I had to get straight run since they came from a breeder)--I went to a farmer's market and talked to a nice couple who were selling eggs---they were happy to take the boys since their two roo's were getting old. We took them to the farm and I was satisfied that they were going to get a decent home. I gave them away though--they wouldn't have taken them if I asked for money. I found the "looking for a home" so stressful that I bought my SLW as a pullet rather than as straight run chicks. Keep looking for that home, don't worry about getting any money for him. I have a friend who drove around Amish country until she found a home for her Black Copper Maran boy. GOOD LUCK!

Thanks for the advice! I was able to sell 5 of his siblings, and the other two Black Australorps from that batch have been spoken for, they have not driven up to get them. I guess I should consider myself lucky I found a home for seven of them.

 

[missy1971]

How do you know when a chicken is going to start laying for the first time?

 

[robyn8]

Their comb and wattles will get bright red like a roosters and they'll start to squat submissively when something or someone moves suddenly over their heads.

 

[henmania]

How do you know when a chicken is going to start laying for the first time?

Mine started laying a few days after they started squatting every time I approached them with my hand above their heads. They hardly used to let you touch them but now I get to pet them everyday . Also, their comb turned a brighter deeper red rather than the normal pinkish red.

 

[Flaisure]

Big Bertha 1 week old