California - Northern

[lualshannon]

Thank you for your reply, Ron!


Yes, it would be nice if the babies had a mother. I think they are happier, and better for them in many respects; also, as you have mentioned, it is the most wonderful experience to see the love and devotion of the mothers. As per your suggestion, I will wait for several days to make sure she is dedicated.


Lual

hey there -- i was in a similar situation this summer, when a second girl went broody a week after her sister, and i didn't want to start even more eggs -- so i divided the ones under the first broody and gave half to her sister, so they hatched after roughly two weeks of her broodiness -- and she shifted right into Mom mode like clockwork.  so doorknobs or eggs, i expect it will work out either way!

Thank you! It is good to know that only two weeks of incubation worked for your hen, which gives me incouragement, as well as hope : )

Lual

 

[chiqita]

Thank you! It is good to know that only two weeks of incubation worked for your hen, which gives me incouragement, as well as hope : )

Lual

Imo anything over 10 days works. You would think 8 would work since they only have 8 toes to count on but me by they think they are all silkies...

 

[ChickNmamma]

Quote:

Quote: I think if you order a rare breed from a hatchery they go and get them from a local breeder they are contracted with to supply eggs. I know somebody on a now-defunct thread that was contacted to supply rare chicken eggs. Its only after they start breeding them big time that they mess them up....

Quote: Ah HAH - the secret is revealed - SMOOCHIES!

Quote: I believe 8 days would work. I think 2 days works with Silkies - because they only have two feet... and they can't SEE any toes to count.

Oh, and thank you chiquta - I am having LOTS of fun over on FB now that I have finally joined the 20th century. I drug my feet for a LONG time!

 

[AlpineButterfly]

Imo anything over 10 days works. You would think 8 would work since they only have 8 toes to count on but me by they think they are all silkies...

It's funny to think of chickens counting days on their toes!

My most recent broody girl went to bed on the roost by herself for the first time in ten days tonight... But she only has eight toes. Maybe she counted her wings too.

 

[lualshannon]

Thank you! It is good to know that only two weeks of incubation worked for your hen, which gives me incouragement, as well as hope : )

Lual

Imo anything over 10 days works. You would think 8 would work since they only have 8 toes to count on but me by they think they are all silkies...

...

Quote:

...

 I believe 8 days would work.  I think 2 days works with Silkies - because they only have two feet... and they can't SEE any toes to count.



Hi Chiqita, and Chickenmamma,

It is good to know that they are not able to count beyond 8 when brooding : )

Actually, I was worried if the hens needed to brood minimum number of days for the hormonal change to take place, so to be able to go through the hatching process, and for the maternal instinct to start functioning after the chicks hatch. I am happy about the replies; hopefully, the eggs will hatch successfully; broody hen will have babies, and the babies will have a mother..

Lual

 

[chiqita]

CHickens just want t babies. They don't seem to care if they are theirs or not. I joke they believe in nature o ed nature.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I know someone who has Awesome buttercups! Oh but still...

That's great! Aren't buttercups on the critically endangered list?

I had a hatchery buttercup and she was a hoot. One of my original hens that I lost to internal laying this year.

 

[tommysgirl]

That's great! Aren't buttercups on the critically endangered list?

I had a hatchery buttercup and she was a hoot. One of my original hens that I lost to internal laying this year.

I think they are so so pretty. There is a buttercup breeder in WA or OR...I communicated with them and saved them on ebay if anyone wants the contact info.

@HappyChooks I have my suspected internal layer and I was hoping you could tell me if yours were seemingly fine for weeks at a time, had bouts of lethargy from time to time and laid a variety of oddities but rarely in the box and intact.

 

[chickee]

All the talk about Sicilian Buttercups made me curious, so went to the American Buttercup Club website to take a look. They say the Buttercups are starting to make a comeback but there are only a few specimens that are a good representative of the breed. Makes me want to get into them again

I will have to try and find some pictures of the ones I had. I didn't have a computer then, so they are regular camera photos hiding in a box somewhere.

 

[liz9910]

I think the buttercups are really cool looking, especially the roosters with their comb that looks like a crown I saw them at the Stockton show last year and really liked them. @chickee you used to raise them?