California - Northern

[kmollyhughes]

I think I need broodies.  How does one acquire a non-silkie broody?  I keep hoping that a couple of my broody-looking (they like to guard the egg boxes and lay on the eggs but are always tempted away by food) gals will actually brood.  So far nada.

Always depends on the hen. Some breeds are just more prone to being broody. My silkies are a sure thing, and they go broody in waves usually. Starts with one...then before I know it, I'm pulling 5 broody girls so no one else gets the idea to sit. Holy moly...super broody. And great mothers. My Marans have been pretty broody, and my faverolles. Everyone says orpingtons are broody, but mine don't seem to be. There's no way to force them into going broody, but leaving extra golf balls in nests and giving them some nice places to make a nest really helps. Oh, and Cochins! Supposed to be just like silkies, and good mothers.

 

[ronott1]

If there was chirping last night should the chicks pip sometime today?

Yes!

I hope you see pips soon. They should pip today.

 

[EZFarms]

Well i have to work today so hopefully theres pips when i get home

 

[chickee]

My broodies usually stay with chicks between 4-9 weeks. Depends on the hen. Recently a silkie hen left her Faverolle babies at about 4-5 weeks, but have another silkie who still cares for her almost 9 week old BCM babies. They are HUGE compared to her. My Marans are usually in the mothering mood for about 6 weeks...then really start pecking the chicks to let them their time is up.

Mom got tired of these guys at around 5 weeks of age and dad had to take over. He quickly got tied of it too

 

[juststruttin]

Holy Moly, I missed a couple of days due to my son's Lacrosse games and I come back to over 350 posts. You guys have been even chattier than usual. It must be spring fever or should I say, chick fever. Keep on chatting, I will try to keep up

 

[PetRock]

Always depends on the hen. Some breeds are just more prone to being broody. My silkies are a sure thing, and they go broody in waves usually. Starts with one...then before I know it, I'm pulling 5 broody girls so no one else gets the idea to sit. Holy moly...super broody. And great mothers. My Marans have been pretty broody, and my faverolles. Everyone says orpingtons are broody, but mine don't seem to be. There's no way to force them into going broody, but leaving extra golf balls in nests and giving them some nice places to make a nest really helps. Oh, and Cochins! Supposed to be just like silkies, and good mothers.

One thing I have noticed is that when I put younger chicks in my outside brooder area, it sparks a wave of broodiness. The brooder is underneath the coop and my theory is that some maternal instinct is activated by hearing the chicks peeping. I put my 5 week old chicks out there last weekend and the hens are very interested in them. So is Zoro. When I let the chicks out to play in a fenced off area, he is right next to the fence along with the older hens just checking them out. Now, we'll see if my theory is correct and I have some hens go broody!

 

[PetRock]

Mom got tired of these guys at around 5 weeks of age and dad had to take over. He quickly got tied of it too

So cute!!!

 

[ronott1]

Holy Moly, I missed a couple of days due to my son's Lacrosse games and I come back to over 350 posts. You guys have been even chattier than usual. It must be spring fever or should I say, chick fever. Keep on chatting, I will try to keep up

We are 1326 posts from making number 10 on the all time busiest threads!

Go Nor Cal Thread

 

[OR4-hmom]

We are 1326 posts from making number 10 on the all time busiest threads!

Go Nor Cal Thread

Is that a challenge Ron?

 

[chiqita]

Cochin and Dorkng are known as Broody breeds. They are not reliable though

Bantam cochins are supposed to be one of the easiest breeds to convince to go broody. My marans sit at least once a year and up to 3x. I have a broody keyword serch on craigslist I look for people trying to ditch their broodies. I got my starter silkies and dolly that way. My turkeys are INSANE broody. 3-5xa year if you have strong eggs and space it is something to consider.

This one is stuck in the egg. Been this far out since 11 pm last night. See the membrane on its head? It was on its back, unable to use gravity to help. So I turned it over. Now it has thrashed to where it is. During thrashing I can see raw skin - almost bloody. I'm afraid it is going to rupture. Should I remove it, put it in a shallow bowl of water and q-tip all the stuff off? Since I've seen its belly, I'm pretty sure it has completely absorbed the yolk.

Imo if the yolk is absorbed I will help. I just make sure to keep that umbilicus clean and bacteria free.

Sussex, Java, Icelandic, heritage Rocks of most any color variety, Orpingtons and Australorps all spring to mind in addition to the Dorkings Ron mentioned. Also heritage breed barnyard mixes seem to have a good reputation in general. I have had an Australorp go twice, a barnyard mix once and a Buff Orp X once. I have only been keeping chickens for not quite 2 years. Oh and Nankins...they are a bantam and there is a breeder in Santa Cruz who lists on ebay. They are on ALBC's critical list I think and they historically have been kept as broodies for game fowl and peas. Bumping my question: Anyone?? I think I wasn't clear. I wasn't wondering when she would stop mothering I was wondering if having two or more different types of egg under a broody increased the odds that she would have to get off her nest before they all hatched. My first broody hatch we gave her EE eggs and they all hatched. Second and third broody hatches had a variety of eggs and one is described above. Mama had to leave the nest to watch out for the first hatchling who was exploring the world unattended . 3 eggs of a different variety never hatched.

The practical way around this is to take the chicks and put them in a brooder for a few days and let her finish hatching. I have never had an issue putting them back. If you have a broody that has favorites and they are more advanced you can have issues. But usually its ok.