Quote:
a) & c) If you have the room, I don't think it's possible to have too many chickens!
If we didn't have winter for six months, I'd agree with ya. Just have em run loose! I have 26 acres with four coops and a horse barn and could have a TON of chickens.
but when ya gotta put em up for the winter and I have to slog around breaking water and shoveling runs (no, I don't do that often) then I start thinking 'too many' around September.
Plus my fridge has 25 dozen eggs! LOL.
A kind BYC'er is giving me just a few eggs for my hen. She can try to hatch out a baby or two, but that's it. No more broody for her. I will wag my finger at her and give her a stern glare if she tries it again this year. Think that will work?
You can wag your Tail and it won't work. Sorry. Best bet is to give them 2 eggs and sell the baby when it hatches. Isn't there always someone looking for a baby for the LONE chick that hatched from their clutch?
Henny Penny hatched 3 babies. She was a wonderful broody, but not so good in the mommy department. I have let them out of their enclosure twice and both times she wandered off and left them ....which is ok, kinda....but the other D'uccles attacked them and she didn't even flap her wings about it. The chicks weren't hurt, but there were very scared and there was no momma around to protect or shelter them.
If that broody ever really gets on your nerves I'll buy her. I really wanted 2 hens that were prone to broodiness....or you keep her til I have blue eggs then you can hatch some chicks that lay blue eggs for yourself....THEN I'll buy her...