Choosing a Broody?

[3KillerBs]

Drat! Hopefully it works out for you and the hens. Any luck moving at night maybe?

I put Mocha in last night.

She's not as frantic as Black-Yellow was so maybe she'll settle onto the golf balls and sit.

 

[3KillerBs]

Well, the moment I opened the maternity ward to give Mocha water this morning she jumped out.

Looks like my maternity ward is the world's best broody breaker.

I'll see if she's in the nestbox again when I get home from work.

I have one more broody to try. She's only just started to sit so maybe she'll be more amenable to being moved.

 

[Silexian]

I let any broody that will stay sitting tight. After I move them to a broody coop, hatch some eggs. I do the same as when I introduce brooder raised chicks to the main flock. I let them out of their broody coop to roam around the yard. They usually go back to the broody coop for awhile. Then eventually start going back to the main coop, with the rest of the flock.

 

[3KillerBs]

I let any broody that will stay sitting tight. After I move them to a broody coop, hatch some eggs. I do the same as when I introduce brooder raised chicks to the main flock. I let them out of their broody coop to roam around the yard. They usually go back to the broody coop for awhile. Then eventually start going back to the main coop, with the rest of the flock.

The problem I'm having is that so far the broodies won't graft to the new nest when I move them out of the regular boxes.

 

[Silexian]

The problem I'm having is that so far the broodies won't graft to the new nest when I move them out of the regular boxes.

I have that problem also. If they don’t graft to the new nest. I still leave them in the broody coop. To stop them from being broody. If they stay tight on the new nest for a week. They get a clutch of eggs to hatch. Usually by the time mine are going broody. I have hatched all the purebred chicks that I want for the year. So I have integrated my breeders back into one flock. So I am not very concerned with them being successful. I feel if they are determined enough to sit tight and wear their body down. They deserve to be a mother for their efforts. I have more sneak off and hide their nest. Then reappear with chicks in tow.

 

[3KillerBs]

And another failure to graft to the new nest.

I *thought* I created the maternity ward in accordance with the recommendations of various articles and threads here, but my hens don't seem to agree with me.

Two more are growling in the boxes this afternoon, so I'll try another one tomorrow, after cleaning up the mess from the last one and re-making the nest with more fresh straw.

 

[3KillerBs]

I think it's the 5th try (at least I've successfully broken all my broodies, right?), I believe I've gotten one grafted. FINALLY.

So I gave her 8 eggs this morning.

Mixed batch -- some Marans crosses, a California White egg, and some of the random light brown ones that are *mostly* from the Australorps.

Last hatch with Ludwig as a possible father. I'm not going to incubate again until at least early September.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I think it's the 5th try (at least I've successfully broken all my broodies, right?), I believe I've gotten one grafted. FINALLY.

So I gave her 8 eggs this morning.

Mixed batch -- some Marans crosses, a California White egg, and some of the random light brown ones that are *mostly* from the Australorps.

Last hatch with Ludwig as a possible father. I'm not going to incubate again until at least early September.

 

[3KillerBs]

Sharing her maternity ward with a snake who ate 5 of the eggs broke her.

But there might be 2 more going broody.

 

[Silexian]

Sharing her maternity ward with a snake who ate 5 of the eggs broke her.

But there might be 2 more going broody.

Holy smoke! You are having more than your fair share of unfortunate events with this project. Hopefully you will soon get to reap some rewards. For your efforts and tenacity seeing it through.