Colorado

[samsr]

When mine are broody they will growl and fluff up when i open the nexting box door. They will stick like glue even with my hand under them collecting eggs. I only let them sit on around six at a time. I take the initial six and mark them with marker or pencil. Any more laid in there come out at the daily check. If it is not marked then it comes out.

 

[21hens-incharge]

When mine are broody they will growl and fluff up when i open the nexting box door. They will stick like glue even with my hand under them collecting eggs. I only let them sit on around six at a time. I take the initial six and mark them with marker or pencil. Any more laid in there come out at the daily check. If it is not marked then it comes out.

That is most certainly the unmistakable sign of a broody hen. My DH cannot go near the GLW when she is broody. She attacks him and draws blood. I can go near her though just not him.

LOL I can hear their thoughts now " Puff up! Puff up! They hate that."

Hatching without a broody sounds very very hard and sometimes very very sad. I do not think I could ever try it.

For all of you brave enough to incubate those eggs.

 

[uzisuzuki]

Calypso hasn't gotten to the sitting/no moving stage yet, but those Jurassic Park noises she makes when I go to their nesting box are new. She must be working herself up to full broody. The allure of dried mealworms and bread are still too tempting to give up.

 

[COChix]

Does she brood over anyone's eggs and then chicks? Have you had her reject any chicks because they weren't her breed? I keep finding threads on here about some hens not taking care of chicks that are different breeds and was just curious. Even though I dropped the money of my Brinsea, after hearing all the difficulties and heartache of trying to incubate/hatch in CO, I'm leaning more towards letting nature do her thing on her own. 

I'm kinda having a lot of memory/cognitive issues from my trauma, so I very much would rather Calypso take on the brooding. She knows way more than I ever will learn and retain right now.

My understanding is that once a hen goes broody, she is broody over eggs all the way to hatching and integrating them into the flock. She can also hatch and raise different breeds from herself. I forget which age she starts to move on from her hatches. I understand that she will hatch other's eggs and will steal eggs from other nest boxes. I have read that a hen knows when a chick is weak/sick and she will boot those eggs out of the nest boxes.

 

[Iceman23]

While we have a pause in action on the chick hatch watch 2015, we bring you this, a little comedy relief.

COChix, you are brilliant!!!!!

 

[Ashdoes]

Anyone know if Big R carries Calcium Carbonate powder?

 

[COChix]

COChix, you are brilliant!!!!!  :cd

Not so certain about that, I found that online and it was too funny to pass up.

 

[Percheron chick]

Anyone know if Big R carries Calcium Carbonate powder?

Oyster shell is calcium carbonate.

 

[Ashdoes]

Oyster shell is calcium carbonate.

Yeah, but I need the powder form. I'm going to check tomorrow, but I thougght maybe someone else knew if it's actually there. I'm going to check Walgreens as well.

 

[maggiemo]

I think you will find it at Walgreen's. I got some at Vitamin Cottage.