Consolidated Kansas

[Trish44]

I kept only one pullet I hatched & she is a very pretty bird. I wished I had kept more.

 

[zigzag45]

I found some potentially fertile eggs from some friends and am going to put them under the broody mamma. She's back at it, poor thing. I guess she was just taking a break this morning, I think @Trish44 said that was possible.

I don't need more birds, but I'm pretty sure that isn't a factor in decision making.

I've not done this before... I know I should move the broody hen to her own area, I have a temp pen I can use in my shed for that. Food and water and that's about it right? I just ran out of straw so I'll get some more and put that in her pen. Then just let her be and see what happens.

Anything else?

Oh, another funny question... I keep hearing people pronounce leghorn "legern" - is it just me or is that how you're actually supposed to?

 

[Trish44]

I found some potentially fertile eggs from some friends and am going to put them under the broody mamma. She's back at it, poor thing. I guess she was just taking a break this morning, I think @Trish44 said that was possible.

I don't need more birds, but I'm pretty sure that isn't a factor in decision making.

I've not done this before... I know I should move the broody hen to her own area, I have a temp pen I can use in my shed for that. Food and water and that's about it right? I just ran out of straw so I'll get some more and put that in her pen. Then just let her be and see what happens.

Anything else?

Oh, another funny question... I keep hearing people pronounce leghorn "legern" - is it just me or is that how you're actually supposed to?

Around here most pronounce it Leghorn like it's spelled. I guess it depends on where you're from because I have seen discussions about Leghorn vs Leggern before.

 

[Ralph Moyer]

Papa Silkie rooster standing guard while Mama Silkie hen and her mixed guinea keets enjoy a dust bath.

 

[Trish44]

That's a cute pic Ralph!

 

[chicken danz]

I found some potentially fertile eggs from some friends and am going to put them under the broody mamma. She's back at it, poor thing. I guess she was just taking a break this morning, I think @Trish44 said that was possible.

I don't need more birds, but I'm pretty sure that isn't a factor in decision making.

I've not done this before... I know I should move the broody hen to her own area, I have a temp pen I can use in my shed for that. Food and water and that's about it right? I just ran out of straw so I'll get some more and put that in her pen. Then just let her be and see what happens.

Anything else?

Oh, another funny question... I keep hearing people pronounce leghorn "legern" - is it just me or is that how you're actually supposed to?

Just be aware if you move her it might break her broody. Since she is just getting started however I think she'll do okay and may appreciate the privacy. If you can provide her a place to get in similar to a small kennel or nest box that would be even better. They like some privacy.

Papa Silkie rooster standing guard while Mama Silkie hen and her mixed guinea keets enjoy a dust bath.

That's really cute Ralph. I never had a decent silkie Mama and never had one that hatched chicks. If they sat they sat too tight and never turned the eggs.
I've got a couple big Buff orps that insist on being broody quite a lot. They do the same thing. They don't move much so the eggs don't develop right.

 

[HEChicken]

Quote: That's so weird - I've never had a hen sit and not hatch out a chick from almost every egg she was on. I almost never see them turn the eggs though - I think I'd have to sit and watch them 24/7 to catch them at it. I wonder if there is some other reason for them not developing right? I even leave the turner off in my incubator for days at a time and I've never had it affect the developing chicks.

My silkie is one of my best broodies as she is one that I usually can move. I got her from Hawkeye so she is well-bred, but just didn't make the cut to be one of her show birds. However I now also have a hatchery silkie and you can tell a BIG difference in quality between the two. The hatchery silkie has just started to lay and - thank goodness - has not gone broody on me yet. I've lost count of how many times Hawkeye's silkie has raised chicks. When she's not broody she is my buddy - she runs to me when I go out there and follows me everywhere, begging to be picked up. When I do stop and pick her up, she practically purrs. One night recently I was sitting out with the sheep and she wanted up, so I put her on my lap and she fell right asleep. It was completely dark and she was still there on my lap outside, happy as can be to just sleep on me all night. I finally had to carry her to the coop and tuck her in

. Then, when she goes broody, she is a totally different bird. She stops wanting attention from me and gets grouchy if I even look at her sideways. Those broody hormones must be some strong drugs!

How is the progress on the building coming?

I've been really busy this week dealing with a lot of family/close friend issues. In between I've been trying to get the garage and workshop cleaned up. My family has a bad habit of taking something out and just dumping it in the most convenient open spot. Then something else gets dumped on top and something else and….eventually its a totally disorganized mess and I can't stand it. I made some good progress on my garage last night and plan to continue today while I still have the momentum going. I'm getting rid of a bunch of stuff while I'm at it. I always feel better after a good clean out.

 

[sharol]

re: broodies DISCLAIMER -- I am a rank amateur at this having raised only 5 clutches hatched by broodies.

Our first broody set up her nest on the floor of the coop in the corner next to the waterer. I planned to leave the clutch in the coop, but my head hen freaked out when the first one hatched and so I quickly moved them to the portable coop I had standing by.

The rest of the hatches (4 clutches from 2 hens) have been staggered, so I moved the hen and her eggs on day 19 each time to the portable coop. I built a single nest box for the hoop coop that is a little larger than their regular nest boxes (it is about 15x15 instead of 12x12) and gives the hen a sense of safety. So far none of the hens have given up on the eggs, and I've had 3 clutches of 3 and one of 6 (better eggs that time). I've moved hen and babies to the main coop when mom is comfortable with it. They all free range together from the time the babies are a week old, and my head hen is more comfortable with babies now.

I've had problems trying to hatch my own EE green eggs. They develop almost to the point of hatch and then fail. Of all the green eggs I've set, only one has hatched (it contained my current roo and was in an incubator and required assistance). The only broody egg I tried to help was unsuccessful -- I guess the experts are right. If the chick isn't strong enough to hatch, perhaps it shouldn't, but my roo is wonderful and I have no regrets about helping him out of his egg (pipped at the wrong end and tried to zip the long way).

My experience, your results and experience will probably vary.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

I found some potentially fertile eggs from some friends and am going to put them under the broody mamma. She's back at it, poor thing. I guess she was just taking a break this morning, I think @Trish44 said that was possible.

I don't need more birds, but I'm pretty sure that isn't a factor in decision making.

I've not done this before... I know I should move the broody hen to her own area, I have a temp pen I can use in my shed for that. Food and water and that's about it right? I just ran out of straw so I'll get some more and put that in her pen. Then just let her be and see what happens.

Anything else?

I leave my broodies in the normal coop. Rebal Dottie broods up on a high nest, but once the chicks hatch and jump down she finds a low area for them. The broody will safely integrate them in with the flock and protect them with her life! The only problem I have found with leaving them is that my broody will let the other hens lay eggs near her then steal them and poke them under her

! I just mark the eggs I give her and remove any unmarked eggs daily!

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

re: broodies DISCLAIMER -- I am a rank amateur at this having raised only 5 clutches hatched by broodies.

I've had problems trying to hatch my own EE green eggs. They develop almost to the point of hatch and then fail. Of all the green eggs I've set, only one has hatched (it contained my current roo and was in an incubator and required assistance). The only broody egg I tried to help was unsuccessful -- I guess the experts are right. If the chick isn't strong enough to hatch, perhaps it shouldn't, but my roo is wonderful and I have no regrets about helping him out of his egg (pipped at the wrong end and tried to zip the long way).

My experience, your results and experience will probably vary.

Wow my EE's are my best hatchers. Also my JG eggs hatch almost 100% The ones I'm having trouble getting to hatch are my Brahmas. I have yet to hatch a Brahma out of any of my hens, I have plenty that have a Brahma dad but none of my Brahmas are Mommies as of yet!

I agree completely on the point of the strength of the chick. I had one I had to assist a couple months ago and it only lived for 2 days.