Dang Crazy Hen....Nugget is REALLY Broody (BABY PICS! Three of 3 Out)

[speckledhen]

In Feb, I posted that she had gone broody. Well, she sort of did. She screamed and puffed up like some demented beach ball and so when she sat on a nest, I gave her eggs. She didn't think that was a good time to actually sit on them.

She kept sitting beside them instead. Well, finally, last night, Nugget climbed on a nest at roost time and stayed. We readied the broody pen in the BBS Orp coop where she raised chicks last year. We removed her big bum from the nest a few minutes ago to put her outside to poop, drink and eat. She did and we removed her saddle. Then, like she knew exactly what we had in mind, she ran right into the broody pen, ate a bunch of food, then settled down on the 8 eggs I had put in the nest for her to hatch--4 Barred Easter Eggers and 4 from the BBS Orp pen, including two of Meg's (RIRxBuff Orp). If I get one more Blue Orp egg today, I'll slide that one under her as well. Babies will hatch around May 8.

Here's Nugget a few days ago:

 

[goldnchocolate]

Awwwwww.....she's pretty

I hope you get a good hatch. My BO hatched 3 chicks on Thurs and they are so-o-o cute!

 

[speckledhen]

I love broody hens, but I have a barred EE who has been threatening to go broody for about as long as Nugget has. And my EE hen, June, is growling at me while on the nest, not normal for her-she's usually very mild-mannered. The problem is that they are all in the same coop, the one with my Delaware rooster. I looked at him yesterday and said, "Isaac, what are you doing to these girls to make them all act crazy?", LOL.

 

[crazyhen]

I'd love to have a black orp if any hatch. One girl is all.

LOL Crazy broodies Gloria Jean

 

[speckledhen]

Gloria Jean, two of the four eggs belong to Meg, so they're not pure Orps. The other two are Dusty's and may not even hatch. She's not had any eggs develop in ages for some reason. Was hoping Smoky would contribute today, but she didn't.

 

[WriterofWords]

Way to go Nugget!! My RIR Red is trying to go broody,, on my little broody mama's nest she's been sitting on for a week now!

 

[speckledhen]

That's cool that you have a broody RIR, Kate! They aren't known for it, but there are certainly exceptions. Nugget is still on her 8 eggs, so guess this is it for real. Crazy girl acted broody for 2 solid months before actually getting down to business last night. My Barred EE, Riley, kept trying to get in with Nugget to lay her egg today. She never lays in that nest, but picked today to insist that her egg be laid in poor Nugget's nest. I removed Riley four times, but in the end, she did lay in the nest with Nugget. It was good that I moved her from the coop so now, no one will bother her. Well, maybe the roosters will with their crowing. In that same area with her are Zane, Dutch and Suede, LOL. Zane is above her with Dutch in a cage above him (he has to sleep separately from his girls, who pick at his comb on the roost), and Suede is beside her with his girls. Maybe she needs ear plugs!

Ladyhawk, my friend, in a couple of months, when Nugget is sick of her babies, maybe there will be a couple Barred EEs for you. I know that two eggs are Charlotte's (she's blue) and one is Snow's (splash). There are two eggs from Meg and two from Dusty.

 

[bibliophile birds]

my little Silkie Gretel is acting decidedly strange tonight and i think she's going broody. she's never minded me picking her up to check for eggs (or to do anything else i so choose) but tonight she hissed at me and puffed up as big as she could get for such a tiny bird. she's 6 1/2 months now. i'd love to give her some eggs, but this is the first go-round for both of us, so i'm not exactly sure how to proceed. should i just leave her be for a few days and see what she does? do i just leave her any eggs she lays while i'm watching or collect them? or should i go ahead and put a couple eggs under her?

thanks for the advice!

 

[speckledhen]

Usually, when they actually spend the night in a nest rather than going to roost like normal, and they're growling and fluffing out at everyone, they're broody. I collect eggs when I think someone is going broody then when I'm sure, I'll put a few under her. Nugget acted crazy for weeks, but she never spent the night on a nest till last night. Last year, she did raise a batch of chicks. They hatched last March and here she goes again. She's a once-a-year girl, I suppose.

 

[bibliophile birds]

hmm, it's hard to tell with Gretel. her and her boyfriend Hansel refuse to roost with the big chickens and spend their nights in a nest box anyway. he usually sleeps down in the box while she sort-of roosts on the side of it. Hansel's been in isolation for several days recovering from a nasty peck to the head. tonight Gretel was definitely IN the box acting like i had better not touch her (i did anyway, but she didn't like it). i guess i'll collect some eggs for her tomorrow and if she's still in the box tomorrow night i'll let her have a shot at them.

thanks speckledhen!