First time with a broody- hatch day is here-not sure what to do?!!??

[chickenreferee]

I'm fixin' to get greedy myself. If all the eggs Ida is sitting hatch, that will be 11 chicks, and then I have been chatting with someone from BYC that is nearby who has BLR Wyandottes, Ameracaunas, and Barnevelders that are all old enough to be outside.....and I hope to be bringing some of them home with me next Friday.

Ssshhhhh......don't tell my family, I don't wanna go to chicken rehab.

 

[sumi]

Chicken math strikes again

(I won't tell anyone, promise)
I started with about 4 chickens and I've got 90 now. And I sold a whole lot last month...

 

[Soap Junkie]

Chicken math strikes again

(I won't tell anyone, promise)
I started with about 4 chickens and I've got 90 now. And I sold a whole lot last month...

90!!!!!! Oh my gosh, my husband would kill me! But, I could sell a lot of eggs that way

Happy Hatching this weekend for all who are due!

 

[Stephanie739]

My broody is currently hatching today. Right now we have 4. My hen is super docile and lets me move her to look without even thinking of pecking me. Anyway, I didn't want to disturb her too much and at day 21, nothing. Thought I heard some peeping, but I looked and nothing. Today is day 23 and saw 3 fluffy butts and one that just hatched. They have been doing this for ages and know how to do it! Sit on your hands if need be!!! Good luck!

My first broody is less than a week from hatch day. I haven't messed with her much. I did candle once several days ago. She is pretty docile right now, only puffing up and growling very low and quietly if I do put my hand in there. I wonder if that will change over the next few days. Her nest is also in a dog crate.

Congratulations on your hatches (all of you!!!)

 

[chickenreferee]

90 chickens sumi! WOW!

I've had around 30 at one time before, but that was pre-rooster liquidation. Guess I'm on my way back up there though!

Say, will Ida come out of the psycho broody trance once the babies hatch? The constant stink eye she gives is a little creepy.

 

[sumi]

If you think they're bad when they're sitting... I got bad news for you. They go psycho when they got babies to protect. I've seen one of my hens attack a predator once. But it's a good thing as it's a sign of a good mom.
My chicken collection started accidentally. I impulse bought 40 chicks from a guy who was selling them door-to-door. They turned out to be roosters he got from a hatchery. I swapped some of the roosters for 4 hens. They laid too many eggs for us, who, ironically, are not big egg eaters. So we sold the surplus to friends. When more people started asking me for eggs I thought we should get more hens, so we can turn this into a little business. I bought 100 chicks, lost 25 through a series of power failures in the middle of winter and in spite of that I fell in love and really bonded with them. We once again got a lot of roosters, ended up with only 27 hens. We had one super broody who hatched 3 batches (then a dog killed her) and we decided to move, sold most of the hens. Decided against moving and bought 40 battery hens to restock, let our broodies have chicks, borrowed an incubator for 2 hatches and went to over 100 chickens.
We loved and lost many chickens through predators and other mishaps over the past year and though it was a bumpy ride and I was ready to pack it up and sell all my chickens some days, I'm still in love with my feathered friends and their fluffy butts.
And chicks are my favourite thing. I can't get enough of them.

 

[marlowmanor]

Broody update: As of 4pm this afternoon we have 1 baby chick!

I was inside putting up a few groceries and DH came in and said "look what I've got", he was holding a little light chipmunk colored chick. It is from one of the EE eggs. DH had to get the shell unstuck from it's butt! I thought it was so neat that my DH who had been saying nothing would hatch was so excited about showing off what hatched! We've checked a couple more times and found nothing else hatching yet. Mama Hazel is being a good mama to the little chick. DH was talking to the boys about selling the chicks and my ODS told him we weren't selling any of the chicks! They are already in love with the chick.

Question time: How long do you wait before assuming the hatch is finished? If this is the only chick to hatch I will be buying a couple more to add with it.

 

[chickenreferee]

Broody update: As of 4pm this afternoon we have 1 baby chick!

I was inside putting up a few groceries and DH came in and said "look what I've got", he was holding a little light chipmunk colored chick. It is from one of the EE eggs. DH had to get the shell unstuck from it's butt! I thought it was so neat that my DH who had been saying nothing would hatch was so excited about showing off what hatched! We've checked a couple more times and found nothing else hatching yet. Mama Hazel is being a good mama to the little chick. DH was talking to the boys about selling the chicks and my ODS told him we weren't selling any of the chicks! They are already in love with the chick.

Question time: How long do you wait before assuming the hatch is finished? If this is the only chick to hatch I will be buying a couple more to add with it.

Hurray!! That is super great! Congrats on the first chicklet!

I think you should wait a couple more days before assuming the others aren't going to hatch? I'm sure sumi or someone more knowledgeable than me will be around to answer you better.

PS....you know you're gonna keep those chicks....at least the first one and a few inbetween. hahaha

 

[marlowmanor]

Hurray!! That is super great! Congrats on the first chicklet!

I think you should wait a couple more days before assuming the others aren't going to hatch? I'm sure sumi or someone more knowledgeable than me will be around to answer you better.

PS....you know you're gonna keep those chicks....at least the first one and a few inbetween. hahaha

If I had my way I'd definately keep them, at least the ones that end up being pullets. We have to remember though that we have limited space so we can't go crazy with the chickens.

 

[chickenreferee]

If you think they're bad when they're sitting... I got bad news for you. They go psycho when they got babies to protect. I've seen one of my hens attack a predator once. But it's a good thing as it's a sign of a good mom.
My chicken collection started accidentally. I impulse bought 40 chicks from a guy who was selling them door-to-door. They turned out to be roosters he got from a hatchery. I swapped some of the roosters for 4 hens. They laid too many eggs for us, who, ironically, are not big egg eaters. So we sold the surplus to friends. When more people started asking me for eggs I thought we should get more hens, so we can turn this into a little business. I bought 100 chicks, lost 25 through a series of power failures in the middle of winter and in spite of that I fell in love and really bonded with them. We once again got a lot of roosters, ended up with only 27 hens. We had one super broody who hatched 3 batches (then a dog killed her) and we decided to move, sold most of the hens. Decided against moving and bought 40 battery hens to restock, let our broodies have chicks, borrowed an incubator for 2 hatches and went to over 100 chickens.
We loved and lost many chickens through predators and other mishaps over the past year and though it was a bumpy ride and I was ready to pack it up and sell all my chickens some days, I'm still in love with my feathered friends and their fluffy butts.
And chicks are my favourite thing. I can't get enough of them.

Oh great. I hope she at least doesn't gather them up every time I come near. I was hoping to get them used to me as chicks so they would be friendly and not so skiddish. Guess we'll just have to wait and see. I got Charlie, the roo who was raised by his broody mom, at 16 weeks old and it's taken almost two years for him to take food from my hand and not go the opposite direction when I walk by.

I have never heard of door to door chick salesmen! I couldn't do it, they'd all come home with me. I know what you mean though. When you loose a few of them, especially some that are favorites, you just aren't sure if it's worth it anymore. After our first raccoon attack I just wasn't sure if I could deal with it anymore. But you learn and move on and here I am....waiting on more chicks.

Just can't get enough of the silly boogers.