Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[CrazyChookChookLady]

View attachment 1915581

What a nice broody you've got there Bob!! I don't think it's too late in the season for chicks. Mama hen takes such good care of the babies.

Honestly, I won't have chicks again unless I have a broody to raise them. It's much less work for me and the chicks seem to mature faster too. Plus it's just adorable to watch the hens teach the babies.

I do have fertile eggs...and green layers...just saying...

 

[BY Bob]

What a nice broody you've got there Bob!! I don't think it's too late in the season for chicks. Mama hen takes such good care of the babies.

Honestly, I won't have chicks again unless I have a broody to raise them. It's much less work for me and the chicks seem to mature faster too. Plus it's just adorable to watch the hens teach the babies.

I do have fertile eggs...and green layers...just saying...

You are so sweet. I am sorely tempted. But if we do the calendar math I'm afraid it is too late in the year.

21 days from yesterday is October 13. 6 weeks to feather them out and get them big enough to tough out some cold weather puts us at November 24. Now we could be lucky and have a mild fall but it can also snow on October 31st.

I do not have supplemental coop heat.

The average high in November is 53°F (11.6°C) and the low is 36°F (2°C) They would be 2 and 3 weeks old in November.

What does everyone else think? I feel that's too cold. Then I'm thinking about integration in limited space due to snow fall. And of course poor @Dona Worry and her frost bitten pullets comes to mind. I just don't think it is worth the risk. I'm sure she will want to hatch again.

I am thrilled that Mal wants to do this. I love the idea of momma hen and babies wandering through the yard. The thought of watching her raise them makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

I just want to do it under the best conditions I can.

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

You are so sweet. I am sorely tempted. But if we do the calendar math I'm afraid it is too late in the year.

21 days from yesterday is October 13. 6 weeks to feather them out and get them big enough to tough out some cold weather puts us at November 24. Now we could be lucky and have a mild fall but it can also snow on October 31st.

I do not have supplemental coop heat.

The average high in November is 53°F (11.6°C) and the low is 36°F (2°C) They would be 2 and 3 weeks old in November.

What does everyone else think? I feel that's too cold. Then I'm thinking about integration in limited space due to snow fall. And of course poor @Dona Worry and her frost bitten pullets comes to mind. I just don't think it is worth the risk. I'm sure she will want to hatch again.

I am thrilled that Mal wants to do this. I love the idea of momma hen and babies wandering through the yard. The thought of watching her raise them makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

I just want to do it under the best conditions I can.

I understand completely. If she goes broody again in the spring, I'll still have fertile eggs if you want them. I also have silkie eggs...

 

[WhoDatChick]

Its okay tell the sweet wife to take comfort, she is so young now anyway, but in spring youve Gotta let her do it! I bet she would be really great to be already wanting to try it

Yes!... this

 

[WhoDatChick]

What a lovely variety of eggs. Definitely something to celebrate! Congrats WhoDat!

Thank you

 

[WhoDatChick]

In 21 days here it will be late October and way to cold to raise chicks. My wife's first thought was, Polish chicks! I had to work the calendar to break the news to her.


I will have to let her go for a little and hope she gives up when it turns cold again. It was 90°F (32°C) today. That will change tomorrow night. My poor confused little girl.

I do understand that... and definitely the rooster situation! That’s exactly why I didn’t want to keep a roo.. so as to not end up with more ... that’s why I like the adopted option... buy pullets and give em to mama... but hatching eggs would be AWESOME!!!! Sooooooo

 

[WhoDatChick]

What a nice broody you've got there Bob!! I don't think it's too late in the season for chicks. Mama hen takes such good care of the babies.

Honestly, I won't have chicks again unless I have a broody to raise them. It's much less work for me and the chicks seem to mature faster too. Plus it's just adorable to watch the hens teach the babies.

I do have fertile eggs...and green layers...just saying...

I also agree with this... mama keeps them warm and toasty... I got mine in early spring and it was still pretty darn chilly and I didn’t have to worry about a thing... but we weren’t THAT cold! Plus, I believe the ones mama raised and brought in with the whole gang were more excepted by everyone than any of the others that I integrated myself... they were definitely picked on less! My poor flowers are still the outcasts! Another thing I’ve noticed is that with mama you have no contact with the babies at all but these are the friendliest little chickens ever! But that could also just be the Cochin personality

 

[MaryJanet]

I think you're right Bob. Chicks in winter is not a good idea. Think of them cold and not fully feathered. Poor little things.

A spring hatch works.

 

[LozzyR]

Charlie, my Australorp has just started to go broody from yesterday! She’s nine months old, sat on the nest for ages and also made a funny noise at me when I checked on her! She was also fluffing herself up and making a funny noise I hadn’t heard from her before. Also, my two Isa Browns kept going for her, which was weird! I fed them some porridge and they all became friends again and free-ranged together. She did it again today but got off the nest herself, had some sardines and a dirt bath.

There are three reasons why I don’t want to stick a couple of fertilised eggs under her; 1) I’d be sad if she didn’t look after them and they died, or got stuck in the egg, 2) I’d be even more sad if Lucy murdered them! and 3) I wouldn’t want to bond with them and then find out they were roos! I’m hoping this broody thing doesn’t get too difficult! The breeder made out it wasn’t that big a deal but then, he’s a breeder.

 

[Ribh]

Charlie, my Australorp has just started to go broody from yesterday! She’s nine months old, sat on the nest for ages and also made a funny noise at me when I checked on her! She was also fluffing herself up and making a funny noise I hadn’t heard from her before. Also, my two Isa Browns kept going for her, which was weird! I fed them some porridge and they all became friends again and free-ranged together. She did it again today but got off the nest herself, had some sardines and a dirt bath.

There are three reasons why I don’t want to stick a couple of fertilised eggs under her; 1) I’d be sad if she didn’t look after them and they died, or got stuck in the egg, 2) I’d be even more sad if Lucy murdered them! and 3) I wouldn’t want to bond with them and then find out they were roos! I’m hoping this broody thing doesn’t get too difficult! The breeder made out it wasn’t that big a deal but then, he’s a breeder.

Broodies are a pain but no big deal ~ as a rule. I did lose a BR to broodiness last year ~ mostly because the man was in charge while I was away & didn't realise what was happening, not that it would have helped if he had. He still wouldn't have known what to do.

I was constantly breaking her sister all summer but we had a really hot summer & she just kept overheating & then headed to the nesting box. I found keeping a frozen water bottle in there really discouraged her.