Going Broody?

[GuineaLady93]

One of the Buff Orpingtons started sitting on the "bait" eggs I put in there! YAY!

 

[sumi]

Eggcellent! Keep us posted!
How many eggs have you given her?

 

[GuineaLady93]

Quote:
8

 

[GuineaLady93]

She got off the eggs.

 

[sumi]

I'd say leave the eggs in the box and see what she does. Hopefully she'll go back.

How long did she sit? Sometimes my hens does this. They sit, get up, get me worked up and go sit again. It usually passes after the first day or two. Is she acting broody? Clucking and puffing her feathers etc?

 

[wbruder17]

I can always get my Silkie to go broody. She and my banty cochin both. All I have to do is isolate them and give them eggs and Whalah! Violent biting broody hens!

 

[sumi]

I'm starting to think I should get some silkies. Everyone says they will sit on anything. Then I don't need to get an incubator. I ordered one from this guy who makes them out of old microwave ovens. He's been promising me for weeks...
I wonder which is the better option? Having a broody who drives you crazy or a machine that lets you raise the chicks?

 

[EvyCrystal]

Quote:
I have both =p . . . so what I'm psycho!!! lucky for me, my hens are use to me and let me mess with them when they are broody, they get puffy but that about it, but I do have one evil mex hen who will bite the heck out of you but I really don't care if I do get peck |D; kind of doesn't hurt? >.>;

 

[wbruder17]

I don't have an incubator, but I feel that broodies are the way to go. You don't have to worry about humidity or temperatures....its all natural. And there's nothing like seeing a hen with her chickies.

My broodies are vicious...will grab hold, twist and pull to protect theiir eggs/babies....but its totally worth it.

And yes...my silkie will sit one ANYTHING to hatch it. She is like clockwork and does an amazing job...bloody arms aside.

 

[sumi]

My broodies are mostly O.K. with me and let me mess with them, remove fresh eggs that other hens slip into their nests and check out the new chicks. I bought most of my hens from a battery farm, so they've been debeaked Good for the pecks, but not nice otherwise. I've heard that hens bred for laying like these of mine don't go broody, but this is the 6th one to go broody over a 9 month period and they are amazing mommies.
I love it when my hens hatch chicks. It's lovely seeing them run around, learning things and just being cute