Hatching with 2 broodies

[lizgarf]

16paws, your post reminds me of a time my chickens saw me dancing! They were totally freaked out!!
I sing to all of my animals, because I sing a lot in general. Not sure if they like it, but they do tolerate it. My cat once poked at my mouth and stared into it, and has pawed along on the piano on occasion. My dog will actively listen to music on the radio - especially anything with clarinets. So much fun to watch!

So, while we're waiting for the next chicks to emerge, I thought I'd mention the results of my informal egg comparison study. Since I haven't gotten eggs from my hens for almost a month, I bought eggs last week and this week. The first dozen I bought was a local free-range, vegetarian-fed, brand I bought a lot before I got chickens. They're often on sale at the Berkeley Bowl. I noticed right away the difference: the yolks were tiny! They were large eggs, but the yolks were about the size of my old bantam yolks, and much paler. Yesterday, I bought organic, free range, Omega-3 eggs from Trader Joe's, and the yolks were bigger and darker than the Rock Island eggs, but still not as pretty as my hens' yolks. I have only used the bought eggs as secondary ingredients, so I haven't especially noticed a taste difference. But, the yolk size difference is definitely significant, and it seems to me that would be a source of the taste difference people claim. Also, since yolks contain most of the nutrients in eggs, it makes sense that eggs with larger yolks would be more nutrient-dense, and would come from healthier hens.

Anyway, interesting food for thought, no?

 

[Teila]

Teila,
That behavior sounds like that of an animal that is scared. Dusty may be doing that out of fear. From what I have noticed from having a dog that had been abused in the past, 'they act out" to try and have some sort of control over a perceived out of control situation. I may be over analyzing it but this is what I have observed with my dog AnnaBelle. Maybe being picked on in the past had something to do with it. I have not seen that in my chickens so I am really not sure. Maybe try talking to Dusty in a calm voice would help.

Thank you Marie .. once again, great advice from Team Broody!

Your Dusty is gorgeous!

When I said I told Dusty off, I sort of scowled at her and told her she was a naughty girl. What you have said makes pretty good sense so I probably would not be helping one little bit by telling her off. I feel guilty now!

I probably don't help the situation by panicking that she is going to hurt one of the babies. They have been integrated now for over a week and everyone has survived so I probably need to not be quite so protective.
Not that Dusty ever dips out and she is well and truly loved; my guilt made today Dusty-Day and she got smothered with attention and treats! lol
I don't know about singing to her (I have neighbours to consider lol) but I chat to her all the time while she helps me in the garden

As I mentioned, I am always mindful of where she is if a 'commotion' is imminent; now I will also be mindful of how she may be feeling .. thanks again Marie!

 

[Teila]

So, while we're waiting for the next chicks to emerge, I thought I'd mention the results of my informal egg comparison study. Since I haven't gotten eggs from my hens for almost a month, I bought eggs last week and this week. The first dozen I bought was a local free-range, vegetarian-fed, brand I bought a lot before I got chickens. They're often on sale at the Berkeley Bowl. I noticed right away the difference: the yolks were tiny! They were large eggs, but the yolks were about the size of my old bantam yolks, and much paler. Yesterday, I bought organic, free range, Omega-3 eggs from Trader Joe's, and the yolks were bigger and darker than the Rock Island eggs, but still not as pretty as my hens' yolks. I have only used the bought eggs as secondary ingredients, so I haven't especially noticed a taste difference. But, the yolk size difference is definitely significant, and it seems to me that would be a source of the taste difference people claim. Also, since yolks contain most of the nutrients in eggs, it makes sense that eggs with larger yolks would be more nutrient-dense, and would come from healthier hens.

Anyway, interesting food for thought, no?

Hi Liz

Yeah, I wonder how Pooman is going; hopefully some good news soon and more Team Broody Babies

As you know, a chicken expert I am not, but is there such a thing as a vegetarian-fed free range? Surely the free range girls would be eating all the bug and worm meat they could get their tiny little beaks onto?
Or does the vegetarian-fed mean that they are not given any meats like left over roast beef etc? Or, is the person feeding them a vegetarian? Maybe they are fed vegetarians lolz .. sorry, bad jokes! I am in a good mood this evening; had a great weekend with my girls

Seriously now, that actually was interesting food for thought. I did a little reading about egg yolk size and colour as I was astounded at how much colour the yolks my girls laid in comparison to shop-bought and how much tastier they were. Some have been bordering on dark orange which apparently indicates lots of grass eating. Interestingly, some of the egg producers include a chemical in the grain-fed only chickens feed which is a similar to what the free range chickens would get from the grass and bugs they eat. I read that the paler the egg yolk the more likely the chicken has been fed grain only.
So, if that is correct, the free range vegetarian eggs you bought, assuming they could get to grass and bugs, should have more colour.
Freshness could also factor into the colour?

I think the jury is still out on why the eggs our girls lay seem to be tastier, but I, for one, definitely think they are

 

[swimmy44]

I used to have aracauna and naked neck bantams which went broody on a regular basis and would hide and then disappear to sit on their own eggs in or near my barn (rain was ignored if they hid in the garden). they were always successful and if I could find them I would put eggs under them from certain hens - always successful. I started switching their eggs for full size hen eggs since I didn't need bantams up the yin yang and couldn't sell their tiny eggs! the only problem I ever had was the aracauna hatching out a little naked neck - it looked so foreign she killed it so I had to keep a close eye on the others as they hatched - there were two more and I had to put them under a light for their own safety after they hatched - bummer. The naked neck was not prejudiced - she'd raise any chick, bantam or full size, her own or somebody else's!

 

[lizgarf]

As you know, a chicken expert I am not, but is there such a thing as a vegetarian-fed free range? Surely the free range girls would be eating all the bug and worm meat they could get their tiny little beaks onto?
Or does the vegetarian-fed mean that they are not given any meats like left over roast beef etc? Or, is the person feeding them a vegetarian? Maybe they are fed vegetarians lolz .. sorry, bad jokes! I am in a good mood this evening; had a great weekend with my girls

I think that in the States, "free range" just means "not caged." So, they're probably stuck in a big pen without much access to grass and bugs, and just get grain feed

I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years and, I don't think my chickens would eat me, but I did almost get taken out by a turkey on my bike ride the other day. Wouldn't that have been ironic!

I'm glad you enjoyed your weekend! I've been moving way too much mulch. Otherwise, I've been enjoying it too.

 

[Hounddog hill]

Hello. Let them alone. They. Will steal eggs back and forth happily. They will both moth all the chicks that way.

And you can put some. Eggs in your incubator and when they tstch put them into the mother's new chicks and your new flock is mothered. Nice.

 

[Pooman]

21 1/2 days just passed a few minutes ago.

Dot is making a lot of strange noises, seems to be sitting higher on the nest but I cannot see anything else at all, I'll leave her alone

 

[Pooman]

I think that in the States, "free range" just means "not caged."  So, they're probably stuck in a big pen without much access to grass and bugs, and just get grain feed

I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years and, I don't think my chickens would eat me, but I did almost get taken out by a turkey on my bike ride the other day. Wouldn't that have been ironic!

I'm glad you enjoyed your weekend!  I've been moving way too much mulch. Otherwise, I've been enjoying it too.

Yeah, in Aussie i sure that free range means they have access to the outside, so 1 door to a tiny outside space for an entire broiler shed would cover it lol not really free range. I have seen some excellent set ups though where the flocks had huge paddocks of pasture with a small coop in the middle

 

[Pooman]

So was just sitting in the coop, out of view of the Darkhorse, lots of soft clucks going on, some purry sounds too, then when I peeked around the corner she sqwaked at me lol

 

[Teila]

I think that in the States, "free range" just means "not caged." So, they're probably stuck in a big pen without much access to grass and bugs, and just get grain feed

I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years and, I don't think my chickens would eat me, but I did almost get taken out by a turkey on my bike ride the other day. Wouldn't that have been ironic!

I'm glad you enjoyed your weekend! I've been moving way too much mulch. Otherwise, I've been enjoying it too.

You are probably right Liz, free range means they actually get to use their legs. A friend adopted some chickens from a battery-farm and when she got them home she took them out of the box and popped them into their new grassy home. They just sat there! The poor little things did not realise they could move! So sad; mind you, they had a great time once they did work it it .. lol

I don't think your girls would eat you either Liz
I read a post on one of the other threads one day and the gentleman concerned made me laugh when he was describing how hungry his girls were and how he thought it may be best to keep moving while in their coop, just in case!

Was the Turkey attacking you or were you both just trying to be in the same space at the same time, paths crossed?