Hatching with 2 broodies

[texgardengal]

Congratulations to us and our thread....thank you all for all your help and support. I just love our little thread

 

[Teila]

Just realized my other pic didn't go through.

Just Gorgeous!!
Your broody coop looks very similar to our Ranch that Cilla had her first hatch in. She is in the Chateau this time as it has a wired open area and Dusty, Tina and Suzi are using the Ranch for laying and sleeping. I have joined it to the end of their covered run. I note you have the nesting box lid propped open, same as I used to do before I made a wire cover that goes over the nesting part so that I could have it completely open when I was home.

 

[Teila]

Congratulations to us and our thread....thank you all for all your help and support. I just love our little thread

Woo hoo, well done!
I love our little thread also

 

[lizgarf]

Oh my goodness, so much cuteness all around!!
Thanks for the cake, TGG! It's delicious!
Is that Cookie in your profile picture? So adorable! She's mama's girl, isn't she?
It looks to me like most of your babies are blue. It's hard to know for sure what they'll become, but I think splash marans can hatch blue, black, or splash chickens, and you probably will have some combination of them all. The blues are very pretty - it'll be fun to watch them grow!

Yes, Teila, 4 laying hens feels like quite an abundance after the great egg drought of late 2013. And I know I shouldn't whine, but . . . the eggs are almost all the same color! I need Lucy and Jan to get on it so I can have some variety! Unlike y'all, I'm actually relieved than none of my girls have gone broody lately. Rousseau appeared to be considering it today, but she's a team broody through and through, and went out to the yard with the rest of the flock when I opened the door. (She also might have just been hiding from Desi.) Ideally, I'd like to have just one broody hatch a year - preferably late August so I can time the chick starter with the molts - that seemed to work well. We'll see if I get my wish!

TGG, I am grateful that the mamas and aunties were so good in my flock! It'll be a whole new ball game next time around, though, with the untested Brady Girls and the Marans. I might have to separate them -- we'll see when the time comes. In any case, I agree with Teila - give Molly a second chance and keep a close eye on those fuzzy butts!

 

[Teila]

Just so they do not feel left out ... Tina (top), Suzi and their Aunty Dusty .....

 

[texgardengal]

Awwww such pretty girls. . How do you keep them so clean?? they look like little puffy cotton balls... you mentioned in an earlier post that your black chickens tolerate the heat OK...so glad! I was worried about that...we have such hot summers... And YES! That's it! That's my new coop. I bought it on eBay and it turned out to be perfect for the littles and their mom. I thought about putting wire over the nesting box cover. Right now the coop is in the barn. I'm way up on a hill...we had 30 mile an hour winds yesterday and before I put Molly in it ... It blew over. So, until I put it in its permanent place I wanted it in the barn protected from the wind. It's a little dark so I thought I'd leave the door open with wire
Over it...so I'm glad you have done that and it works. I will have to secure it to the larger coop. Don't want little babies blowing down the fields!!!
Yes Liz. Cookie looks like her mom. She is so pretty I'll add some pics I took of her....she is such a little ham. LOVES having her picture taken. It's like she poses for me. Lol. I can't wait to see how all our littles turn out. And no, actually I was NOT hoping for a broody. Those tricky chickens!! Both hens ganged up on me and two broodys are more convincing...but in the end Molly was the one with all the eggs. I'm watching her like a hawk this time!!!!

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[texgardengal]

Hmmmm having trouble posting pics for some reason

Side shot. Hahaha

 

[lizgarf]

Yes Liz. Cookie looks like her mom. She is so pretty I'll add some pics I took of her....she is such a little ham. LOVES having her picture taken. It's like she poses for me. Lol.

Teehee, TGG, when I said she was a mama's girl, I meant she was YOUR girl, not Molly's! Unless you're saying she looks like you . . .

 

[Teila]

Teehee, TGG, when I said she was a mama's girl, I meant she was YOUR girl, not Molly's! Unless you're saying she looks like you . . .

 

[Teila]

How do you keep them so clean?

My sister wanted an updated picture so I took that today and sent it to her. The first thing she sent back "They are so clean, did you just bath them?"

I have never bathed them; they dust bath they roll in damp soil, they dig, they do everything a chicken does and I have no idea how they stay clean! lol They are really white as white and just seem to stay that way

Aaaaw, Cookie is sooo cute!

The Ranch is a good little broody coop, nice and protected with room to explore. I found it restrictive in that it does not have a covered 'open' area like the Chateau they are in now, but in a barn or inside a large covered run, it would be excellent. I ended up attaching it to the end of the covered run so that the first hatch had somewhere to dig and scratch around without having to be constantly supervised. As I said, Dusty, Tina and Suzi are using it now; there are three nest boxes in it and still room for more.

I have to be honest, I am a little tired of our weather at the moment; it is either too darn hot, too darn windy or both! Can't remember the last time I said "today is a nice day".