Hatching with 2 broodies

[tommysgirl]

Thank you for the warm welcome Teila! Not that I expected anything less from this thread, not after reading 128 pages of it, but it's still very very nice to be officially a part of it after lurking/reading for two weeks!

I think tommysgirl has a roo that looks like mine, or at least it seems like from the pics.



Unfortunately, she is my only Cochin for the moment. It's actually not that easy to get different breeds around here... plenty of people have chickens in the area, but they actually manage to stick to that "chickens are for eggs" attitude, so all I see in the neighborhood are Red/Black Stars, Leghorns, and various mixes thereof.

Cenere doing her big bad broody impersonation:



Cenere hogging the camera as I was trying to take photos of the babies. (Last year)



I present you the three-tailed chicken monster (aka Rosita, Pesca and Chiocciola):



And in case it helps, there will be fluffy butt distractions in just a few days... My non-twin broodies are on day 17 (or possibly 16 if the first one doesn't count... not sure about this, as I gave them eggs around lunch time on Sunday), and the twins are a day behind. So this weekend is the due date - I promise to post plenty of pics as soon as mummies let me. (I am certain that at least Cenere will let me see them/mess with her/take pictures... she's so sweet she could be a lap chicken if she wasn't so heavy.)

Let me add my welcome to Teila's typically warm friendly greeting. It is good to have new peeps to add into the mix!

Your girls remind me of my broody Petunia. She is mostly white with a couple of dark grey feathers here and there.I don't know if it is enough to call her splash or not

Here are my boys. Which one looks like yours?






Looking forward to seeing your baby pics! That's a lot of potential butt fluff!

Hi team,

I got the sad news a few hours ago that Zorro isn't long for this world. Fluid inside and outside the lungs. It looks like he's going to try to make it a quick deterioration and passing, which I appreciate somewhat. He's 4 weeks shy of his 19th birthday, and I know I couldn't hope for this time never to come, but it's still tough.

In the meantime, it's 78 degrees out, Reggie and I had a lovely time at the dog beach (where I managed to scratch a car, in my distracted state, left a note, I hope "Johnae1" is nice about it). I also just had the most amazing snuggle with the hens, sitting on my steps in the back. Bettina was at my should staring at my eyes, as they were filling with tears, and she started lightly pecking at my tears - an amazing, if slightly unsettling, moment. Jan and Grace came up to, and we all had a nice little cuddle together. The inability to potty train them may be the only thing keeping chickens from #1 pet status, in my opinion.

Grace is full-on broody. It's been hard to keep her out of the nest, what with all the errands today. If I'm around, I take her out of the coop and let her just roam around and hope for the best. She's such a good flier, I'm not too worried. Otherwise, I close off the nest, but she often manages to get in there. Frida is acting like she wants to be broody too, and I imagine she'll turn on the pac-man cluck tomorrow. I'm determined to break them this time, though, and wait a few more months for Desi and Lucy to be fully mature. And who knows, maybe Jan will be laying again by then.

Here's Zorro and Grace, in one of my all-time favorite shots:

Hey Liz I too am so so sorry to hear about Zorro. I can't think of anything to say that isn't trite or hasn't been said here before but know that we are thinking about you. I love the pic of Grace and Zorro. I hope you don't mind that I am using the same name for my new silkie IF I ever get her. What is your Grace? I love her color!

I understand the timing isn't right for you to have chicks right now but if Grace is super determined you may be able to get her to give up by giving her a couple of newly hatched chicks. I will even have some in about 11 days ...sex links even so you won't have to worry about getting another boy. Plus I know a gal in Antioch who has been hatching Pita Pintas...Langshans and those guys crossed with each other and with Cream Legbars.

Also I might have silkie babies...I have an update on that front. I did a little research (snooping/stalking) on the gal I have been in contact with. Turns out she is young. I am assuming 20 tops which explains certain aspects of our communication and she used to work at the petting farm at the Petaluma KOA. I have made an end run around her and contacted the KOA directly. The people there are super nice and took my number. The NEW person who has my contact's former job will be on duty this afternoon so I will be able to call they also since they took my number and are asking her to call me, odds are good I will be way less in the dark then I was. I feel quite proud of my sleuthing and I hope it works out so that I can go get her tomorrow or Thursday.

Glad you guys went to the beach sorry about the car scratch and I bet/hope the person whose car you scratched is so impressed that you left a note he feels guilty about even pursuing it.

Hi everyone else. It is BEAUTIFUL here right now and I having fun "shopping" for shoes on Zappos.

 

[MistyMountain]

TG, Yup, so excited about things turning green! The bradford pear, redbuds, and peach trees are blooming. I am just waiting for the rest of the orchard (red and green apples of unknown variety) to bloom before I take a new pic of spring for my avatar!! That is, I hope the apple trees bloom this year. We had to be a bit aggressive pruning them, but it will be better in the long run. Last year the apples were TINY. We've opened the trees up a lot and marked additional limps to remove this winter. We also are looking into putting 3 pear trees in the open spaces between the peach trees.

Sure could use your green thumb around here, Teila!! I have worked in greenhouses and nurseries, but I am very indecisive about where to put things! Our big garden will have to wait until next summer, anyhow. We are taking another road trip out west this summer and finding someone to take care of the chickens for 2 weeks will be hard enough. I gotta remember to talk to that boy scout and few houses down… a little money… free eggs to eat or sell. Good deal, right?

Teila and liz, love the pics!! I will have to sneak out and take a few this afternoon! The chickens have been on lockdown this morning because there was a dog in our neighbor's field. Hawks have also been hanging around, but the crows have been quick to chase them away.

Liz, I am so sorry to hear about Zorro.

Beautiful picture of him and Grace. Thinking of you!!

Welcome ItalyChickie!! Wow! Lots of broodies!! Can't wait to see baby pictures!! I have to contain my chick excitement for two more weeks!! Lots of new colors and new breeds will be added to my flock, 4 of which are my hopeful future broody mommas!! And a couple of roosters to give Willie something to think about (instead of stalking me or my boys!!).

Have a great day, all!!

 

[ItalyChickie]

Hi again everyone! Just had to check in before calling it day, sorry if I miss anyone's comments or questions due to my half-asleep state!

@tommysgirl - Thank you for the welcome! I already feel at home with all these welcomes! And yes, your Petunia is similar to my girls, only mine have black spots, so definitely not splash, but I think yours fits the description. Then again, I know nothing about rules and standards, all I know she's beautiful! Mine are white leghorn mixes with a roo that I never learned the breed of, but supposedly some old Italian breed.

And oops! I misinterpreted your post about the dad of baby chicks, the silkie roo - I thought he was yours, that's who I was referring to. I will post a better picture of Gandalf (my silkie roo) tomorrow, just realized I always have him surrounded by hens and not visible in most shots.

@MistyMountain - Thanks for the welcome! Yes lots of broodies... I think it's contagious. Just saw Bonnie this evening doing a broody talk and pose... I am going to have to break that one tomorrow if she doesn't rethink it, the broody apartment is at its full capacity!

Two weeks can fly by, your fluffy butts will be here soon enough too, and I'll provide distractions with mine in the meantime.


Oh! Just have to share this as it was too funny! Did you all notice the two mini dishes with feed in the twin broody nest? Well, I couldn't find them anywhere a few hours later... Until I checked under Rosita, that is! Lol! Apparently she's trying to hatch a bag of feed as well....


Well, off to bed for me! Talk soon!

 

[Teila]

Good morning Team Broody!

ItalyChickie, beautiful pictures! Cenere is gorgeous! She does love the camera

Lolz at the three-tailed chicken monster .. love their names.

I did notice the mini dishes in your picture, thought it was cute. Too funny that Rosita is trying to hatch them. How handy would it be if our girls could manufacture their own feed? lol

Thank you for your kind comments on my gals; yeah Tina and Blondie are sweeties. Looking forward to the bubby pictures!

TG the super sleuth! Well done; very excited for you. Can’t wait for you to bring her home and share her with us

Hey MM, good to hear that things are greening up at your place. To be honest, I cannot take all the credit for my green garden; our sub tropical location and fresh chicken manure probably has a lot more to do with it than I do
Nice, a road trip! I also have a week off very soon but very much looking forward to spending it at home; I reckon I will find a chicken related project to keep me amused

Liz, thinking of you

All quiet at Casa Del Chookie.
Cilla seems to have backed off a little from giving Tina a hard time. There now appears to be more Dusty feathers on the ground than there are on Dusty and Blondie and Tammy are as cute as ever. Still umming and aahhing over Tammy’s gender but optimistic.

Eggs? What are they? Been so long now I have forgotten what they look like! It is going to be interesting to see who breaks the drought; Cilla could be an option but I am thinking she may not cut the cord so soon this time around, especially as bubbies are roosting with her whereas the Silkies piled up for sleep-time and she roosted alone. Dusty, no idea when she will start laying again, too busy spreading bits of herself all over the garden. Tina may be in the running with her first egg. We shall see

This morning they had spaghetti Bolognese for breakfast … ghetti worms!

Left for work with a big smile on my face after watching everyone trying to steal each other’s ghetti worms; doesn’t matter that they have two dishes full “I want the one she has!”

Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to work I go! Depending on your time zone; sleep well, enjoy your afternoon etc

 

[16 paws]

Hello Team Broody!
Just getting caught up on all the posts here.
Welcome aboard ItalyChickie,
It was so nice to read your post and see your pictures. I have to admit I am a little jealous of where you live.

I have always dreamed of living there....
I work at Michael's in Vista Ca as a floral designer, I had a customer once who came in and told me she had chickens when she was living there in Italy. She said that they never locked up their girls, just let them free range all day long. She also said they did NOT have coyotes. Is that true? The one thing I don't like about having chickens here in Calif. is that we have so many predators after our chooks. In my backyard I have to fight off: bobcats, coyotes, hawks, opossums, and rattlesnakes, just to name a few!

Needless to say, unless you want to have many losses you must have supervised free range time.
Anyways, I am so glad you decided to chat with us! Looking forward to seeing your new little arrivals here shortly. I have a Jersey Giant named Penny sitting on 10 eggs right now also. I think we are on day 12 but to tell you the truth I cant remember for sure what day we started

Liz,
I am so so sorry to hear about your little Zorro. My heart aches for you! My thoughts and prayers are so much with you right now.

Marie

 

[chickencrazy999]

Heya Team Broody,
How are you all I haven't been on for ages so had to catch up on all the posts!
Welcome ItalyChickie
Milly and her two peeps are doing great they are all ready growing wing feathers they grow up soo fast!
So sorry to hear about Zorro, Liz

Hope everyone and every chicken/chicks are ok!
Take care
Ella

 

[lizgarf]

Hi team,
You are all too kind. Thank you for the good wishes. It's been a tough few days, but I've been so impressed with my sweet boy, Zorro. He had just been laying low, staying in one favorite spot for awhile, before slowly moving to another. Clearly wiped out and a bit confused, but calm. He meowed a few times over night, which was the first indicator of any suffering I had this whole time. I had a house-call appointment for 3 today, knowing it was time, but he passed on his own, just a short while ago. Zorro wasn't always such an easy cat, but he sure made his later years and his departure as easy for me as he could have. He even waited until I finished that stack of deadlines before indicating he was ill. I am so appreciative of him and our 19 years together.



On his 18th birthday:

 

[MistyMountain]

Some sunny day pictures for everyone while we wait for fluffy butt pics!! I was being chased throughout most of this.... Had to keep one eye on Willie as he was challenging me the whole time while dancing around so the girls wouldn't peck my bare toes!! I love how Chica's neck feathers glow like fire in the sun!!

 

[MistyMountain]

Oh Liz, i am so sorry! Sending lots of hugs. It is so hard to lose a pet, let alone one you have had for so long!! I am happy you were aBle to be there with him in his final moments. Thinking of you!

 

[16 paws]

Hi Liz,
I am so glad Zorro got to have you as a Mom for 19 years. Just from what I have read on this thread I know you are a great lover of all animals. Both you and Zorro were so blessed to have each other. I am so so sorry for your great loss.
Blessings......

Marie