Hatching with 2 broodies

[16 paws]

Thanks! I am pretty pumped about the school house to say the least. Little maran is doing better. She has got some serious feather feet going on!! I have a new favorite in the group. The little cuckoo maran with smaller feather feet. I named her Callie (and the other Sally). She jumps up on my shoulder when I clean out the brooder. So sweet! I am so torn with the gang. It will be much more peaceful when they find a new home, but I feel obligated to keep them until they are feathered out. I am so afraid someone will want them and not do their homework about heat and food for babies!! Pics soon. Thank you so much for sharing yours! I can only hope my Anna is as beautiful as Cenere!
Really quite the opposite! I have Lilly, a spaniel mix from the pound that has submissive issues and a chicken killing criminal record!!! She is limited to 1/2 acre around the house with her wireless collar. We have worked with her and she is no longer a threat to the hens. Just recently she has found that mean Willie is fun to pester. She messes with him, he flogs her. Funny to watch, but she needs to be called down sometimes. Her chicken accident was really a mix of owner error and an unfortunate coincidence. I don't mind her chasing Willie a bit to keep the chickens away from the house and cars. Her submissive nature makes her a good watch dog as well. She will bark at anything odd or new. Not the obsessive bark, but lets us know something is happening so we can call her off and check it out. For that, I have no doubt that if other dogs or a hawk were to visit she would alert me. I work from home, so outside of taking the boys where they need to go, I am here 24/7. I am learning, though. Hawks migrate in December/January here, and the trees are bare. The chickens will be confined to the coop and run for those months. I lost one on Christmas day last year. Considering I free range every day, I think I am pretty lucky. I am taking a huge chance, but I know the chickens are happier this way.

Taffy and Freckles are ADORABLE together!!

Count chickens… yikes. Someone asked me how many I had last weekend… and my response was an unsure "I don't know?" Let's see. 15 hens and one rooster in my mature flock (which, today marks the first day that I have collected an egg for each hen!!!

) And now 9 rowdy cockerels that will be evicted soon (hopefully) and 8 pullets +1 EE Cockerel to replace Willie equals what? 34? Goodness, that's scary!

I know,Lol, I scared myself when I counted all mine. I was just going to start with 3 and look what happened!

I think I need to find a way to get rid of the bobcat that is a major threat on my flock! It has taken at least 5, I full size and the rest bantams he pulled thru the chain link fence. I think I will work on getting the fence electrified. That may slow him or her down.

The school house is going to be fantastic!
Cant wait to see it finished....

Marie

 

[randerson846]

turns out, the isa brown was broody, I went out to her this morning and she was sitting on them all but one which she must of chucked out I wasn't sure if she's be able to brood that many anyway, I just have then to her so when I went to get it, she gave me one of those broody growls ahah so I just grabbed it, and felt one of the eggs it was warm, so hopefully she'll stay excited

 

[ItalyChickie]

Turns out I might have a broody, I went out to collect the eggs in earlier about 6, and the hen was sitting on them, i lifted her to see how many there was I thought she was laying so I left her, I came back at 8 and she was still sitting on them, so I came at 9 and she was sitting on them, so I lifted her and put her in a separate smaller coop, and put the eggs in with her, and put some food and water near her, so I'll see tomorrow if she is still sitting on them (there is nine btw) she is an isa brown hen I hear they aren't good mothers or they don't sit, any ideas

Congratulations! Perfect timing, too - maybe she can raise the ones in the incubator now for you!

I am most certainly not an expert, but in my experience and talking to some others, there are exceptions in all non-broody breeds. A neighbor has a Red Star that is an excellent mom, for example, I have half-Leghorns that are super-broody (granted, dad may have played a role there). In any case, I say wait and see, if she is still on those eggs in a few days, I bet she will make a good mom.

Guess who is broody now?
My two little cochins, Taffy and Freckles. I guess they are co-brooding because they are sharing the eggs. I dont think they have very many under them and thats good because I really dont need any more chickens right now!
Maybe we should all list how many we have?
I will start,
I have 27 chickens now and 2 are setting on eggs.
Anyone else care to chime in with a count?
Marie

They are so cute!

Hopefully they don't swap eggs too much like mine did.

So, chicken count... I also have to think about that one... let's see - 14 hens, 2 roos, and 6 babies with more to come soon! So at the moment, a grand total of 22, but that number could double in less than a month. Yikes, chicken math!

Thanks! I am pretty pumped about the school house to say the least. Little maran is doing better. She has got some serious feather feet going on!! I have a new favorite in the group. The little cuckoo maran with smaller feather feet. I named her Callie (and the other Sally). She jumps up on my shoulder when I clean out the brooder. So sweet! I am so torn with the gang. It will be much more peaceful when they find a new home, but I feel obligated to keep them until they are feathered out. I am so afraid someone will want them and not do their homework about heat and food for babies!! Pics soon. Thank you so much for sharing yours! I can only hope my Anna is as beautiful as Cenere!
Really quite the opposite! I have Lilly, a spaniel mix from the pound that has submissive issues and a chicken killing criminal record!!! She is limited to 1/2 acre around the house with her wireless collar. We have worked with her and she is no longer a threat to the hens. Just recently she has found that mean Willie is fun to pester. She messes with him, he flogs her. Funny to watch, but she needs to be called down sometimes. Her chicken accident was really a mix of owner error and an unfortunate coincidence. I don't mind her chasing Willie a bit to keep the chickens away from the house and cars. Her submissive nature makes her a good watch dog as well. She will bark at anything odd or new. Not the obsessive bark, but lets us know something is happening so we can call her off and check it out. For that, I have no doubt that if other dogs or a hawk were to visit she would alert me. I work from home, so outside of taking the boys where they need to go, I am here 24/7. I am learning, though. Hawks migrate in December/January here, and the trees are bare. The chickens will be confined to the coop and run for those months. I lost one on Christmas day last year. Considering I free range every day, I think I am pretty lucky. I am taking a huge chance, but I know the chickens are happier this way.

Taffy and Freckles are ADORABLE together!!

Count chickens… yikes. Someone asked me how many I had last weekend… and my response was an unsure "I don't know?" Let's see. 15 hens and one rooster in my mature flock (which, today marks the first day that I have collected an egg for each hen!!!

) And now 9 rowdy cockerels that will be evicted soon (hopefully) and 8 pullets +1 EE Cockerel to replace Willie equals what? 34? Goodness, that's scary!

Oh, I am sure your Anna will be as beautiful as Cenere! It's so fun watching them grow... Glad to hear the little marans is doing better!

Mine free range all day too. I do have 3 big dogs which very likely means predators are not coming anywhere near my property... they and the chickens mostly ignore each other, except for twin broodies one of which has actually tried to beat up a dog when he got too close. Luckily it was my friendliest, the Lab mix, who gets along with all other races including but not limited to baby kittens and lizards...

(he just shrugged and walked away)

Everybody free ranges over here though, so it could be simply that we don't have those kinds of predators.


I have confirmation for eggs pickup on Thursday, so the bator gets fired up Friday... SO eggcited!!!

 

[randerson846]

Thanks nav I sorta thought that to but if I get 24 chicks, plus the one that she hatches would she be able to look after that many and I think she went broody last year but I didn't have any eggs so I just lifted her out each time and she went of so hopefully she'll stay

 

[ItalyChickie]

Again, not an expert of any sort, but in case it's of any help - I am in a similar situation with Bonnie, who is a last year's hatch and has never been broody before - but she is currently sitting, has been for over a week... I hope that she stays, and I plan to put in 20+ eggs in the incubator on Friday... here's my plan:

-give Bonnie a few eggs of her own (instead of the golf ball she is currently trying to hatch, lol) at the same time - I think she is more likely to stay after they start developing, or at least I think they feel it

-set up a brooder with the heat lamp next door to Bonnie's "apartment" (not sure if you have seen my setup, it's basically 3 separate enclosures next to each other, I can repost the photo if you want

-provided Bonnie stays (not much to do there but hope and pray), do a test with a couple of bator chickies first - if all works out, bring in the rest of them

-if she takes them on but can't cover them, remove the "wall" between "apartments" - it would basically become double the space, and chickies could warm up under the heat lamp if needed, or move away from it if not cold... it's getting very warm here, so this would only be needed for a very short time initially, and then only at night for a few weeks

-if she doesn't take them on, go with plan B and keep them separate (though still next door) - watch like a hawk the first couple of days (should be the weekend) and, if she is mean to the bator chicks, separate the outdoor area as well. I really doubt it will come to this though, she has a sweet chickenality, even while broody (i.e. she doesn't try to take off my hand when I lift her/bring her food, etc.)

I don't know what your setup is, but hopefully my plan sparks some ideas for you as well... I do advise to be ready with a brooder all set up just in case, because yeah, that is a lot of chicks.

 

[tommysgirl]

Hi Team Broody...

I just got home from work and am catching up on all the posts.

Teila,
That sounds so cute about Tina hunting for Lulu. I love watching things like that.

That compost bin has served you well. I have one that you spin in addition to my trash can but I dont like it. How does it ever get done if you keep adding things to it? I dont get it.

Italy Chickie,
The pictures are so cute of everyone. Cant wait for you to fire up the bator!

Misty Mountain,
Love the start of your coop. I am jealous you get to free range all day. Do you have a large dog that protects them?

Randerson846,
Sorry I cant help you about the Isa Hen, I havent even heard of them before.

Well, here is the latest here,

Guess who is broody now?
My two little cochins, Taffy and Freckles. I guess they are co-brooding because they are sharing the eggs. I dont think they have very many under them and thats good because I really dont need any more chickens right now!
Maybe we should all list how many we have?
I will start,
I have 27 chickens now and 2 are setting on eggs.
Anyone else care to chime in with a count?
Marie

Here are a couple pictures of the broodies. Taffy and Freckles.

Thanks! I am pretty pumped about the school house to say the least. Little maran is doing better. She has got some serious feather feet going on!! I have a new favorite in the group. The little cuckoo maran with smaller feather feet. I named her Callie (and the other Sally). She jumps up on my shoulder when I clean out the brooder. So sweet! I am so torn with the gang. It will be much more peaceful when they find a new home, but I feel obligated to keep them until they are feathered out. I am so afraid someone will want them and not do their homework about heat and food for babies!! Pics soon. Thank you so much for sharing yours! I can only hope my Anna is as beautiful as Cenere!
Really quite the opposite! I have Lilly, a spaniel mix from the pound that has submissive issues and a chicken killing criminal record!!! She is limited to 1/2 acre around the house with her wireless collar. We have worked with her and she is no longer a threat to the hens. Just recently she has found that mean Willie is fun to pester. She messes with him, he flogs her. Funny to watch, but she needs to be called down sometimes. Her chicken accident was really a mix of owner error and an unfortunate coincidence. I don't mind her chasing Willie a bit to keep the chickens away from the house and cars. Her submissive nature makes her a good watch dog as well. She will bark at anything odd or new. Not the obsessive bark, but lets us know something is happening so we can call her off and check it out. For that, I have no doubt that if other dogs or a hawk were to visit she would alert me. I work from home, so outside of taking the boys where they need to go, I am here 24/7. I am learning, though. Hawks migrate in December/January here, and the trees are bare. The chickens will be confined to the coop and run for those months. I lost one on Christmas day last year. Considering I free range every day, I think I am pretty lucky. I am taking a huge chance, but I know the chickens are happier this way.

Taffy and Freckles are ADORABLE together!!

Count chickens… yikes. Someone asked me how many I had last weekend… and my response was an unsure "I don't know?" Let's see. 15 hens and one rooster in my mature flock (which, today marks the first day that I have collected an egg for each hen!!!

) And now 9 rowdy cockerels that will be evicted soon (hopefully) and 8 pullets +1 EE Cockerel to replace Willie equals what? 34? Goodness, that's scary!

I want to reply to all of this but don't have time except to say. You guys are not passing chicken math class. chicks and roosters don't count at all. Bantam pullets and hens are only half a chicken but using your methods I have:

19 pullets/hens 3 Roosters 15 chicks and 9 eggs on day 17 what is that 37 out of the egg?

It looks have found homes for all of my LF sex link chicks. I am keeping one pullet. As well as all of the Bantam babies. I am keeping one gold and one silver.

I was going to keep several of the LF but turns out there is a demand so I guess I will just hope for another broody to make more.

I have had a half dozen eggs from Gracie Belle so far...bout time for her to start sitting don't you think?

 

[ItalyChickie]

You guys are not passing chicken math class. chicks and roosters don't count at all. Bantam pullets and hens are only half a chicken but using your methods I have:

Oh that is too funny!!! Okay, according to correct rules of chicken counting, I only have 12.5 chickens. (11 hens, 3 bantam hens - the rest don't count.) Do I pass chicken math now?

Also, I obviously need more, 12.5 is not nearly enough!

 

[chicky68]

This is the only site I am using. It is the BEST!

 

[chicky68]

How high should my fence be? Yesterday my hen got over it somehow. Its pretty high.

 

[randerson846]

Here is my broody hen