Hatching with 2 broodies

[16 paws]

Thanks Teila,
By the way your chickens are so beautiful.

 

[16 paws]

ShelbyCoral,
I am not sure what you mean....What is an so?
Marie

 

[ItalyChickie]

Hello again

Tee hee 16 paws, I thought it was an appropriate cartoon.

Hello and welcome Farmer Viola
I agree with everyone else and would probably not go with more than 12. Good luck with your hatch; it is a wonderful thing to experience (if not sometimes a little stressful

)

Sorry IC, I may have read that wrong; I thought you were wondering because he was getting prettier but then I reread and realized you meant the white one

My turn to apologize for lots of pictures but we had a wonderful day in the garden and I so wanted to share it with you guys.

No worries, my caption was confusing! If anything, those pretty colors prove he is a boy (red on chest and neck feathers) - not that I need further proof with that crest/stance!

Still, it's a perfect 50% division if I am right on the two smaller white ones, 3 roos and 3 hens, so I guess I shouldn't complain.... I still want to complain though because I don't want to give them away! I'm sure you all can relate.

Apologize for lots of pictures??? You are kidding, right? I say there were too few!

Seriously though, Blondie is absolutely gorgeous, I could look at her pictures all day - so thank you on behalf of Blondie Fan Club! And those mother-daughter pics are priceless!!!! How did you get them to pose like that?

Also, I'm totally envious of your perfectly groomed garden.

I totally agree the disease was there to begin with. I am so sorry about your luck with girls from the fair also about your egg seller going to radio silence. Mine finally got in touch and other than the fact that she shipped them on a Saturday...Who does that??? All is well they are going to BYCer ronott1 who lives about an hour and 45 minutes from me. I will be able to pick them up when they hatch. Thanks for remembering and sympathizing with Gracie's last broody experience. Poor little thing but now she is doing great. I love watching them tuck the egs under themselves and settle themselves on top

Also I forgot to comment on the pic of all 13 babies with mama...AMAZING! I hope you have a frizzle...it sounds like you might!

Of course I remember Gracie's last broody experience, I was horrified that someone would let that happen! I am really really happy that she is now on her way to becoming a momma just like she wanted.

And yes, they are so sweet when the settle on those eggs!

Thanks for the compliments on my little family (though I guess 13 chicks is not all that little) - Bonnie is proving herself a wonderful mom, so glad I trusted her.

I don't really know what a baby frizzle looks like - some of the pics I have seen show more curling, but they're also usually older (these are 10 days), all I know is her feathering (I realize I keep saying "her"... I just have a feeling she is a girl, even though it's way too early) is quite different from the others, though it's not quite curly, just sticking out... maybe just to a lesser degree? I guess I'll just wait and see as those feathers grow!

I love your list of broodies, chicks and eggs - and the plans of who to keep!!!! I think my head would spin if I had to keep all of those straight, lol!

Your Cosmo and Stella are gorgeous! Cosmo looks a lot like one of my boys - at least I think it's a boy after the recent reddening of the comb... sigh... until then, the chick was looking just like a slightly darker version of Bonnie when she was little, so I had high hopes it was a girl.

And the new babies with mom pics are precious...

I just contacted the potential source for Aracauna eggs, but have decided that if I don't hear back by tomorrow, the broody twins are getting Cenere's and Pallina's eggs - have been saving those just in case for the last few days.

Glad your drama with the seller is resolved, even though those eggs don't get to go to your broodies.

thanks, that is so reassuring to know that it happens so rarely. I guess the good mother part comes in when they have to actually care for their chicks after hatch!


thank you so much! I did see your photos haha, I was actually counting the chicks to see how many she had! I counted 12 once and 13 once lol. what an awesome broody mother to have accepted them out of the incubator as well. in my mind feeling them hatch out under herself would be a huge part of realizing that Eggs now = Chicks, but what do I know. broodies are just amazing creatures!

okay, 12 it is. none were sticking out, and she has rounded out her nest and plucked her breast, so I think we're going for it. I went ahead and snuck the eggs in today, so I marked the calendar for June 29th. she was up off the nest taking a dirt bath so I just replaced them while she was away.

it's very reassuring to know that hens killing chicks is more rare than regular. sometimes those worst-case-scenarios get me all wound up/worried. but really, I should just let her do her thing. she knows way more about it than I do!

how long do hens usually keep chicks in their nest? I imagine just long enough to fully feather, then they can go back to the roost?

I have separated Bertha (my broody BCM) in her own nest which is a cat carrier pet taxi on the floor of the coop. It's larger than our nest boxes (which are milk crate cubes), and it's rectangle shaped so I have room to put food or water dishes in there if I need to, when the chicks are out. originally, she set in a nest that was up off the ground (stacked 2 milk crates high) and I didn't think that would be good for the chicks! so she was relocated.

each day so far (3 days) she has gotten up just once, taken a long extensive dirt bath (or multiple), ate a little, drank a little, bathed again, then went back to sit. she is up for a little while, maybe 20 or 30 minutes. I spot check the flock for mites and we haven't had any yet this year. I think since she's dirt bathing hopefully it won't be an issue...


Teila thank you, I am honestly SO EXCITED to have the opportunity to witness a hen raising chicks within my flock! it has been a long time coming. my first year, I had non broody production breeds, then no rooster so no fertiles. but this time everything is right and the weather is warm . it could not be more perfect!

lovely photos also, I love that mother and daughter shot!

tommysgirl wow you have so many broodies, who the heck needs an incubator?! that is truly awesome. the eggs from my friend are Mottled Javas. I set 6 of those, and 6 Blue Laced red Wyandottes. the wyandottes are from my hen, she's also 7 mos old like Bertha. her eggs are medium sized, not jumbo, so I hope the size will also help with the number. I have no doubt she can cover 12, since the ceramic eggs were bigger!
love the photos, especially the mama with her wings spread and the chicks with her. soon !!!

Lol, I'm always counting those chicks too, just in case! It usually goes like "3...4...5.. blacks... no wait, that's the same one from before!" - and start over.

It's next to impossible to get them all in one picture, but I did manage a couple of times.

My original plan was actually have some of them hatch under Bonnie and then give her the rest of them, but there was an eggcident and her eggs never made it to hatching... My fault, since I didn't move her, because the kindergarten area was still being used by my earlier hatch (7 weeks old now) - and I suspect others trying to lay in her nest was what caused the broken egg, which probably caused the rest of them to be contaminated...

I was definitely worried transferring them from bator to Bonnie, and was watching them like a hawk for most of the day, but beyond her amazement at never-ending chicks (I brought them 2-3 at a time), all went smoothly.

I don't really know how long a hen that's in the coop with the rest of the grown ones would stay on the nest, because I separate mine in a fenced kindergarten area... not because I worry about the other chickens, but because mine free range all day long, and I have 3 big dogs, 1 cat, neighbor's cats that can get in, etc... none of them touch the grown chickens, but can't take that risk with fluff balls. So, in my case, the broody gets a little private apartment with a big private yard, just for her and the babies - and they are generally off the nest and scratching outside within 24 hours after everyone has hatched and dried off.

As far as when the broody goes back to sleeping on the roost as opposed to sleeping with the chicks, it really depends on the broody, and the situation. My previous hatch, I had two broodies co-parenting - one is back to laying and with the grown flock since they were about 5 weeks and mostly feathered, the other is still mothering them, even though they're almost as big as she is.

A similar experience last year, different hatches/broodies - one was with chicks for about 5 weeks, the other past 2 months.

Mine always get up to dust bathe too - somewhat longer breaks in the summer when it's very hot, like right now, about 40 minutes - and I've never had issues with mites or other crawly creatures.

By the way, the fact that it's warm will also help with her covering the chicks if all 12 hatch. I noticed that Bonnie only kept them all under the first couple of days, now they sleep partially covered, and some even insist on settling in next to her rather than under a wing - it has been VERY hot here though, 40+ Celsius=105ish F. In any case, they don't need as much heat from the mom in the summer, which makes it easier.

It sounds like you have everything under control, but if any questions come up, happy to help! Can't wait to see those babies, marking my calendar too (since I plan to give my two remaining broodies eggs in a day or two, your chicks will be a welcome distraction in my few last days waiting for those to hatch).

Another question for anyone who knows.....I know I am annoying with so many questions huh? Sorry....
I am on day 3 of ff. After I stirred it up a bit I noticed it was bubbling a little. Is that normal and or ok? I put it in a large igloo cooler in my garage with the lid cracked so no explosions.
Marie

Not at all annoying!

I love being able to help when I can - though I can only confirm Teila's answer in this case. It's supposed to bubble, that is proof of fermentation taking place. I believe the actual timing depends on the temperatures and other factors, but generally when it starts bubbling, it's ready.

If it makes anyone feel better I got 3 eggs today from 13.5 hens...the heat gets to them...the winners in the neither sleet nor snow nor dead of night contest are Blanche...CA Grey Buckbeak.....Australorp and a tiny first post broody egg from Julie ... sizzle.

Same here, or almost - 4 eggs yesterday... the heat wave is just starting though! (But yeah, Teila, you still get the egg drought record, lol.)

ShelbyCoral,
I am not sure what you mean....What is an so?
Marie

x2... wish I could help, but really don't understand what you are trying to say...?

 

[ShelbyCoral]

SOS I meant

 

[Lesa Mae]

Hello everyone!! It's been afew weeks since I've been able to touch base I've been really busy with he beginning of summer and all the gardening, finally all caught up and I've managed to catch up on everyone's posts.

SC what came of your twin egg ??? Hope that worked out well :/

As for an update on my girls, I had reported the case of the vanishing chick (it has never been found! A real mystery)

My other 2 broodies have decided they are going to try this mommy thing again they have gone broody together and are sharing a nest with 8 eggs so I guess I will leave them hatch these, maybe they will break their broody after they get to raise some babies!!!

Momma and her babies are doing great they are growing so fast they look like chickens now no more fuzzy butts ( I am secretly looking forward to some little fuzziness again!!)
Here is yet again a blurry pic of momma and her teenagers

 

[ShelbyCoral]

Cute! That's one proud mama and proud babies!

 

[holm25]

Cute! That's one proud mama and proud babies!

x2

 

[wlyouth05]

i have 2bantams taking turns sittting on eggs. one went broody on a fake egg so i gave her some to set on. now whenever she gets up to eqt and do her business her sister jumps on and sets till she is done. this is the first tine i have had any go broody. is this normal

 

[Pooman]

Wow oh wow the mega broody thread

Guess what, i havent read it all. Hope your all well. And the chickens are being nice.

My flock has grown out to 24 currently. Hens raised last year are laying now which is great, the girls from last year have all stopped laying so not sure what to do it been couple of months now so hopefully they get back into it soon. Out of 5 hens and a roo in one flock only getting 1 egg a day.... Sometimes none.

The disaster i had last year with one of my hatches resulted in Crow and Stripey, Crow looks more like a crow than a Plymouth Rock so not sure whats going on there and Stripey is a beautiful friendly young boy. So I can make more Plymouths with Wilma... Awesome

The big news is the new import, a 2 year old Indian Game (Cornish) rooster. For those that havent seen or handled one of these bad boys they are the prize fighter of the chicken world. Super muscly, super thick legs, wide stance, just a tank. So he will be going with some mature hens when some suitable ones start laying again.

Oh other fun news, 48 egg incubator is fired up for its test run, we have 7 eggs from Betty and Rocky. Betty is a Bantam black Australorp and rocky is the Roo in my avatar, buff cuckoo orpington. So, we are potentially going to be able,to do weekly incubations because we can use the old small one for hatching while the big one keeps a constant temp and keeps turning. I'm going to build a brooder with a much larger area soon to accommodate many more chicks... Crazy i know lol

Ill do some catching up

 

[Pooman]

i have 2bantams taking turns sittting on eggs. one went broody on a fake egg so i gave her some to set on. now whenever she gets up to eqt and do her business her sister jumps on and sets till she is done. this is the first tine i have had any go broody. is this normal

Yeah ive heard of that. Teila has had that happen for sure. Just make sure that other eggs CAN NOT be laid into that nest, or stolen and bought into the nest, they wont hatch out at the same time and might jeopardise the good ones.