How many broodies do we have... 23 and counting!

[matthewschickens]

I think mine quit.. She goes in in the afternoon but is out playing all morning... Oh well...

 

[zazouse]

The most i have had this year at one time is 32, i have 7 that i know of at this time,there may be more in the horse barn.

 

[CMV]

I have a chronically broody hen. She has been broody for years. It's been a source of great dismay as I have never had any roosters. I have a rooster now, so I plan to finally let her sit on some eggs next spring. That's not particularly helpful to her broody state at the moment, but it's the best I can do.

And then I also have a broody goose, which is a much more challenging situation. My normally even tempered Frenchy has turned into a raving lunatic. She is going nuts every time anyone even approaches the pen. It has made egg collection... interesting.

 

[Southernbelle]

I love broodies! I have 2 raising chicks right now: a Frizzled Standard hen and a Welsummer hen.

This year I had about 8 broodies.

My husband hates when I incubate eggs in the house and raise chicks in the house, so I decided to cultivate a broody flock. I bought hatching eggs this spring: Silkies, Cochins, Silkie/Cochin crosses, Showgirls and I hatched more of my own Seramas and OEGB/Serama mixes. Starting next year, I shall have a Broody Bonanza.

 

[lauralou]

My SIX broody hens are currently not broody. They drove me nuts in the horrible, deadly heat we had this summer. I wouldn't have dared to let them brood, for fear that the heat would kill them. Now the weather is so nice and cool, and I like to have chicks maturing over the winter. And nobody is cooperating. Oh well...

 

[Bantimna]

Does it count if my "neighbors" broodie Cricket which I take care off is in broody behavior?

 

[Chickenaddict]

I had 5 but am now down to 2 sittting on air of course. Grace my frizzle went broody and within a day her sister couldn't bare flock life without her so she joined her in the nest. They will not be hatching anything til spring but I think they missed that memo....

Yesterday while finishing the insulation in the roof of the new coop my DH said "hey honey?, The cat is acting very strange" I went into the coop and there was the cat sitting on the egg my Bantam ee had just laid....

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
OMG me too! My husband doesn't like the heat lamp, he says we should let the chickens do it naturally. So, I'm doing what I can to have broodies!



I have 1 at the moment, she's raising her chicks. She's a pure Ameraucana.

 

[Southernbelle]

Quote:
OMG me too! My husband doesn't like the heat lamp, he says we should let the chickens do it naturally. So, I'm doing what I can to have broodies!



I have 1 at the moment, she's raising her chicks. She's a pure Ameraucana.

http://i822.photobucket.com/albums/zz145/new2chooks/SDC10772.jpg

I've noticed that chicks that were raised by a broody hen are more likely to go broody themselves, so save a few pullet chicks and you'll have a broody flock in no time!

As I was amassing all these bantam chicks for my future broody flock, I had a bunch of standard chickens go broody. (I've never had a standard go broody before, but these were raised by broodies) I think I may have over-cultivated broodiness in my birds!

I love hatching with a broody - I don't have to worry about temp spikes, humidity levels or what to do when the power goes out. After they're born, I have no incubator to clean and no heat lamp to mess with. The chicks are so content under a broody - none of that constant pitiful chirping looking for mama. She takes care of showing them how to eat and drink and I get to raise chicks year-round far away from my husband. (Since he never goes down to the barn, he never knows how many chicks I've hatched!)

The down side is the chicks tend to be more skittish of people since they were raised by a chicken, but I don't mind that; they get friendlier as they get older.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
OMG me too! My husband doesn't like the heat lamp, he says we should let the chickens do it naturally. So, I'm doing what I can to have broodies!



I have 1 at the moment, she's raising her chicks. She's a pure Ameraucana.

http://i822.photobucket.com/albums/zz145/new2chooks/SDC10772.jpg

I've noticed that chicks that were raised by a broody hen are more likely to go broody themselves, so save a few pullet chicks and you'll have a broody flock in no time!

As I was amassing all these bantam chicks for my future broody flock, I had a bunch of standard chickens go broody. (I've never had a standard go broody before, but these were raised by broodies) I think I may have over-cultivated broodiness in my birds!

I love hatching with a broody - I don't have to worry about temp spikes, humidity levels or what to do when the power goes out. After they're born, I have no incubator to clean and no heat lamp to mess with. The chicks are so content under a broody - none of that constant pitiful chirping looking for mama. She takes care of showing them how to eat and drink and I get to raise chicks year-round far away from my husband. (Since he never goes down to the barn, he never knows how many chicks I've hatched!)

The down side is the chicks tend to be more skittish of people since they were raised by a chicken, but I don't mind that; they get friendlier as they get older.

I too have noticed how content and happy the chicks are with a momma hen! She is my first broody, so I was amazed by the experience. She had a 100% hatch rate too! And she's a great mommy.

I don't mind that they aren't "lap" chickens. They'll come around when they are older. Even brooder babies go through the "don't kill me" stage.