I have a Broody RIR!!!!! Update pics pg3 & pg5

[goldnchocolate]

I'm glad I found this thread

.

I have a 1 yr old RIR that has gone broody

and I put 6 of the best eggs, that I collected last night, under her. This is the first time that I have had fertile eggs AND a broody hen at the same time

At first she was just setting on some fake eggs and would peck the heck out of my hand when I checked to see if she had any other eggs under there. I want to move her to a better place, before she gets too settled, since she is setting in the "favorite nest" (a dog crate) of all the hens.

How did you get that watermelon box? I've seen them in the grocery stores but they always have watermelons in them.

 

[needtohatch]

Quote:
Just ask someone in the produce dept if they have an empty one or if they will save you one. I have found it is better to check at your little town stores than the big Walmart types. The little ones seem more friendly and willing to work with you. Mine got a big kick out of why I wanted them

Also since mine was going on the dirt floor of our barn I asked them for a pallet to set it on and they were happy to give me that too. Just to warn you though, if they give you the pallet that the box comes on it is HEAVY! They are extra sturdy to handle the weight of the mellons, potatoes etc that come in it. I have never had a pallet so heavy and I have used many up in MI (when we lived there) to stack fire wood on. Good luck with your broody!

 

[needtohatch]

I am so happy to hear from all of you that had broody hen(s) who were sweet with you and kept their chicks safe. It makes me feel so much better!
Thank you!

 

[needtohatch]

Quote:
We have had ours since she was a day old and my DD has always caried her and the others around. We have a pic of her holding 3 of them when they were around 2 months old! She still catches them and holds them and carries them around. Our neibors are just amazed that she can catch them so easy. She tries to do the same with all the chicks we have, but with well over 50 now there are just too many for her to hold them all!

 

[needtohatch]

Here she is with her babies! She ended up with 10 out of 13. She had 2 that pipped but died before zipping and 1 that quite around day 15 (I think). I ended up hatching one out in the bator after she quit sitting. I am glad she does not mind me holding her chicks, it made it easier to add in the one I hatched! I just picked up 2 other chicks then put all 3 back in at the same time. She did not even seem to notice the extra. I would have waited till night, but I had to hatch it in my bator that has duck eggs due in about 9 days and the poor thing was panting so bad that I had to get it out. I am still a little worried about the her not protecting them, but for the most part the rest of the flock does not even pay any attention to them. A few have given the chicks a little peck and sent them running back to mom but that is it. I guess time will tell.

 

[77horses]

congrats and cute pics!

 

[dancingbear]

Congrats on a beautiful hatch!

I run new moms and chicks with the rest of the flock sometimes, I just don't have the space to always separate them. 99% of the time, they're fine.

 

[needtohatch]

Well I moved 9 of my young roos (about 2 months old) out of the brooding room into the barn today to help distract the flock. I have so many extra roos that even if I lose one or two the freezer will still be full!

Also I just went back out to check on everyone and my chicken herding dog (shepherd/lab/healer/???? mix) was just laying in front of mom and babies. He looked so protective! I wish I had taken the camera with me.

He is too funny with the adults because he thinks (most of the time) that they should stay down by the barn and he will round them up and herd them home. I have seen him run over them, have tail feathers in his mouth (as the chicken is flying though the air) but he never hurts them. He gets after the neighbor dog if it even looks funny at the chickens!

So mom and babies should be just fine with him looking after them.

 

[setter4]

Quote:
I'll report in on this....I have no roosters but I do have a buff orpington who has decided she needs to hatch eggs. lol
I will put her in a crate tomorrow....

 

[needtohatch]

Here is Buster watching every move his new charges make.