I think I have a broody!

[ackie]

Hooray you are SO lucky that is my dream! how many chicks?

13!

 

[ackie]

Submitted this one. Slightly better composition imo.

 

[FlightyChicken]

Wait, did she hatch chicks without you knowing?

 

[ackie]

Wait, did she hatch chicks without you knowing?

Yes. I dont keep very good track of my chickens.

 

[FlightyChicken]

Yes. I dont keep very good track of my chickens.

What breed do you think they are?

 

[ackie]

What breed do you think they are?

The short answer is barnyard mix.

The longer explanation of my flock is:
My big alpha rooster is half American game and half Orpington. My two main ladies are American game as well; one might have another type of game in her (I've got a thread up debating their genetics). This hen is not one of those two (so presumably is one of their offspring) and honestly she looks kinda small? But I'm like 99% sure the bantam I had never incubated her own eggs. So probably Game/Orpington mix.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Ohh so sweet!

 

[BDutch]

My experience is that you need to learn the chickens what is ‘home’ if they make nests outside where you don’t want them.

If you want the chickens to come home , nest in the coop and lay eggs in the coop, you better make a big coop and run (if you don’t have) and keep them confined for a few weeks.

After that you can let them free range again. But ... Every time a chicken is not returning at dusk or is laying an egg outside , you need to keep her locked in for a few days.

This worked for me anyway.

 

[ackie]

Daytime pics.

 

[ackie]

My experience is that you need to learn the chickens what is ‘home’ if they make nests outside where you don’t want them.

If you want the chickens to come home , nest in the coop and lay eggs in the coop, you better make a big coop and run (if you don’t have) and keep them confined for a few weeks.

After that you can let them free range again. But ... Every time a chicken is not returning at dusk or is laying an egg outside , you need to keep her locked in for a few days.

This worked for me anyway.

It's not a huge deal. The pullets sleep in the coop at night and I suspect theyd lay there too but they're not laying yet (pale combs). I know give or take where everyone sleeps at night and vaguely inventory the ones that stand out in looks (like I'd notice if my three white chickens weren't in the coop at night) but a brown hen... lol I have no idea how many of those I have. It's okay because once these pullets are laying, I'll be drowning in eggs haha.

I also have 5 hens locked in a pen/run (their roo cant be free range because he'll fight the other roos) and they just started laying for me!