Illinois...

[Pixie]

Would you be having any extra juvenile roosters?

Sorry, no. All my A's are hens.

I did have a boatload of Barred Rock cockerels back in December, but they have since attended freezer camp.

 

[Junibutt]

No Blk Australorps here, but I tried to get some this year. I was looking for an egg laying machine to pick up the slack for my orpingtons. I like the way BAs look, but settled for RIR & Isa-brown. Hope one of them will do well in my mixed flock.

Just curious, are your BAs affectionate & docile? I hear so many mixed reviews. I had one a few years ago who never came when called. Whenever she was given lap time, she pooped on us! (Most chickens stand or fidget to let you know they need to go back. No warning, then poop!) Her nickname became "Poopie Poo" & soon no one remembered her name was supposed to be Licorice. She was kind of skittish like our Leghorn mix and disliked being picked up. She laid well. However since I label our eggs with the date & hen's name, no one wanted to eat Poopie Poo eggs. Abbreviation "PP" didn't help much! We ended up rehoming her because we have limited coop space. She wasn't bad, but her personality wasn't a good fit. (We're used to chickens who come running & flapping when called & also fly into our laps as soon as we sit down.) She also became a little bossy & terrorized the new flock members. I'm not sure if she was unusual or if BAs are a more dominant breed.

How about RIR & Isa-Browns? Does anyone have experience with them?

I have only had 2 and both very gentle. One was raised by me since she was 13 weeks and was still very friendly and she made friends with our not so friendly girls pretty soon. The second one was purchased at 17 weeks and she just did not integrate. I finally gave her away when she almost became bald by all the beatings she got. Oh bonus points, The one I still have went broody 4 times in her first year of laying, however its been 10 months now and she has not gone broody.

ISA Browns are very friendly to humans and the chicks they are raised with. They just do not like new-comers and are very vicious to them. However, since they will be the young ones in your flock, they should integrate well. Also since you do not bring adult birds in, they will probably be ok with young chicks growing up with them. Hatchery brand RIR are also very similar in behavior to ISA-Browns just a little less vicious.

 

[Junibutt]

Yes I have roughly 24 right now...

Great! I know where to look for when I need some for my chocolate australorp project. Are yours hatchery or heritage?

 

[Pixie]

Just discovered that one of my hens has gone broody. I was wondering if I should let her hatch some out. I never have done it before and I know our gimpy rooster Randy has been mildly successful with the ladies.

She is in the best/worst nest in the whole barn. All the other hens LOVE that particular nest the best and they fight to get in. The bad part is, that it is one that is not inside the coop (where I can lock her up at night).

I tried to move her to another nesting box in the coop 2 nights in a row, and every morning she books it to the other nest.

I am open for all suggestions.

 

[rfreedlund]

Just discovered that one of my hens has gone broody. I was wondering if I should let her hatch some out. I never have done it before and I know our gimpy rooster Randy has been mildly successful with the ladies.

She is in the best/worst nest in the whole barn. All the other hens LOVE that particular nest the best and they fight to get in. The bad part is, that it is one that is not inside the coop (where I can lock her up at night).

I tried to move her to another nesting box in the coop 2 nights in a row, and every morning she books it to the other nest.

I am open for all suggestions.

You need to separate her from the rest. I set up a Dogloo that I got from my cousin that their dog outgrew (dog house in the shape of an igloo). I have it outside in the run, but protected from the wind and with a wire mesh in front to keep her in and other things out. Make sure she has feed and water. Move her at night (I use milk crates) and give her some non-fertile eggs or golf balls for a day or two to see if she is intent on sitting. If she is, go out at night again and replace whatever she is sitting on with some fertile eggs.

This has worked great for me on a number of occasions. After a few days after hatching I just let her out and she takes care of them!! Even the most calm hen will be a fury when it comes to protecting her chicks from the others. Plus, the chicks grow up knowing they are chickens and don't look to some heat lamp as mom.

But... you need to separate her somehow for the process. That is the key.

 

[rfreedlund]

Here are some pictures (taken just now) that show my setup explained previously for separating a broody. This girl has been sitting faithfully for just under two weeks on these eggs. Just about a week more to go.I have had really good success separating them like this.






Excuse the broody poop. I need to get that cleaned out, but it shows she isn't doing it on the eggs!

 

[jerryse]

Legbar chicks . A white sport .
I see white eyeliner . A pullet I hope .
I sold my original rooster and replaced him with a cockerel . I was hoping to get a white . So now I know the cockerel and 1 hen are carriers of white .

 

[MeepBeep]

I sold my original rooster and replaced him with a cockerel . I was hoping to get a white . So now I know the cockerel and 1 hen are carriers of white .

Nice, I'm still waiting for my white sport pullet to start laying, as soon as she does I will start breeding her for more white sports, as I have 4 roosters that are potentially white carriers, if not I will line breed her back to her offspring come fall, or I might pick up a white male before then if one finds it's way to me...

 

[Junibutt]

Legbar chicks . A white sport .
I see white eyeliner . A pullet I hope .
I sold my original rooster and replaced him with a cockerel . I was hoping to get a white . So now I know the cockerel and 1 hen are carriers of white .

Yay! you got the white you wanted. And yes, she looks like a pullet to me especially with the well defined V on her head.

 

[FreshFarmEggs]

Great! I know where to look for when I need some for my chocolate australorp project. Are yours hatchery or heritage?

Mostly hatchery and those are used for table eggs... Have several really nice hens and will be breeding again late summer I think. In the process of revamping some pens for pairs..