Illinois...

[Faraday40]

Since we had a little sun this afternoon, I let Smudge & chicks have a little grass time. Here she is with the weekend hatch + a few 3wk olds thrown in. I really take advantage of the fact that hens can't count! LOL

Smudge is wearing a stylish hen apron b/c the roos caused some baldness. I'm glad I left it on her b/c now she needs it for poop protection. What poor moms everywhere do for their children!

 

[bellaisa]

I've done both the cold baths & the broody-breaking cage. The bath is a quick fix for a mild broody. The cage usually works in time but may take 4-8 days. Just keep her in there on the wire floor open to air (with food & water of course). If the weather is hot, it can take longer.

However, others with more experience may have better advice. I've got an outbreak of broody-fever going on here! I may not be the best to answer your question.
Cookie - just left her chicks on Sunday (because they were 8 wks & I sold them )
Smudge - hatched chicks this weekend & also adopted all the chicks from the incubator
PR - went broody for the 1st time, so after a week of kicking her off the nest, I let her have a few eggs as a trial.
Xansie - let her chicks go, laid eggs for 2 weeks & is now broody AGAIN! (She's a small silkie, so I just put her in the same nest with PR. They can share the eggs & chicks!)

* By the time the eggs hatch, I bet Cookie will be broody again

Trouble (my Sebright) - doesn't want to feel left out, so she's been squawking, puffy, and trying to steal eggs. As soon as a hen lays an egg, Trouble hops on top! If she stays broody, I may let her join PR & Xansie in raising their chicks or really confuse her & give her a turkey egg. Note: Sebrights are not supposed to be a broody breed. Trouble can't read, so she doesn't know that fact.

I wish I could give her eggs to hatch but until I get a 2nd coop there is no room.

 

[Molpet]

I've done both the cold baths & the broody-breaking cage. The bath is a quick fix for a mild broody. The cage usually works in time but may take 4-8 days. Just keep her in there on the wire floor open to air (with food & water of course). If the weather is hot, it can take longer.

However, others with more experience may have better advice. I've got an outbreak of broody-fever going on here! I may not be the best to answer your question.
Cookie - just left her chicks on Sunday (because they were 8 wks & I sold them )
Smudge - hatched chicks this weekend & also adopted all the chicks from the incubator
PR - went broody for the 1st time, so after a week of kicking her off the nest, I let her have a few eggs as a trial.
Xansie - let her chicks go, laid eggs for 2 weeks & is now broody AGAIN! (She's a small silkie, so I just put her in the same nest with PR. They can share the eggs & chicks!)

* By the time the eggs hatch, I bet Cookie will be broody again

Trouble (my Sebright) - doesn't want to feel left out, so she's been squawking, puffy, and trying to steal eggs. As soon as a hen lays an egg, Trouble hops on top! If she stays broody, I may let her join PR & Xansie in raising their chicks or really confuse her & give her a turkey egg. Note: Sebrights are not supposed to be a broody breed. Trouble can't read, so she doesn't know that fact.

I would give her a turkey egg or 2

 

[Faraday40]

A very sad morning : Our dear, old Mr Dummy-Pants died last night. it was also a blessing. He was failing and not walking much. He didn't eat/drink yesterday, so I knew I'd have to put him down today. He died and spared me the additional pain of killing my beloved pet. He was our all-time favorite rooster and became a pet after he could no longer breed. He was amazing! He was very patient with kids, a gentleman with the hens, a great flock leader & guardian, the peace-maker, big, & stunningly beautiful. He is the rooster that all of our future roosters will be compared to. I can't find words to describe my feelings. He will forever be missed.

RIP my friend.

DD is taking it very hard. Although we all loved him, he was technically HER rooster. Yesterday she gently carried her big smelly buddy inside to watch TV together. She hugged him as she cried. Then she placed him on the floor next to her. That old rooster used what little strength he had to stand up and walk over to her for hugs when he saw her crying. He was trying to get back into her lap. That basically sums up why we loved him. He always acted more like a dog than a rooster.

 

[Molpet]

A very sad morning : Our dear, old Mr Dummy-Pants died last night. it was also a blessing. He was failing and not walking much. He didn't eat/drink yesterday, so I knew I'd have to put him down today. He died and spared me the additional pain of killing my beloved pet. He was our all-time favorite rooster and became a pet after he could no longer breed. He was amazing! He was very patient with kids, a gentleman with the hens, a great flock leader & guardian, the peace-maker, big, & stunningly beautiful. He is the rooster that all of our future roosters will be compared to. I can't find words to describe my feelings. He will forever be missed.

RIP my friend.
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DD is taking it very hard. Although we all loved him, he was technically HER rooster. Yesterday she gently carried her big smelly buddy inside to watch TV together. She hugged him as she cried. Then she placed him on the floor next to her. That old rooster used what little strength he had to stand up and walk over to her for hugs when he saw her crying. He was trying to get back into her lap. That basically sums up why we loved him. He always acted more like a dog than a rooster.

So sorry about Mr Dummy... Prayers for comfort

 

[Life is Good!]

Farady40 - And here I am with my coffee to do an intro here.

Bellaisa - while I have space enough for more chicks (so my broodies get fertile eggs), I have placed ceramic eggs in the freezer (then put under broody) to try and help kick off the hormones. Worked for me when a broody tried to start in February! That's way too soon for baby chicks to be running around in the snow here!

 

[Life is Good!]

Last time I peeked in on this board, there were very very few folks over here. May I join in the fun?!
Have been keeping chickens in DuPage since 2010 - got tired of running to Walgreens for more eggs every other morning (teen boys). Figured I could run to the backyard instead! Raising Black Java's from Garfield Farm Museum (LaFox). Added Swedish Flower Hens last year and love 'em so much I'm thinking of switching breeds. At least SFH's you can tell who's who based on color and pattern! Java's - well, not so much! There's a black hen, oh, and there's a black hen with chicks, and there's a black hen.....we used colored zip tie bands very well until this past winter - when one of the hens pecked ALL the red bands off EVERY hen. So now I'm not sure who's who any longer. Darn chickens.....!

 

[Faraday40]

Last time I peeked in on this board, there were very very few folks over here. May I join in the fun?!
Have been keeping chickens in DuPage since 2010 - got tired of running to Walgreens for more eggs every other morning (teen boys). Figured I could run to the backyard instead! Raising Black Java's from Garfield Farm Museum (LaFox). Added Swedish Flower Hens last year and love 'em so much I'm thinking of switching breeds. At least SFH's you can tell who's who based on color and pattern! Java's - well, not so much! There's a black hen, oh, and there's a black hen with chicks, and there's a black hen.....we used colored zip tie bands very well until this past winter - when one of the hens pecked ALL the red bands off EVERY hen. So now I'm not sure who's who any longer. Darn chickens.....!

Welcome! I'm also in DuPage as well as @Justso, and there's a decent number of folks around here in the general Chicago area.

I have a passion for the big English Orps. They're a perfect breed for us. (very docile, quiet, jumbo eggs, great snuggles, impressive looking, variety of colors available, etc.) The only cons: slow to mature & not a very good feed to egg ratio. You may want to look into them ...... I enjoy sharing my love for orps with others.

 

[webbysmeme]

Hello! I'm so happy you finally got here! We've been waiting forever.

Had an interesting find in the quail cage today. Quail eggs are small to begin with, but this one is about 1/4 the size of a quail egg. Can't wait to crack it open, but still trying to figure out the best way to do it.
View attachment 1397676

Here's what hatched last night & this morning.
All are orps; left to right: blue, lav, 2 laced, & a black in front
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My blues this year look very dark. They look almost black at hatch but then some feathers grow in which also look like a light black. As the feathers get longer, the edges stay dark but the rest gets lighter.
Here's what my blue looked like in March & now:
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I think I may also have hatched a mauve on Saturday from Jewel's egg. I won't know until some feathers grow in, but it's possible that Jewel is a very dark mauve. Her mom is Oopsie (who's a mauve) so it's possible. Her blue babies are the ones I mentioned above.

Ups and downs.....
We're going through some major flock changes right now. Last week, I sold Oopsie to a nice couple. They bought a black orp pullet from me earlier & really love her. They wanted another chicken & were going to buy my Welsummer hen. The Welsummer's sort of skittish & I didn't think that bird would be a good fit for their docile flock. Meanwhile poor Oopsie squats for all the roos & was bald-backed from over mating. She's such a gentle, sweet hen and I realized that she'd be happier in a flock without roosters. I admit I cried a little, but I know it was the best thing for my baby. Here's a pic I took the day we sold her.
View attachment 1397661
Mr Dummy (my spectacular, perfect rooster) has been having difficulty walking. He's had a limp for the past few years but it really never prevented him from doing normal rooster activities. I've seen him just laying about this past week, so I know his leg is causing him pain. Last night he stopped walking all together. He didn't come over to me when I had treats. I kept him in the garage today & he's not really eating/drinking. I'm going to have to put him down. I'm trying to get enough strength together to do it sooner than to let him suffer, but I'm having problems. I'll probably have to have a friend do it for me.
View attachment 1397662
Likewise, my 6yr-old hen Precious is not doing well. Her abdomen is so swollen and growing. She stopped laying in March. I couldn't feel an egg, but did a few epsom salt baths anyway. I also tried deworming in March, but I'm pretty sure by now that's she's been internally laying. Precious was one of my orig chickens and of course a favorite. (Right up there with Cuddles, my 1st lav orp) I lost Cuddles and still miss her, but I just can't imagine our backyard without my beloved Precious. I don't think I need to put her down yet. She's still doing her normal chicken things but she's slowly declining like Cuddles did.
View attachment 1397665

I seem to be experiencing all the joys & sorrows of owning chickens all at the same time. I'm so excited about finally hatching some good-looking laced orps. I also hatched lavs & blues this year. I'm even enjoying DD's useless little chickens. However, I'm losing some of my long-time favorite feathered friends.

I'm so sorry for your loss. God Bless

 

[webbysmeme]

Last time I peeked in on this board, there were very very few folks over here. May I join in the fun?!
Have been keeping chickens in DuPage since 2010 - got tired of running to Walgreens for more eggs every other morning (teen boys). Figured I could run to the backyard instead! Raising Black Java's from Garfield Farm Museum (LaFox). Added Swedish Flower Hens last year and love 'em so much I'm thinking of switching breeds. At least SFH's you can tell who's who based on color and pattern! Java's - well, not so much! There's a black hen, oh, and there's a black hen with chicks, and there's a black hen.....we used colored zip tie bands very well until this past winter - when one of the hens pecked ALL the red bands off EVERY hen. So now I'm not sure who's who any longer. Darn chickens.....!

I think I sent your welcome to Faraday40! Oh well, welcome!