It's official. She's broody.

[sepaditty1]

I've got 2 bantam black orpingtons, Fattie and Pattie. Both started laying about 8 weeks ago. Saturday, Fattie stayed on her nest for a while. When Pattie got up, Fattie tucked her egg underneath her. I started getting excited! But then it was time for bed & Fattie went on up to the roost.

So, I collected those eggs & figured i'd just buy some chicks.

But today...she won't get up, she pecks at us if we try to touch her, she's learned some new clicking sound, and even though it's night time & everyone else went to bed...she's still on her eggs!

I'm not exactly sure how many she has. Probably 4 or 5. It will be so cool if she does a good job & they hatch! I can't wait!

 

[Odelia]

Congratulations! My bantam cochin went broody for the first time 3 weeks ago so I bought her some fertilized eggs to hatch and we are expecting 4 chicks on Friday. I started her with 8 eggs and candled them on day 10 and found that 3 were not developing and one was not as developed as the others. If I had it to do over again I would not have given her more than 6 eggs to hatch. Though it could be that they were not all fertilized to begin with. Now way of knowing now.

 

[broodyhen2]

Are the bantams Cochin feathered feet a nuisance? I was thinking of getting one for hatching eggs but it can get quite wet and muddy in winter. Do you have to clean their feet or is that not a problem
Thanks

 

[Odelia]

I live in a high plains dessert so it is wet in the winter but not like other parts of the country. I have never had to clean her feet. She went broody after only laying for about 6-8 weeks. I was nervous about giving her a clutch of eggs as it was the first time she has ever gone broody (she is only 9 months old) but she has been very dedicated. I took me about 3-4 days to get her a clutch of fertile eggs so she has been at it for over 3 weeks already and I am not worried about her abandoning them. Also I love the way they waddle because of their feathered legs. She is by far our very favorite chicken. I have to admit that I was considering buying a couple of cochin chicks to slip under her when the eggs hatch for her to raise. We like her so much and she did such a great job as a broody pullet.

 

[broodyhen2]

Hmmm I am stuck between a Cochin or an Orpington
Thanks anyway for input

 

[sepaditty1]

Our hen to rooster ratio is way off! When Fattie's eggs hatch I'm going to buy a couple of day old sexlinks & stick them in there. As a bantam, does anyone know about how many chicks she can handle?