Yep, got more broodies Again.
The girls are not just satisfied with keeping the eggs warm....nope, they steal each others nest spot if the others nest looks nicer, steal nest material by stretching their necks to pluck the stuff from the closest nest, and the stinkers keep stealing eggs from each other!
Blueberry (Cucko Silkie) started the broody parade this time. I gave her 2 eggs to appease her mommy urge. Rita (black Silkie) decided to join her a week later and helped herself to Blueberry's eggs by scooting the eggs under her.
During the 2nd week Boobear ( black frizzle cochin bantam also went broody. She wanted a nest in the boxes on the wall. I gave her 3 marked eggs. Not even through the week a certain blue Wyandotte got the bug! Yep Fifi squeezed her big fluffy but right ontop of Boobear to take over the nest. Poor Boobear looked sad after being muscled away from her comfy nest.
So I grabbed Fifi and gave her 6 marked eggs of her own which allowed Boobear to get her eggs n nest back.
Everyone appeared somewhat content (Blueberry & Rita where stealing the 1st 2 eggs from each other in the catbox nest).
During my daily routine of picking up the un marked eggs I noticed Fifi stealing nest material when Boobear had her eyes closed. When Boobear woke she would reach back to Fifi who was next door to steal back the nest material and some. Boobear has the nicest nest of all the girls. She had built it up around herself in a perfect circle with high sides. Fifi has noticed this and would continue to try to steal Boobears nest even though Fifi had the most eggs!
During all of this some nice looking eggs arrived in the mail. It just so happened that the 1st eggs turned out to be quitters so the new eggs got passed to the broodies. Fifi wanted nothing to do with the new eggs so Boobear got em as Bluberry took the eggs that were under Boobear. Fifi decided to take a break completely from her eggs which I put under Blueberry as Rita also gave up on brooding. Now Boobear & Blueberry have 3 sets due to hatch at different times......but!,, low n behold ,2 days later Fifi is back trying to be all broody!! Oh and did I mention they are still stealing each others eggs and nests?!
I think it will be a miracle if the chicks make it do to the craziness going on. One thing for sure is the chicks are gonna hatch out confused from all the swapping.
The girls are not just satisfied with keeping the eggs warm....nope, they steal each others nest spot if the others nest looks nicer, steal nest material by stretching their necks to pluck the stuff from the closest nest, and the stinkers keep stealing eggs from each other!
Blueberry (Cucko Silkie) started the broody parade this time. I gave her 2 eggs to appease her mommy urge. Rita (black Silkie) decided to join her a week later and helped herself to Blueberry's eggs by scooting the eggs under her.
During the 2nd week Boobear ( black frizzle cochin bantam also went broody. She wanted a nest in the boxes on the wall. I gave her 3 marked eggs. Not even through the week a certain blue Wyandotte got the bug! Yep Fifi squeezed her big fluffy but right ontop of Boobear to take over the nest. Poor Boobear looked sad after being muscled away from her comfy nest.
So I grabbed Fifi and gave her 6 marked eggs of her own which allowed Boobear to get her eggs n nest back.
Everyone appeared somewhat content (Blueberry & Rita where stealing the 1st 2 eggs from each other in the catbox nest).
During my daily routine of picking up the un marked eggs I noticed Fifi stealing nest material when Boobear had her eyes closed. When Boobear woke she would reach back to Fifi who was next door to steal back the nest material and some. Boobear has the nicest nest of all the girls. She had built it up around herself in a perfect circle with high sides. Fifi has noticed this and would continue to try to steal Boobears nest even though Fifi had the most eggs!
During all of this some nice looking eggs arrived in the mail. It just so happened that the 1st eggs turned out to be quitters so the new eggs got passed to the broodies. Fifi wanted nothing to do with the new eggs so Boobear got em as Bluberry took the eggs that were under Boobear. Fifi decided to take a break completely from her eggs which I put under Blueberry as Rita also gave up on brooding. Now Boobear & Blueberry have 3 sets due to hatch at different times......but!,, low n behold ,2 days later Fifi is back trying to be all broody!! Oh and did I mention they are still stealing each others eggs and nests?!
I think it will be a miracle if the chicks make it do to the craziness going on. One thing for sure is the chicks are gonna hatch out confused from all the swapping.
