Meet Broody Buffy - CHICKS are hatching! Pictures!

[BLaBauve]

Buffy is my youngest laying hen, she's barely a year. I noticed when it started to get really hot here in Georgia that she would stay in her nest longer.

That was 13 days ago, now she looks like this:

I do not have a rooster so 13 days ago I put a dozen blue "fertile" eggs under her. Now at day 13 she has 9 fertile eggs under her. They all seem to be developing and progressing well. She will let me pull the eggs out whenever I want but if another hen comes near her she attacks them! Some days she takes LONG breaks for up to 3 hours. Meanwhile, other hens will babysit her eggs. The further along she gets, the more serious she gets. She is our favorite chicken, so I would love for her to be a mother. This is our first broody hen so we're very excited to have a few chicks hatch. This is very much different than incubating eggs.

I'm trying to let her do everything naturally, by brooding with the other hens around and hatching the chicks out with them. I will only intervene if I see the other chickens seriously trying to hurt them.

Day 21 is Friday the 9th, but I'm always hoping for an early hatch! I will post new pictures tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

 

[gryeyes]

Whoo hoo! Another broody Buffy! I'll have to follow your Buffy's story.

 

[BLaBauve]

I know, I read about the Buff Orp named Buffy. We're so original.....

 

[BLaBauve]

Today is day 14 for Buffy's clutch. When I went to let them out of their coop this morning, I saw this:

My first reaction was to think that Buffy would be hurt because she's not on the roost like the other chickens. Luckily, I opened the nest box door and she was fine.

I'm assuming it was rats that did it, because it had to be small enough to get through the metal. Recently I moved food in the coop to be near Buffy, but I think that was a bad idea. I've also been using the top of a metal rabbit/ferret cage to contain Buffy near her nest box. When she comes out she really picks on some of the newest girls. I will be candling her eggs again tonight.

 

[MSBG]

maybe you can help me... I think I have a broody hen. I was told that red sex links don't normally sit, become broody. So I am unprepared. What should I do now? She has been sitting for only 2 days and I know that I have weeks ahead if she is truly broody. So, what do I need to do? I'm afraid about the introduction of new chicks. I have 8 hens and 2 RIR roos. Any help will be appreciated.

Bettie

 

[BLaBauve]

I think it's rare, but any breed can become broody. So you want her to hatch chicks? If not, there are ways to break her broodiness.

If you do want her to hatch the eggs, I would leave her be. A lot of people say to let them do it naturally. Other people will tell you to move her to a dog crate, or somewhere secluded and safe. There are tons of threads on here about what to do with a broody. Good luck!

 

[BLaBauve]

Today is day 20 and we have 2 pips!!! One is a pretty big pip! I am so excited! This is my first broody, and her first time on eggs. I hope that she has natural instincts!

 

[gryeyes]

Oh, boy! Oh, boy! Oh, boy!

My Buffy only hatched out one chick, which she's been raising pretty darned well. As far as *I* can tell, of course - but Sam the GrandChick looks and acts very well.

Your Buffy will do even better, with more eggs hatching!

 

[BLaBauve]

I hope so! I'm so worried she'll suddenly kill them! Do you know how often I can move her slightly to look at the eggs? It's pretty hot and humid here in GA.

 

[Tiss]

Yay! Another Buffy story. Maybe one day my BO will let me write Buffy stories of my own.