Montana

[mtchickengal]

Yeah, seriously. My girls are all less than a year old, so I haven't had to deal with non productiveness due to age. Lol. A retirement home that doesn't include the freezer for them would be nice.

She hasn't officially gone broody, but usually she sits on everyone's eggs for hours just for fun. Then she yells at us like crazy when we get the eggs from under her. She hasn't actually done that for a few weeks now. I will be watching her for the opportunity. I'm hoping I can just catch her in the mood, but I guess we will see. Do they tend to go broody at a certain time of year? I am not sure if I will put her by herself in a smaller coop outside, or in a large dog cage with a nest in the house.

 

[3BirdGirlz]

Mine usually go broody about the end of June to mid summer after they've laid a good clutch or 2. Then they think it's time to hatch some chicks.

 

[montanachicks]

Yeah, seriously. My girls are all less than a year old, so I haven't had to deal with non productiveness due to age. Lol. A retirement home that doesn't include the freezer for them would be nice.

She hasn't officially gone broody, but usually she sits on everyone's eggs for hours just for fun. Then she yells at us like crazy when we get the eggs from under her. She hasn't actually done that for a few weeks now. I will be watching her for the opportunity. I'm hoping I can just catch her in the mood, but I guess we will see. Do they tend to go broody at a certain time of year? I am not sure if I will put her by herself in a smaller coop outside, or in a large dog cage with a nest in the house.

Just be careful about letting her set when this weather is still so crazy --- even with a good mama, I'd be afraid to let eggs hatch this time of year. But that's me.

 

[mtchickengal]

Maybe I will wait a bit. What do you gals think about letting her hatch them in a large cage in the house? She did screech at me today when I was getting eggs.

 

[montanachicks]

Maybe I will wait a bit. What do you gals think about letting her hatch them in a large cage in the house? She did screech at me today when I was getting eggs.

If you have a place to keep her that is out of the way -- like in the basement or someplace like that. If you or your family don't have issues with the "chicken odor" being so close by! Sounds like she is wanting to set, but you could break her of it. Some people have hens that are a repetitious broody -- and I do have one of those, but she is just a banty (she last went broody in the fall and has not done so at all this winter so far, so maybe after 4 years she's had a change of heart), and can only sit on about 3 or 4 regular size eggs at a time. I would LOVE to have one of my BO's or EE's go broody in the spring, as they could probably cover 10 or more eggs.

 

[mtchickengal]

I have a large cage in my kitchen, because a few weeks ago, I found one of my gals bleeding. The others had picked her tail & bottom about clean of feathers. I kept her in the house for a week to heal & regrow feathers. Then a few days of grounding the bullies & getting rid of the rooster. Now she's with the rest of the flock & all seems well. I'm thinking that if I keep the bedding clean, it won't smell much. I'm more worried about her being upset about being in the house. She is probably my most vocal girl. I know the kids would love to watch her set in the comfort of the house.

How are your birds doing with frostbite. I have 2 leghorns that have some on their combs. One of them has a waddle that is slightly swollen today. I'm worried about her.

 

[mtchickengal]

The leghorn's swelling on her waddle is gone today! Just had to share that.

 

[montanachicks]

Glad her swelling is gone & sounds like she's doing better. I was just reading an article here on BYC about "My baby chicks are making me sick" -- about keeping chicks in the house with all the dander, and I imagine it'd be the same if you kept a hen inside the house...... I use a Swiffer Sweeper duster thing inside the coop -- have to dust at least once a week. that dust covers EVERYTHING.

I'm glad that we are supposed to have some nicer weather over the next few days -- I am SOOOOO ready for spring!

 

[mtchickengal]

Me too! The girls are enjoying being in the yard, too.

Last March, when I first got the chickens, I had them in the house with a light. The dust was everywhere! It was kind of gross....& I am not a neat freak. I had gotten 6 meat birds & 10 layers. I put the meat birds out in the preliminary coop around 6 weeks. I think I went to big R & bought that red barn coop for the others around 8-9 ish weeks. They were driving me nuts! So that is available outside for Goldy to hatch eggs in. I just think that for 3 weeks.....the kids would really enjoy the easy access to watching her & those eggs.

The combs do seem to heal pretty quickly. My leghorn looks so good!

 

[montanachicks]

I've been thinking more and more, over the weekend, of when/if/(how many) new chicks I want to get this spring. I was going to order online from a hatchery but I've never done that before --- I wonder how they would survive an airplane ride in this cold. So I called North Outfitters/Big R & they are going to start getting chicks in, the end of February. So I guess that's where I'll be going. I want to get Golden Comets, and a few others that are different. I don't know what breeds they usually carry & sell, so will just have to wait & see. I'm looking forward to it!