My broodies this year are worthless!!!

[Majestic Lane Poultry]

Ok, maybe that is a bit of an overstatement but this is my tale.

Georgie - Buff Orpington - first time broody. Loved the nest so much...she smothered the babies. I was able to rescue 3 but the other 9

Now today

Cecily - Blue Silkie - first time broody. Sat on wooden eggs for a week until I gathered her a clutch. Set non-stop, had to feed and water her in the nest box...good setter. I am thinking she will always have a home here. Today is day 21. I open up the door and she came running out with the other silkies in her pen.

2 eggs were pipping. What is she thinking? Well I didn't have time to wait around to see if she would go back so I snatched them up and put them in the hatcher!

Two of my dogs went missing this morning. A juvie husky who doesn't know any better led my schnauzer astray. We searched and searched. They came back on their own and were waiting on the porch for us to let them in.

I better go home to chicks

or I might just crawl into bed (and use my cell for BYC)

Anyway...as for my new broodies...they each get one more chance. If they are good broodies my policy is to always let them hatch out something. If they are not...I break them up cause otherwise I end up with maddening results.

 

[gabrielle1976]

 

[RioLindoAz]

Rule One with Broodies:

Separate her from the flock! Put her in her own, enclosed nest were she has the freedom to turn her eggs or move around, or get comfortable as she wants! I can guarantee that the only reason your BO smothered her chicks is because the other hens were smothering her! She was probobly defending herself and accidently stomped her chicks! Yes, It DOES happen, there are threads all around this joint that are talking about how their hen abandoned the nest, is stealing other hen's eggs, or smothering their own eggs or chicks. And your poor silkie was in the same situation as your BO, other hens annoyed her off the nest! It may seem like a hastle to remove her from the nest into another over night, but it will be worth it.

Please remember "The rule of the broodies" the next time another of your hens deciedes to set.

~Rio

 

[katrinag]

Quote:
I agree.

 

[Majestic Lane Poultry]

Quote:
My buff was seperated. I will admit that I didn't seperate the silkie but that has never been a problem with them being together before.

Edited to say. Thanks Rio. From this day forward...I do hearby swear to seperate them all!

 

[Majestic Lane Poultry]

Update: This morning I have 8 healthy chicks and one lonely mama. She spent all evening looking and clucking for her babies. So...I have seperated her and put her on wooden eggs for the day. She is very happy this morning on her wooden eggs. My plan is to sneek the babies in tonight. I couldn't last night as the chicks were still wet.

 

[katrinag]

Awesome.

 

[metcalfmk]

Sounds great, good luck!

 

[RioLindoAz]

Quote:
My buff was seperated. I will admit that I didn't seperate the silkie but that has never been a problem with them being together before.

Edited to say. Thanks Rio. From this day forward...I do hearby swear to seperate them all!

It's for your own good.

~Rio