Well, two hen broody on me, maybe.
I have 4 hens. Two of them are acting broody. I do want to hatch some eggs, but I don't need both of them to do it, and I don't really think it is time yet.
I am thinking that it would be better if the weather was warmer. Right now we have 8 inches of snow on the ground, and can get more for the next month. I am thinking that a hatch after Easter would be better. But the earlier the better so that they might start laying before next winter. How cold can baby chicks take it when raised by a hen?
I have been getting 4 eggs a day, but the last couple days it was 1 or 2. Did the broody ones stop laying or is this just a normal fluctuation.
I have golf balls in the nest boxes from when I was trying to get them to use the boxes. Should I take them out to try get these two hens to wait a month? They keep setting after I pull all the eggs. All four hens use two boxes, so it doesn't help that both of these gals wants to use one each.
Additional info: They are buff orps, just under one year old, and they haven pulled belly feathers yet that i have seen.
I have 4 hens. Two of them are acting broody. I do want to hatch some eggs, but I don't need both of them to do it, and I don't really think it is time yet.
I am thinking that it would be better if the weather was warmer. Right now we have 8 inches of snow on the ground, and can get more for the next month. I am thinking that a hatch after Easter would be better. But the earlier the better so that they might start laying before next winter. How cold can baby chicks take it when raised by a hen?
I have been getting 4 eggs a day, but the last couple days it was 1 or 2. Did the broody ones stop laying or is this just a normal fluctuation.
I have golf balls in the nest boxes from when I was trying to get them to use the boxes. Should I take them out to try get these two hens to wait a month? They keep setting after I pull all the eggs. All four hens use two boxes, so it doesn't help that both of these gals wants to use one each.
Additional info: They are buff orps, just under one year old, and they haven pulled belly feathers yet that i have seen.