never ending broody hens.

[coffeychicks]

I am about to pull my hair out. It never seems to fail I get one hen to hatch eggs raise chicks another hen goes broody. I have buff orpington barred rocks and easter eggers. Plus a game bird mix. I love the babies and knowing my flock is strong and healthy and growing is a great sign but feed bills are growing too. Is broodiness contagious? I know that makes no sense.

 

[sourland]

Broodiness is not contagious, but it sure is hereditary. If you are keeping pullets out of hens who have gone broody, they too will most likely become broody. Like begets like. Add some leghorns to your flock for consistent egg production and generally non broody behavior.

 

[coffeychicks]

Sadly I have leghorn in the mix. The game bird is a leghorn mix with gamebird however these hens are from different breeders. The bo fron another state then the br. Yes I drove for them. Not hatchery birds. I don't mind occasional broody but I currently have. 5 pullets from march hatch. 13 buddies from may hatch and hen on 9 eggs. I wonder can I slip the goose egg under her. Lol.

 

[iwiw60]

It's my understanding that buff orpingtons are very prone to broodiness. Just part of their makeup I guess. If you find yourself getting overrun with new babies, maybe post an ad and sell them? Just thinkin' ... good luck to you!!

 

[sourland]

Hey, give that goose egg a try. I have hatched ducks, geese, guinea fowl, pea fowl, ring neck pheasants under chicken hens. On that gamefowl/leghorn cross, you can be assured that the game influence for broodiness will overpower the leghorn non broody.

 

[coffeychicks]

Out of all the problems chicken owners face this is by far the best. For the bo I have heard they go broody but never had any do so previously. This one isn't even a year old but very good mommy. The game bird leghorn mix was my first to hatch in my yard and by far my favorite girl. But the br so far been dedicaited for 4 days. My geese eggs have been in the bator for a week already and developing nicely. Eh. If I get too many freezer camp is always an option

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Hey, give that goose egg a try. I have hatched ducks, geese, guinea fowl, pea fowl, ring neck pheasants under chicken hens. On that gamefowl/leghorn cross, you can be assured that the game influence for broodiness will overpower the leghorn non broody.

The most cruel thing and the most funny thing that you can do to a hen is give her a clutch of duck eggs and when the little quackers hatch watch the hen panic when the little ducklings take to water like they are ducks or something.

 

[coffeychicks]

The most cruel thing and the most funny thing that you can do to a hen is give her a clutch of duck eggs and when the little quackers hatch watch the hen panic when the little ducklings take to water like they are ducks or something.

i am quacking up over here lol