New Brahma Group: Blue Partridge x Partridge, Plus Dark

[speckledhen]

 

[speckledhen]

Bonnie is officially full-on broody. So, I gave her 4 eggs from a young BR male's pen I have not tested (Apollo, Atlas's son) and 4 Brahma eggs since Bash has only been in with the girls for a few full days. Not sure whose is whose, except I think a speckled one is Betsy's. We shall see. Feb 19 is hatch day.

Today was a crappy day. Lost a BR pullet, a new layer, from what appears to be EYP, a first for me with this age girl (36 wks). She was the best of my new line. Then, we had an hour's power outage, the 3rd this month, which messed up our already messed-up modem so I may disappear for a day or so. THEN, I broke the heck out of my little left toe. It's probably been broken 5 times already.

On a brighter note, Bash is sweet as he can be and he's happy to be with the girls without Bruno.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, Bash was not so sweet today. He was young and stupid. He first tried to breed poor Bonnie on the nest on her eggs! Then, when DH went into the pen, he rushed over and bit DH's shoe. WTH? He got the "aversion therapy" from DH, who then presented his shoe again and Bash wanted nothing to do with it. So, Miss Bonnie is in the jumbo dog crate in the barn on her eggs so she doesn't have to be molested like that. SMH. But, Mr. Bash better watch out. I don't like ill-mannered roosters. This is the first anything of that sort I've seen from him. He's probably going to chill out when he realizes we do things he does not like when he's disrespectful; at least, he seems quite intelligent in that regard, even if he lost his head and tried to mate a broody on her eggs, good grief.

 

[Wyatt0224]

Poor Bonnie. Were any of the eggs damaged? And could it effect the hatch?

 

[speckledhen]

Poor Bonnie. Were any of the eggs damaged? And could it effect the hatch?

Not that I could see. I'll check them for any seepage prior to the first candling and do it daily when she's off the nest. If they were not cracked, probably they were not at all affected. Bonnie did a good job of raising up to protect them.

 

[1muttsfan]

Everyone has something to learn, don't know a teenager yet that didn't make a few mistakes.

 

[speckledhen]

Everyone has something to learn, don't know a teenager yet that didn't make a few mistakes.

Yeah, my husband said when Bruno left, that he hoped Bash didn't get an attitude now that he was large and in charge and had all the girls to himself. I think he's a sweetie, doing a little boundary-testing, and he was appropriately chastised. He actually likes me to pet him, something Bruno would not willingly allow. So, I think he'll be fine in that regard. But, good grief, breeding a hen on eggs, such a rookie mistake! LOL.


ETA: Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Brandy is screaming and clucking! I have another Brahma broody already! What is going on here? ACK!

 

[speckledhen]

@Sjisty Have you ever had two Brahma hens raise chicks together? I have a little separate coop I can put Bonnie in and since Brandy is broody now, too, I wondered if I could put them in the same one and divide the 8 eggs up. Bonnie is on Day 5 so not that far along yet for Brandy to hatch some of those eggs. The coop is the former bantam coop a bit shy of 4x8 (which are outside dimensions). It's insulated and the perfect place, no low drafts, all ventilation up high and a covered pen attached.

 

[Sjisty]

I've had it happen several times. I love it when they share mommy duty!

 

[1muttsfan]

I had a pair of cosister Silkie broodies once, so sweet