New Brahma Group: Blue Partridge x Partridge, Plus Dark

[speckledhen]

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

Awwww! That's good news. Now to get the little coop cleaned out some and two nest areas set up.

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

I've had the D'Anvers co-brood many times, but never any large fowl breeds. In fact, Aimee took on the chicks that were slightly older than her own when my Silver Phoenix died suddenly, leaving her 2 week old chicks shell-shocked and cold. Aimee took them all in with her babies. She was such a life saver.

 

[Sjisty]

I have another hen, Daffy, who steals chicks. The last time she hatched 4 and stole 3 more from other broodies!

 

[Pyxis]

I've had co-broodies twice, one pair of buff orps and last summer this pair of AC hatched together.

I let them have one chick and they both looked after it.

 

[speckledhen]

I have another hen, Daffy, who steals chicks. The last time she hatched 4 and stole 3 more from other broodies!

Had the older D'Anvers steal poor Cissy's babies at about 2 weeks old. They were always great broodies, but I felt so bad for her.

I've had co-broodies twice, one pair of buff orps and last summer this pair of AC hatched together.



I let them have one chick and they both looked after it.

Just got finished cleaning out the old bantam coop. Tomorrow, we move the two into it and we'll see. Bash just mated newly-broody Brandy on the nest, crazy boy. We had just taken an egg out from under her, too. He's losing them one by one and he's going to be mystified.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm about to candle Bonnie's eggs tonight or tomorrow. She moved to the other coop beautifully, settled on the eggs in the new surroundings, then I tried to put Brandy in there. She is full-on broody, but could not settle down. She paced and refused to sit on eggs. She kept trying to get on top of Bonnie and take her eggs until Bonnie thunked her in the face, having lost her patience. So, after awhile, I took Brandy and put her in the dog cage in the barn on 4 eggs (3 Brahmas, 1 BR). She sat and stuck there like a champ. If she sticks really well, I may put her back with Bonnie and just toss those newer eggs, but if not, I may allow her to hatch those where she is. I'm not sure about that. But, poor Bash just got back all five girls and now, he's lost two of them to the Broody Bug.

 

[speckledhen]

I waited until this morning to candle Bonnie's eggs.


Candled the eggs under Bonnie on Day 7. All four of the ones from Apollo's pen, my younger Barred Rock trio, are fertile (2 Athena, 2 Zara). Of the four Brahma eggs, only one is definitely developing. The other three appear to be clears but I will let them go a couple more days to be certain.

Brandy insisted on having her own and she didn't settle in the little coop with Bonnie so I let her go to the dog cage in the barn, where she stuck her bum there and stayed put. She has five eggs total, four Brahmas and one from Apollo's pen. Since these were collected later than the others, after Bash had been with the girls and no competition from his brother, and I've seen definite fertility in a few I've cracked open the past few days, I feel they may have better fertility than the ones Bonnie has. Today is officially Day One for Brandy. I think it may be possible that they can brood in the same coop after Brandy's eggs hatch, we'll see. They get along very well even both being broody.

 

[Wyatt0224]

What great news! It's going to be a long wait but I'm excited to see what the chicks turn into. It'd be nice if at least one more brahma egg started developing under Bonnie. Hopefully Brandys brahma eggs will develope more.

 

[speckledhen]

What great news! It's going to be a long wait but I'm excited to see what the chicks turn into. It'd be nice if at least one more brahma egg started developing under Bonnie. Hopefully Brandys brahma eggs will develope more.

It's always fun to watch broodies, even if it is a bit of work to be sure they're eating and drinking enough. But, I've loved these girls so much. I guess I can say they're the broody type if someone wants eggs or chicks from me. I may have to sell off all these chicks, depending on what happens with the rest of my flock, but we have a few weeks to go. So, Bonnie's hatch day is Feb 19 and Brandy's is Feb 25. Now, we wait and

 

[Wyatt0224]

I will be following along with excitement. Praying all of them hatch. If you were to sell eggs, would you ship them or sell them locally only?

 

[speckledhen]

I will be following along with excitement. Praying all of them hatch. If you were to sell eggs, would you ship them or sell them locally only?

I have not shipped hatching eggs in years since I'm not NPIP nor do I want to be. I used to do it, almost every week for a couple of years, then less over the next few. It's a lot of work for not much $$$, though I could get more for these than most others I used to have.