New Hampshire Red thread!!!!!!!!!

[Bogtown Chick]

I have a silkie bantam that has a pretty defined "cycle".... Which has taught me a lot. Considering if broodiness should be a natural part of a hen's cycle. She lays 10-14 days then goes broody. I've taken eggs from her religiously. But something kicks in after that last egg in her cycle and she wants to be a momma! Lol. After the 5 th time now this year it's getting to be a pain. All broody hens are probably not this way of course but it gives you an idea. There's a huge broody hen thread on here with great info. I think fisher lady is pretty knowledgable on the subject. I've read that the pressure of multiple eggs on the breast can trigger the hormone... But I think genetics play just as big if not bigger role than the physiology of a clutch of eggs under the breast.

 

[tiffrosef]

My NHR Lydia's first egg!

 

[TeaChick]

I have a silkie bantam that has a pretty defined "cycle".... Which has taught me a lot. Considering if broodiness should be a natural part of a hen's cycle. She lays 10-14 days then goes broody. I've taken eggs from her religiously. But something kicks in after that last egg in her cycle and she wants to be a momma! Lol. After the 5 th time now this year it's getting to be a pain. All broody hens are probably not this way of course but it gives you an idea. There's a huge broody hen thread on here with great info. I think fisher lady is pretty knowledgable on the subject. I've read that the pressure of multiple eggs on the breast can trigger the hormone... But I think genetics play just as big if not bigger role than the physiology of a clutch of eggs under the breast.

Thank you very much for this information.
I had a Cochin that didn't start laying until she was a year old, but as soon as she had laid about 14 eggs, she went broody. I also have red sex-links; they have never gone broody, but I left about 14 eggs in a nest where one of them lays by herself (the other nests have multiple hens laying in them every day), and she was seriously thinking about going broody (spending more time in the nest every day and arranging and rearranging the eggs and checking the nest often throughout the day) but I had to pull the eggs.
I agree with you. I think that broodiness is dictated by different things in different breeds; some breeds will go broody on one egg after laying for a few weeks (silkies and cochins), other breeds will only go broody if they reach critical mass of eggs under their breast (2 of my red sex-links, maybe New Hampshires, etc.), and yet others will never go broody no matter what you do with them (Leghorns, Minorcas, etc).
I'm so glad you shared this; I've been collecting information from my own experience and the experiences of others. Thank you so much for sharing yours with me!!!

My NHR Lydia's first egg!

It's a lovely egg and she looks like a pretty chicken!

for first egg!!!!

 

[tiffrosef]

She's beautiful! I got her when she was a chick just because she was so pretty!

 

[TeaChick]

They are gorgeous birds all the way up. Not just cute as chicks, but genuinely beautiful! (IMO) DH and I are always impressed with how pretty they are, and pictures just don't do them justice!!! (IMO)

 

[tiffrosef]

They're gorgeous! I absolutely love mine She's one of my favorite birds

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I agree about these NH hens. I love them. I think I will replace my NH next spring and get some chicks from a breeder I know. She has birds from nice German lines. I hated losing Sunny. Thank you also for the condolences teachick. Beautiful first egg there tiffrosef. It never gets old finding those eggs...

 

[skellory]

I have 2 NHR roos and 2 hens that are about 8 weeks old.I have had them since day olds and they are all lovely (at the moment) but what does everyone think, am I definitely going to have to get rid of one roo? Nobody ever wants roos and I'm not sure that I could eat one

 

[TeaChick]

I have 2 NHR roos and 2 hens that are about 8 weeks old.I have had them since day olds and they are all lovely (at the moment) but what does everyone think, am I definitely going to have to get rid of one roo? Nobody ever wants roos and I'm not sure that I could eat one

Yes, you should only have one roo unless you have more than about 15 hens with him.
You could offer him on the BST forum free to a good home, CL, etc. Otherwise, maybe there's a family in your area who could use him for food and would be willing to butcher him themselves. Maybe there's a local butcher shop you could give or sell him to, then you don't have to do the deed yourself.
I've butchered roosters that I raised from day-olds (a neighbor of mine hatched them for me), and it's a lot easier if you don't get attached to them. The ones that were singles were a lot harder b/c they didn't blend into a group and had names and such as that. Very difficult.
Oh, another place you could try is the local feed store(s).
I hope you're able to re-home him. =)

If he's purebred NH, then he shouldn't be as difficult to rehome as something mixed or less desirable. For instance, the hatchery I'm thinking about ordering from is sold out for most of their hatch dates and has very limited availability for the rest. It's a popular breed.

 

[skellory]

Yes, you should only have one roo unless you have more than about 15 hens with him.
You could offer him on the BST forum free to a good home, CL, etc.  Otherwise, maybe there's a family in your area who could use him for food and would be willing to butcher him themselves.  Maybe there's a local butcher shop you could give or sell him to, then you don't have to do the deed yourself.
I've butchered roosters that I raised from day-olds (a neighbor of mine hatched them for me), and it's a lot easier if you don't get attached to them.  The ones that were singles were a lot harder b/c they didn't blend into a group and had names and such as that.  Very difficult.
Oh, another place you could try is the local feed store(s).
I hope you're able to re-home him. =)

Thanks! It's certainly the hand raised aspect that is the biggest issue. Once we get girls raising their own chicks outside I think I should be right. If only my husband wasn't a bigger softie than me! I'm in Tasmania, Australia which also throws a spanner in the works but I'll see how I go giving him away