North Carolina

[JadedPhoenix]

If you need a broody hen I empire state building highly recommend bantam cochins...omg. They seem to be hyper motherly.

Really? I have two and neither have gone broody yet. My silkie that I got at the same time has gone three times.

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

Good morning folks

The warm temps yesterday felt quite good and has me
wanting more of those kind of days. Some of the pullets
have started laying and we are getting a few more eggs.
Now all we need to do is sort who stays and who gets
a new home after we figure out egg color.

hope everyone has a good day

 

[bobhoke]

As BYC indicates, I'm just out of the brooder, thus learning. We have six bantam cochins (BC) and they were < 1 y/o and four went broody simultaneously. The other two went broody three weeks later. All of them have their clutches hatched now totaling 25 birds. I read some about other breeds and it appears that Silkies are very good for hatching clutches too. They fell in the same broody category as the BCs. The gentlemen we bought the BCs from had them with Silkies and was using them to specifically hatch his other exotic eggs. I'm gonna keep them around. Silkies remind me of beaker on the muppets. Its going to be interesting to see how these mommas react when their clutches grow up. I assume roles are going to reverse - we'll see.

 

[Regin]

My Sumatra pullets have begun to lay now. Unfortunately we have no male, so no Sumatra chicks.
If anyone knows someone with an extra Sumatra cockerel, let us know.

They are laying bantam size eggs, and are our only white egg layers.

 

[ramirezframing]

My Sumatra pullets have begun to lay now. Unfortunately we have no male, so no Sumatra chicks.
If anyone knows someone with an extra Sumatra cockerel, let us know.

They are laying bantam size eggs, and are our only white egg layers.

Would love to see some pictures of your sumatras. Their eggs should increase in size with a little time to a medium sized egg. Mine lay a white to a very light brown, most laying a cream egg.

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Good Morning!

Looks like winter is trying to fade away. A couple more frozen nights coming this week, but Wednesday is supposed to be near 80!!

I don't know how people who live up north can deal with winter.
THINK SPRING!

 

[Tikkijane]

If you need a broody hen I empire state building highly recommend bantam cochins...omg.  They seem to be hyper motherly.

I have one that's good. But none of them beat my silkie girls. They are broody most of the time.

 

[Tikkijane]

As BYC indicates, I'm just out of the brooder, thus learning. We have six bantam cochins (BC) and they were < 1 y/o and four went broody simultaneously. The other two went broody three weeks later. All of them have their clutches hatched now totaling 25 birds. I read some about other breeds and it appears that Silkies are very good for hatching clutches too. They fell in the same broody category as the BCs. The gentlemen we bought the BCs from had them with Silkies and was using them to specifically hatch his other exotic eggs. I'm gonna keep them around. Silkies remind me of beaker on the muppets. Its going to be interesting to see how these mommas react when their clutches grow up. I assume roles are going to reverse - we'll see. 

At one point last year, I had 12 broodies:

2 bantam cochins
3 silkies
1 silver laced wyandotte
3 buff orpingtons
1 barred rock
2 Easter eggers

And my winter broody was one of my silver spangled hamburgs.

The meanest broodies: SSH, followed by the SLW. Yikes!

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Quote:
I had broodies coming out of my ears last summer, too. Buff Orpingtons, Crele Orpington, Welsummers (!), EEs and one Ameraucana. 14 at max. One started back just after xmas (the crele Orp). If she's still broody in three weeks, she'll get chicks. But geez...when you Want a broody, you can't get them to sit. When you Don't want one, everybody seems to get the urge.

 

[cwhittington]

My chickens were making a loud fuss at about 4am. Not sure what that was about...turned out my Lab and walked the fence to be sure, but no sign of anything. Crazy birds. Maybe they saw a mouse??

I have a ferocious broody hen aptly named Mother Clucker who has had two 10 egg clutches with 100% hatch rate. She is half Buff Orp. and half Jersey Giant. Her Jersey Giant mother was also a great broody hen. Last year all my half Buff's went broody. I sold a couple of them ...I also have a golden laced Wyandotte that goes broody every year, though her hatch rate is low. So out of a flock of around 10 last year, half were broody. Should be interesting to see which of the new girls decide to sit this spring! I love chick season!! <3