NY chicken lover!!!!

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Do you remember my old avatar? It was Lemon, my sex link, with her chicks. It's uncommon but it does happen!

Last year I had 2 "Red Stars", aka Comet, red sex link, go broody and raise chicks - one was two years old and the other was one year old. The younger one had been raised by a broody hen, so I figured that's why she went broody. Both were good moms, and I too thought it was pretty uncommon for them to go broody! Well, I also had a Black Sex Link go broody two years in a row ... it seems like all the hatchery breeds (RSL, BSL, RIW, Buff Leghorn) that weren't prone to broodiness were the ones that did. But the Dominques, Wyandottes who I'd read were "a heritage breed that were also good mothers" - they never went broody in the 2 1/2 years I had them! Sometimes, I thought they had, but it was only "wishful thinking" and them sitting on the nest while laying.
I've had a few other hens do that broody cluck, but continue to lay eggs and run around with the rest of the flock! Other hens start the broody cluck a week or a few days before they begin sitting full-time, but I guess when you're surrounded by broody hens and chicks, they begin to want to have "some of their own".
 
I think broodies depends on the hen, not the breed. I had a golden laced Wyandotte named elan or that would go broody every year without fail. Her sisters, never. I've had a couple of red sexlinks go broody, rir go broody and silkies. I also have 3 silkie hens that haven't gone broody. They look at my broody ones, help with the chicks some, but have no interest in becoming moms. I think that hens are like humans, some are born to be moms, some wanot to be mom's and some have no interest.
 
I think broodies depends on the hen, not the breed. I had a golden laced Wyandotte named elan or that would go broody every year without fail. Her sisters, never. I've had a couple of red sexlinks go broody, rir go broody and silkies. I also have 3 silkie hens that haven't gone broody. They look at my broody ones, help with the chicks some, but have no interest in becoming moms. I think that hens are like humans, some are born to be moms, some wanot to be mom's and some have no interest.

Yep, I agree. That's why when I have a really good broody hen, she stays longer in my flock than the other hens, so she can hopefully help raise and "teach" her chicks how to be good mothers.
Because I have observed that there's more of a tendency for hens who were raised by broodies themselves to want to be broody. But, then again, some were raised by broodies and never have expressed a desire.
"So, when you boil it all down" - it all depends on the individual hen. And I never tire of watching the mothers and the chicks interact, and especially appreciate the mothers who are friendly with me, yet protective with other chickens.
 
Gramma - if Baking or Pyxis go - I'll send the trees with them - if not - yours will have a really really nice root system all set next year !
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Hola!! Been a while..busy busy:) gardens in full bloom...baby cicks getting big..two broodies who are eggless;( hoping one makes it for another 2 weeks when my 10 freedom rangers come in. I Have 18 bresse growing out for the freezer as well...I plan on keeping 6 new hens and a new rooster from that batch and butchering the original 4 hens and roo..plus 5 loive egger roosters that are growing out..and 5-7 old hens. hate doing it but .....
 
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I've had a few other hens do that broody cluck, but continue to lay eggs and run around with the rest of the flock! Other hens start the broody cluck a week or a few days before they begin sitting full-time, but I guess when you're surrounded by broody hens and chicks, they begin to want to have "some of their own".
Well You WON the broody challenge ! you have the most Broody Hens
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Had another very nice cemani hatch tonight! Scotch, the taped egg survivor, is doing well and is HUGE. He's also popped a comb, so fingers crossed he stays black and has no leakage so he can stay as my second flock rooster. I also got my Standard of Perfection in the mail today, and it is awesome. Tons of illustrations, and the front of the book contains lots of excellent information on what faults look like, how certain feather patterns are supposed to look, etc.
 

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