OH NO! Please tell me it isn't so!!

[zookeeper15133]

Quote:

That's an image to see!

Last month I went to a chicken swap. There were all kinds of eggs I wanted. I didn't have any broodies or an incubator. So, no eggs. This was Saturday.
Come Tuesday, I had 6 broodies. 5 silkies in one coop and a cochin in the other. I only have 3 nests in the coop the silkies are in and there are 10 hens in there.
Now there are 5 broodies in 3 nests and 5 other hens climbing in to lay! I left then 4 eggs. I left the cochin 3 eggs. Well between the sillkies fighting over the eggs I left and the ones the other hens laid, they were breaking eggs right and left. I took the single remaining egg and gave it to the cochin. I took the 5 silkies and put them in a small coop/run that had no where to nest and a muddy run. They stayed there for 2 days. I put them back and all but 1 was done being broody. I got some duck eggs this week. The broody silkie is now sitting on 5 duck eggs and I have 2 available nest boxes. (But the biggest hen in the coop only uses the smallest nest in the coop, the one the broody is in! Broody gets out and stands beside the nest while Flap is laying. LOL) I can't wait to see what she does when she gets 5 ducks!

The Cochin had 1 egg hatch 2 Sats ago. 2 more hatched last Tue night and Wed morn. The one that hatched Sat died Thur AM. One that hatched Tue night died Fri. AM. They both were out of the nest, she is a first time mother, but she left the 1st one to take care of the other 2. I think the other got out of the nest over night too. She is being a very good mother to the last chick. Her roo is also protecting them. I had them all out in the yard last night and it was a joy to watch them all! (There are 3 cochin hens, the chick, a cochin roo and a silkie roo in that coop.)

 

[BooBear]

uggh

I think gritsar sent more broody dust my way. Dottie is trying out the nest boxes more in that hmmm should I broody kinda way.
Mrs. Grumpy is still sitting on her fake eggs. The eggs in my bator are in lockdown and I plan on trying to do the ol' switch a roo with her.

Already broke Fifi, Una, and Alice.
The only ones that have not tried it yet that are laying age are Saphire and Little One.

 

[gritsar]

Dawn, tonight all 3 of the older chicks were under my SF broody Doe with the week old JG chicks. Whatever, just whatever!

Doe doesn't seem to mind, the JGs don't seem to mind, so why should I?

Jethro still went in without her chicks, but the chicks finally figured out how to follow her in. So much for her diabolical plan to return to the life as a single woman.

 

[Judy]

It looked like my older chicks had decided late yesterday that they belonged with the grownups. Their misguided mama slept on some hay on the floor, though, just in case they had a bad dream, I guess

And the babies were getting adventurous about being with the flock so I'll probably be propping the broody pen door open in a day or two. She even tried settling outside the pen and clucking, but they ran out of nerve at that point. She also did an impressive fluffed up, wings-out, circling display toward a rooster, but I think he was actually trying to be a daddy and shoo them back in the pen. We had just culled down to 2 roos and I wasn't sure I'd chosen correctly so this was heartening.

And yesterday I ate fertile eggs for breakfast for the first time since the coyote attack last winter, so the last broody will get a few eggs in a day or two. I've never had such an assortment of different ages living together before. They break all the rules. There's also my pretty pullet who's still laying pullet eggs, and another who hasn't started laying yet, a "sister" of the roos. She is another mutt who looks like a hatchery BO and is apparently going to mature as late as they do.

I definitely agree, whoever they want to sleep or hang with is fine with me. Sure is interesting to watch it all sort itself out, though.

Oh noooo!! Gritsar, I am soooo sorry! Evidently I was editing your post instead of quoting it. And I think I deleted part of it. I am so embarrassed!!

 

[gritsar]

Okay Dawn, now you're ganging up with Sourland, the cows and the broodies to make me think I'm losing my mind?!?!?

GreenSearcher - since Dawn stole my perfect, positively eloquent response from last night (

) suffice it to say that we have great weather today. I promise to get my happy behind out there to get a new pic of Sally, my beautiful but petite brahma/turken cross. I have promised Ranchhand a pic of TJ, my dark over light brahma cockerel that at 3 months is already as big as my adult turken roo.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Oh dear me, you found us out.

Still subscribed to see the pics....

 

[Happy Chooks]

How did I miss this post?

Ummmm, Gritty, how many YEARS now have I been hearing you say you have the only non-broody brahma's out there? Now they have found a way to get you back.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Happy, you are much too amused by this whole thing being an upstanding moderator now and all that.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Oh dear me, you found us out.

Still subscribed to see the pics....

Here's the pics of TJ, Thor's son:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=504113


Yesterday went like this: I asked DH to get some pics of Sally the trahma chick for me. He said he'd do it, in exchange for a large country breakfast. Late into the afternoon I was still cleaning up the mess from his breakfast in the kitchen. When I finally had time to take a look at the pics on the camera, there was one, ONE, pic of Sally on the camera.

Here she is. (I could have done better myself!

) :

 

[Judy]

I have a chicken yard full of mutts, too, but you definitely win, yours are weirder looking than mine.

But then i had normal chickens to start with....

Seriously, great pics, I love looking at mixes like that!

I had missed that thread of Thor and TJ so really enjoyed those pics too. Thanks for the link. Fabulous birds.