Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

Well, we're down to 14 hens from 18 and our rooster is gone :( (darn dogs)

HOWEVER ... our broody hen (who went broody at the beginning of the month) has successfully hatched the eggs she was sitting on! Well, some of them anyway! Not sure exactly how many of the 11 hatched since she's not letting anyone near the nest but I did spot 7 chicks! :D

So I'm hoping that one of the chicks she hatched turns out to be a roo to replace it's poppa! Once I can I'll try and get some pics to post! :)
 
I'm back ....
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I have another broody (Black Ameraucana - pullet this time) sitting on 7 Blue Copper Marans eggs, due to hatch on Saturday, if she (and my roo) have done their jobs well. This is the first "normal" broody I've had. She has actually been getting off the nest daily for a few minutes. Haven't even gotten any seriously nasty broody poop yet. I wasn't entirely sure this one would stick but she has.

Broody Naima mothered her kids for 7 weeks or so. They were fiercely independant from the start and she wasn't horribly protective (unlike my Lizzie last year who ran EVERYONE out of the coop for just about 16 weeks!). All 3 kids are thriving without her. Mother Naima moulted and resumed laying. At 9 weeks, one of the young Marans boys is already trying to woo the ladies. It's quite pathetic but he's actually succeeding.
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(My ladies must be hard up!)
 
I have a question, Is Danish Brown leghorns a good Broody breed? I have Some DBL, that are um....  16-17 weeks. They haven't started laying, but I wanted to know if they are good Broodys. Or should I invest in a silkie or a really good broody hen?


With the name Leghorn I'd say no, but I've never had Danish Brown Leghorns myself. Than again sometimes the ones you think won't be broody do go broody, so there's always a chance.
 
Well, I may have a duckling or ducklings.... Lilly was sitting awful tight but she came off and one had a pip around 9:30 this morning. She hasnt been off since. If they come now they will be 3 days early.
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Interestingly after having the babies on the roost for four nights in a row, tonight Topsy had her babies in a nest box with her. What's really funny is her two 13 week old silkies from her previous clutch are in the adjoining nest box. Smokey is still on the floor with her two babies.

Can't believe the babies are now three weeks old! It seems like just yesterday they were hatching.
 
im so mad my duck just got killed last night from a coyote and my male duck doesn't even know what to do hes just sitting there hiding and not moving around just sitting and making little noise .... first my chick gets killed by a bird now my duck i hate wild animals
 
im so mad my duck just got killed last night from a coyote and my male duck doesn't even know what to do hes just sitting there hiding and not moving around just sitting and making little noise .... first my chick gets killed by a bird now my duck i hate wild animals
awww im sorry. I hope you can get a new duck to keep him company...
 
I can`t believe my chicks are 8 weeks old today and still sleeping under their mothers wings!, shes so soft with them she needs to start kicking them out!!
 

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