Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[phasianidae]

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TSC = Tractor Supply Company

You are so lucky in the US...you can just wander into your local feed merchants and come home with chickies!

I think the longer you wait to add new babies, the harder it will be. It's really all about trial and error with these hens. Good luck and do tell how it goes!

Ether I am completely unaware of there existence or they dont exist in Minnesnowta.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
You are so lucky in the US...you can just wander into your local feed merchants and come home with chickies!

I think the longer you wait to add new babies, the harder it will be. It's really all about trial and error with these hens. Good luck and do tell how it goes!

Ether I am completely unaware of there existence or they dont exist in Minnesnowta.

You and I are in the same boat. I see the ads for Tractor supply on TV but the nearest one to me is in Bakersfield. Which is 230 miles away from me. I may take a trip there though it seems to be the only place in California where you can buy Diamond mesh horse fence.... Good stuff for lots of critters.

 

[Kathryn4629]

Just wanted to stop by and say hello!!

Today I gave my broody 11 eggs. She is a LF cochin, also known as Big Bertha as she is huge. She went broody 3 times last year and was very persistent about it. At the time I didn't have a Rooster, but now I do!

I have her in the coop with the rest of the hens and rooster. I want her to try to raise the chicks with the rest of the flock. She is at the top of the pecking order, so I hope she can be successful.

Anyway, I will be lurking the thread on a regular basis now

The one and only.....Bertha

 

[perchie.girl]

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Awww

Big Bertha has that Zen look...I am one with the eggs....

 

[Miz Mary]

2 more babies today !!!!

 

[boxermom]

May I join? I have a bourbon red turkey setting on 12 chicken eggs and 4 (probably infertile) turkey eggs. She was injured while we were on vacation in Feb., so she has been in a brooder box since we got back. She's doing well and wants to sit on eggs, so why not?

 

[kuntrygirl]

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Aw poor baby. I hope that you turkey heals 100%.

 

[perchie.girl]

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Wow that is a HUGE chick

... or is it an optical illusion?

.

 

[boxermom]

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Aw poor baby. I hope that you turkey heals 100%.

We really have no idea what happened to her. Neighbor found alot of feathers but no body. Counted and all were in the barn. Next day he found her with a HUGE hole in the middle of her back. He was able to spray her w/ the purple stuff to keep the others from pecking at her, but that was it. When I got home, she was in the stock tank that I use for a brooder. She was laying an egg.

I put the lid on and she's been good. I have since found some more wounds on her, but they're not as bad as the big one. DH and I saw 4 Bald Eagles a couple days after we got home. They were just down the road a little bit. 2 were young, still had brown heads. Could be that they tried to make a grab and didn't realize how big she really was?

She's doing very well. Just about took my arm off when I was giving her eggs. I had to pull the sweatshirt clear over my hand and I'm still bruised. I'd say she's good.

 

[Fuffy]

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YAY

Well done, that silkie mom!!!!
Congrats