Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

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I am certainly not the most experienced on this thread but certainly NO ONE would have recommended letting a "red sex link" hatch out a bunch of chicks but I did and she's still going strong at 9 and a half weeks. At this point the chicks are as big or even bigger than her and she's still fiercely defending them!!

Why would a chicken that has been laying and hatching for more years than we can count not be able to sit and hatch her own eggs? It's kinda like letting the hen sit and hatch then taking her chicks away, sorry I have a problem with that. They sure know more than we do about it

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Why to go and sounds like it won't be long now...

waiting for news

 

[danielnv]

I have a new broody, and wonder if I should let her continue this late in the year. We are having heavy frosts quite often now.... no snow yet, though. Still, it seems rather hard on her to continue as its getting colder?

 

[danielnv]

Oops. Double post! Silly Droid!

 

[sager:)silkies]

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as long as ur coop stays above frezzeing u should be fine

 

[Miss Lydia]

sagersilkies :

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as long as ur coop stays above frezzeing u should be fine

X2 mama will keep the chicks warm. and they will be hardy too.​

 

[Niss]

Good news, I still have 3 of my 6 chicks from this fall.
Why is that good news? Because when DH called to say the neighbor's dog had paid us a visit he said only 1 chick survied and he couldn't find the mama either. I was wondering if I'd have to take it inside. By the time I got home Fluffy Briches and 3 of her 4 were back from where ever they had hid. Wiggens lost both of hers.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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I am so sorry to hear that Niss, good grief why can't people be responsible for their dogs and keep them home? Poor mama,

 

[Niss]

This is the 3rd time we have had a visit from this dog. My 5 year old begged daddy not to kill it, which is what I want to do. About 6 years ago I had a dog I couldn't keep home, and I wasn't surprized or angry when he didn't come back--the first time is an accident, the second starts a pattern that can't be allowed to continue. I just don't want to get in to it with the neighbors either--he's a WWII vet and she bawled like a baby when it killed our first group of pekins. When they offered to pay we told them to keep the money and put it into a training collar or electric fence, which I guess they didn't do.

Sorry to be off topic. At least poor Wigens had been roosting a while...it would have been heart breaking to see her on the floor without any babies underneith.

 

[runsw/scissors]

Not to derail this topic, but why isn't it a good idea to let red sex link hens hatch out chicks?? If you would prefer BarnGoddess you can pm me. I'm new to this and really curious... Thanks!

Quote:
I am certainly not the most experienced on this thread but certainly NO ONE would have recommended letting a "red sex link" hatch out a bunch of chicks but I did and she's still going strong at 9 and a half weeks. At this point the chicks are as big or even bigger than her and she's still fiercely defending them!!