Our First Broody and Incubator Hatch: a Diary

[igorsMistress]

Like bluebaby says, watch how he grows out. I've found most of the time with the boys that grow really big if you just wait a little longer to put them in with the hens, like 7 months old or more, they are much gentler on the the hens than a younger teenager. My splash boy is huge compared to the Bresse hens, but he didn't get any access to any hens until about 7 months old. I put him straight in with the Bresse and he was a gentleman from day one. He eased into it instead of trying to rape every one like freak, and he hasn't hurt any of them. They love him now.
You could also try letting her raise him with the flock, too. They can teach him manners as he's growing up, and he should be much gentler, then you won't have to worry about size difference.

They've been with the flock the whole time. He's run to mama because auntie someone, there are 6 to choose from, was going to flog him

Thanks again for all the info!

 

[cactusrota]

I'd like to see what your splash boy look's like.

It's the same splash boy I had offered to you before the leakage started showing...

 

[igorsMistress]

It's the same splash boy I had offered to you before the leakage started showing...View attachment 1563124

He's so darn gorgeous!

I remember reading somewhere it's the size of the hen that determines the size of the offspring, is that correct? I know you've said the girls I got from you were too small for your purposes, is that why?

I'm assuming smaller hatchery birds wouldn't make much of a meal.

 

[cactusrota]

He's so darn gorgeous!

I remember reading somewhere it's the size of the hen that determines the size of the offspring, is that correct? I know you've said the girls I got from you were too small for your purposes, is that why?

I'm assuming smaller hatchery birds wouldn't make much of a meal.

That's been my experience so far. I have some pullets from a couple white NN hens I put under a Bresse rooster, and others from my Bresse hens under Remmy my big NN cockbird, and the ones from the Bresse hens are actually bigger than their moms now! The pullets from the Bresse cockerel are noticeably smaller. I spent the summer picking out all the hens that were lean in the keel bone and finding new homes for them in other peoples laying flocks. I still have a few more that I should probably rehome, but I'm kinda attached to them...

 

[igorsMistress]

That's been my experience so far. I have some pullets from a couple white NN hens I put under a Bresse rooster, and others from my Bresse hens under Remmy my big NN cockbird, and the ones from the Bresse hens are actually bigger than their moms now! The pullets from the Bresse cockerel are noticeably smaller. I spent the summer picking out all the hens that were lean in the keel bone and finding new homes for them in other peoples laying flocks. I still have a few more that I should probably rehome, but I'm kinda attached to them...

Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I'm definitely going to be looking for some bigger hens then. My girls are mostly from hatchery stock, not very big at all.

I'm still going to hatch some eggs from the Nn girls I got from you. The one that had all that white on her is now the biggest girl in my flock.

 

[BlueBaby]

It's the same splash boy I had offered to you before the leakage started showing...View attachment 1563124

Ok, I knew that you hatched a bunch of other chicks and thought maybe it might have been another one. I like these darker legs.

 

[cactusrota]

Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I'm definitely going to be looking for some bigger hens then. My girls are mostly from hatchery stock, not very big at all.

I'm still going to hatch some eggs from the Nn girls I got from you. The one that had all that white on her is now the biggest girl in my flock.

I rather enjoy having a few sweet but small layer hens. They're just too cute to look at... I've got a little 5 month old black NN right now that's just the cutest little booger butt. She'll circle my legs and I can pick her up and she'll pretent to struggle, but I give her head scritches and she closes her eyes and chills out. Way too small to breed but I don't think I could ever get rid of her....

 

[cactusrota]

Ok, I knew that you hatched a bunch of other chicks and thought maybe it might have been another one. I like these darker legs.

Nope, he was the only splash out of that hatch. But it looks like a couple of his offspring with the Bresse hens are gonna be splash, which just proves that they are carrying blue as well... just hiding it.

 

[BlueBaby]

@cactusrota While I was sitting outside today observing the chicks out there, I noticed that one of them seems to have some blue splashing going on in the white feathering. That one might have been from out of my Splash Australorp hen. Most of the white ones are coming out with the scattered black feathering in the white. 3 or 4 of them hatched out grayish-brown, and now are getting some barring in the feathering.

 

[igorsMistress]

Couple pics from today. The cool weather must have spurred some feather growth. He doesn't have tail feathers. They're just tiny little nubs.