San Diego Chicken meetup and Chat thread

[SunnyCalifornia]

Aww!!

I have my first broody!!! I've been afraid to claim it, as I might jinx it, but she's been sitting steady for over week now! Its my black Australorp Gisele, she doesn't have fertile eggs, so I stuck a couple OEGB eggs under her. I'm worried about the size difference when they hatch, these are itty bitty chicks, compared to an Australorp, at least 1/3 the size of a standard baby. I'm a bit worried if the babies actually hatch. Will she crush them? Should I steal her eggs before hatch date, and stick in the incubator? She's gotten up twice, for maybe an hour or two, or three each time, is that going to ruin the eggs? Its totally my fault each time, I kept trying to move her into a solitary area, so the other hens wouldn't try to lay on top of her. Now I've decided to quit trying to move her, and just let her do her thing. I close off the coop during the daytime, so her flock will leave her alone.

I haven't tried to candle her eggs yet, but maybe I will tomorrow. I hope they are okay.

 

[All-American-Chick]

yeah sunny,
Funny how all the other hens want to lay right where mama broody is,why do they do that?
Ive been told that if mama is to big the babies would be crushed under her.I havent tried it so Im not sure how true but sounds reasonable.Maybe keep an eye on her and when they get close pull out the eggs and pop a day old under her to give her a little one to raise.I have some due to hatch here on the 6th of july that your welcome to stick under her if you need one or if you want to just take the eggs now to stick under her your welcome to some i have in the bator.
They are mutts though.
renee

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

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If you scroll back you'll see my broody Australorp with her new chicks, one which is a bantam NN. The other, not quite standard. She's doing great with them. I wondered how it would turn out because of the difference in egg size but she hatched them out, both the same day, and she's being a great mama. An OEGB is quite a bit smaller even then a regular bantam. I guess you'll have to wait and see. I'd be curious how it goes. I have some D'Uccle eggs I would like to try out under her some day.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Don't worry Nancy they will eventually get her, just takes time for the male to work his way up the chicken dominance ladder.

When I first got my Wyandotte boy it took about 5 months before he was "King of ALL" (because he was younger than the pullets).





Anyone wanna come have a canning party with me today? Just scored 300 pounds of nectarines.

 

[luvanimals2]

Allison, They are Jerusalem Artichokes aka Sunchokes. I am not sure if it is safe or not but I have had them for years and none of my 4 dogs have ever gotten sick. But look it up to be on the safe side.

Nancy
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Don't worry, they'll get her!!! My Light Brahma was continually fighting off my little bantam NN, then lo and behold one day I see him on her and she's just sitting there.

I don't remember the name of the sunflower type root that you gave me at the Ramona meet up, but the dogs love the leaves. Is it safe for them to eat? They can't get to them right now but they would sure love to.

 

[luvanimals2]

Cari, I am not worried. I do not plan on hatching or letting any of the broodies hatch any eggs but I may have been talked into it if Blondie's eggs were fertile. I have the BCM caged up in the garage and I let the "boys" out at a decent hour. So today I let the 4 males left out and first thing the BCM does is go and mate w/ the Blue Maran. Blondie was overlooked. She was standing right next to her sister.

Too bad I was not closer, I would have loved to help can. I got a ton of jars from freecycle and have been itching to can.

Nancy
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[WhiteMountainsRanch]

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That's AWESOME!!! I tried the freecycle thing but couldn't figure out how it worked and they wanted me to sign up and do all this weird stuff just to look at the listings, then after I was done with that I couldn't even find the listings to look at them.

 

[dfdesigns]

300 pounds? Whoa! I was out picking some plums this morning; I almost have enough to make jam.

For those of you who like pomelos, ours are back in tasty mode. Looks like we're going to have a great crop of apples and grapes, too.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Yay plums!!! I bet plum jam would be good! I've never had nectarine jam either but figured I'd try it.

I also have oranges but I'm trying to decide if I should do some of those or more nectarines or something else next... decisions decisions!!!

 

[dfdesigns]

Plum jam is pretty tasty... my mom makes pomegranate jam/jelly that will blow your socks off!