Sexing the Australorp. Mystery or Myth?

[bruceha2000]

Mean chicken.

PROTECTIVE hen!!

Lol oh my! I don't have much experience with broody hens as all my hens focus on eggs not chicks so I've never experienced a broody hen. Hope all works out for you!

There are "broodY hens" and "broodING hens". You can have a broody hen without having fertile eggs. Their hormones tell them they NEED to be hatching something, even if they are only sitting on pine shavings. If they are actually sitting on fertile eggs, they are brooding and there should be little peepers in 21 days after she starts brooding. She will lay quite a few eggs before that so she has a clutch.

 

[BubbaLikesIt]

That's right. We have no Rooster and she is just going through a hormonal stage that turns her into a Werewolf. She has raised 4 clutches and this will be her 5th. Never lost a chick to freezing cold or animals. Beats a heat lamp and babysitting chicks. She has them scratching for grubs in 5 days and showing them the well water trough. Can't beat it.

 

[bruceha2000]

I agree!

 

[BubbaLikesIt]

I agree!

I've seen that hen take 10 chicks out into a snow storm. About every 4 or 5 minutes, she would sit down on them in the snow and warm them up. Pure genius, I can't do any better.

 

[bruceha2000]

Absolutely can't!!! Hen is best. Though none of my chickens are interested in going out in the snow. They were very happy today, wind blew a lot of the snow away yesterday. It warmed up and rained a fair bit of the day but stopped. Chickens all out plucking grass.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

PROTECTIVE hen!!


There are "broodY hens" and "broodING hens". You can have a broody hen without having fertile eggs. Their hormones tell them they NEED to be hatching something, even if they are only sitting on pine shavings. If they are actually sitting on fertile eggs, they are brooding and there should be little peepers in 21 days after she starts brooding. She will lay quite a few eggs before that so she has a clutch.

Yeah my birds have all decided they don't want kids. I've never had any hen that was either so we adopt and buy chicks instead

 

[bruceha2000]

Lucky you!!! I've had girls that go broody even though they are a breed that isn't known for broodiness.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

Lucky you!!! I've had girls that go broody even though they are a breed that isn't known for broodiness.

Honesty I prefer them to not go broody. I was considering making an incubator for my eggs. Have not done that yet.. still have other projects going on. The reason is because I LOVE my BO rooster. He is amazing and I would keep a cockerel or 2 from him. So unless I had an evil strain somewhere (or ended up with 6 cockerels lol) then I would be ok with all his babies.
Edited because: I've read some of my breeds are supposed to be broody, but are not.

 

[bruceha2000]

You mean like Buff Orpingtons? Their presumed broody nature is why I don't have them.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

PROTECTIVE hen!!


There are "broodY hens" and "broodING hens". You can have a broody hen without having fertile eggs. Their hormones tell them they NEED to be hatching something, even if they are only sitting on pine shavings. If they are actually sitting on fertile eggs, they are brooding and there should be little peepers in 21 days after she starts brooding. She will lay quite a few eggs before that so she has a clutch.

I actually just saw a video of this.. a hen was sitting on 4 kittens that were very large next to her prob 5 wks old. It was hilarious and she raised herself and feathers to defend them from whoever was taking the video. Adorable.