TheFatBlueCat
Crowing
This isn't a question post, just an observation about one of my hens.
This hen appears to just not quite get the concept of brooding. She is technically a first timer, although she did sit the distance earlier this season but had a failed hatch (through no fault of her own, that time.) This time, she's once again been a sitting champion, but she doesn't always sit ON the eggs. She sits beside them.
It all began with her deciding to be broody. As usual she picked one of the two side by side nest boxes. This is not ideal, and usually I move the hen pretty quickly, but I already had two other hens sitting. So I figured she could stay there with false eggs and I'd move her closer to hatch time (taking eggs from another hen). I put down the false eggs. When I check on her again she's swapped sides, and is sitting on an empty nest. No biggie I think, and move the eggs under her.
Next time I check, she's moved again, to sit in the empty box. Fine, I think. They're fake eggs anyway, I'm going to move her, I'll let her be.
So, I set up the plastic dog kennel for her. Move her and her lonely fake eggs. She takes to the kennel much easily than I expect. I count my lucky stars.
Today I candle the dozen eggs I've got under another broody, and give 4 of them to this hen. She sits on 2 of them. I put her onto all of them. This works till she gets up. On her return, she sits on 1 of them. I'm getting a little concerned I've got myself a very special kind of hen here. I put her back on all of them. I check. She's sitting on 2. I take 2 eggs and put them back with the other broody. I'm hoping with just 2 eggs there she will at least sit on them by accident if not by design. I'm concerned but also curious what on earth is going to happen when/if these chicks hatch. 2 is a much smaller number than I would have wanted, my minimum is 4 under usual circumstances.
This hen is an orpington and I was pretty happy when she indicated she was willing to brood as she is so big I hoped to fit 12 eggs under her no problems. Well, best laid plans! I've one other orpington who I suspect is a bit 'special' too. Maybe it's a breed thing....
I shall update you all on what happens when these eggs hatch! Tues/Wed is the day, and I've got the same eggs under another hen so I've got a direct comparison.
Last time she was in a narrower kennel, and I shall take that lesson to heart if she gets another chance at this. The narrow kennel is already occupied right now.
This hen appears to just not quite get the concept of brooding. She is technically a first timer, although she did sit the distance earlier this season but had a failed hatch (through no fault of her own, that time.) This time, she's once again been a sitting champion, but she doesn't always sit ON the eggs. She sits beside them.
It all began with her deciding to be broody. As usual she picked one of the two side by side nest boxes. This is not ideal, and usually I move the hen pretty quickly, but I already had two other hens sitting. So I figured she could stay there with false eggs and I'd move her closer to hatch time (taking eggs from another hen). I put down the false eggs. When I check on her again she's swapped sides, and is sitting on an empty nest. No biggie I think, and move the eggs under her.
Next time I check, she's moved again, to sit in the empty box. Fine, I think. They're fake eggs anyway, I'm going to move her, I'll let her be.
So, I set up the plastic dog kennel for her. Move her and her lonely fake eggs. She takes to the kennel much easily than I expect. I count my lucky stars.
Today I candle the dozen eggs I've got under another broody, and give 4 of them to this hen. She sits on 2 of them. I put her onto all of them. This works till she gets up. On her return, she sits on 1 of them. I'm getting a little concerned I've got myself a very special kind of hen here. I put her back on all of them. I check. She's sitting on 2. I take 2 eggs and put them back with the other broody. I'm hoping with just 2 eggs there she will at least sit on them by accident if not by design. I'm concerned but also curious what on earth is going to happen when/if these chicks hatch. 2 is a much smaller number than I would have wanted, my minimum is 4 under usual circumstances.
This hen is an orpington and I was pretty happy when she indicated she was willing to brood as she is so big I hoped to fit 12 eggs under her no problems. Well, best laid plans! I've one other orpington who I suspect is a bit 'special' too. Maybe it's a breed thing....
I shall update you all on what happens when these eggs hatch! Tues/Wed is the day, and I've got the same eggs under another hen so I've got a direct comparison.
Last time she was in a narrower kennel, and I shall take that lesson to heart if she gets another chance at this. The narrow kennel is already occupied right now.
