South Carolina

[Moonchild]

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BillyJ- I had a Buff Orp that went broody (Pre-Roo) so I knew they wouldn't hatch, So I let her sit I took her eggs everyday then gave her fake ones, Anywho she actually stayed broody for about 4-5weeks before she finally got up and never looked back. I'd just leave her alone and let her pretend to raise a family. NOW i had a broody hens that raised four beautiful babies and I love watching them grow.....OH and because of the way my coop is I couldn't fence off the hen from the others, and she hatched her eggs and is now raising her young all in the big coop with everybody else...She was not the top hen, but since she has babies, they leave this mother alone...even the rooster is scared of her...

 

[pinkwindsong]

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I don't think they will lay this season~or I should say mine have never started until the following season. Now said yours might start laying!!

We were very blessed today! I sold all my 2 week old keets(18) and 9 of my 6 week plus keets. I also sold 5 pet quality silkies~that included 2 roos!!!!

I could use more days like this!!

whew hoooo you got the mojo today.... work it baby work it...

 

[pinkwindsong]

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I had no idea there were bantam barred rocks wow..

.. let her have her little clutch.. poor little girl...

)O(
Pink

 

[pinkwindsong]

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[Lroach711]

Got my first egg from one of the pullets I hatched this spring! I was totally suprised because it's from one of my marans that is actually younger than some of the other pullets! She is almost 20 wks old. yay!

It's the egg on the left

*Amy Nadine the pullet that layed is from eggs I got from you.

 

[Cpntherfan]

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congratss

 

[Moonchild]

OK QUESTION: I'm first time owner of a broody hen with chicks..so at what age will Momma hen(a BO) stops taking care of her babies???

The reason i ask is because tonight she was torn I saw her jump up on the roosting post and leave her babies, then they beep beep beep at her and she came down and got everybody under her. The babies are 2.5 weeks and 2 weeks old.(Remember one hatched early) so if she leaves them do I seperate them or just leave them in the big coop? Oh the questions!?!

 

[huckleberryfarm]

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I'm still a page behind so someone may have already said this.... the only way I've really been able to break a broody is to move it or to lock it out of the coop if that's possible. Fortunately I have a lot of coops, so I move the rascal in question. Being in a new environment generally does the trick but it takes a few days. Move her back and if she starts being broody again, move her for longer. Some of them are stubborn! It eventually works and you can put her back where she belongs! My silkies will be broody... not broody.... broody.... not broody... he loves me.... he loves me not.

 

[huckleberryfarm]

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Someone else may have more experience since I've only had a few hens hatch chicks and raise them. My silkies did great for a few days. One then tried to murder her chicks and one completely ignored them. I had to take them all inside where they all ended up dying eventually. Ugh! I know others have had great experiences. My one silkie did do a good job raising her guineas though. Maybe they just don't like chicks that look like them!

I would say it depends on the hen. How about that for a concrete answer!

 

[Moonchild]

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Those eggs are huge for 20weeks, or do you have small hands...

my SLW eggs are tiny..... OH and Today I found a ton of eggs under my deck where the birds go to get out of the sun,....the funny thing is me crawling under a 18" space to collect them ..... So if a egg sinks its still good right?????