The Middle Tennessee Thread

[StacyTN]

Now I know why people make such a big deal about broody hens. I just got pecked twice by mine. Didn't hurt to bad but it scared me pretty good. She was like a mad miniature pit bull with feathers, bound & determined I wasn't getting her egg. Then she went out of the coop raising nine different kinds of ... Well you know. If there's a bright side, I think it means my birds are healthy. I mean if they weren't I wouldn't have one trying to hatch eggs would I? Isn't it to cold to let her try? The chicks would hatch around the middle of Dec. I might let her try to sit one out just to see if she's serious. What do ya'll say?
Let her try?
Or keep taking her eggs?

Interested to hear others idea/opinions. I have a hen that just laid her first egg this last Sunday (our very first laid egg ever since acquiring chickens in June - woot woot & she's has laid one everyday now since sunday

). She hasn't I guess gone broody though and not really sure if the eggs are fertile because mainly she is in the hen coop without any boys but we do let them free range a few hrs. most days with our LF Cochins and my husband has seen one of the roosters do his thing with her.
Right now for me, we are happy just to finally get eggs but the thought has crossed my mind to see if she will go broody and sit on them BUT I have some 8 week old chicks and said I wouldn't do anymore babies until spring but it is very tempting

 

[Countrypunk92]

I love to let them go broody unless I am trying to hatch them,

 

[DMRippy]

I don't do broodies, I have a couple of times but not for long. You have to keep them separate from the others in a pen that the chicks can't get out of. They need to be on the ground so the chicks will not fall 3 feet out of the coop. I personally would not let a broody raise chicks this time of year.... just me.

 

[CarolJ]

I love broody hens! It's the easiest way to raise chicks because the hen does all the work. You don't have to worry about integrating the chicks into the flock. I have a broody that hatched two chicks this morning. The broody keeps them warm. They'll play awhile then run to her and crawl under her feathers to get warm. This is my first time with a broody in cold weather though. I hope it works out okay.

 

[BitByChickenBug]

Interested to hear others idea/opinions. I have a hen that just laid her first egg this last Sunday (our very first laid egg ever since acquiring chickens in June - woot woot & she's has laid one everyday now since sunday

). She hasn't I guess gone broody though and not really sure if the eggs are fertile because mainly she is in the hen coop without any boys but we do let them free range a few hrs. most days with our LF Cochins and my husband has seen one of the roosters do his thing with her.
Right now for me, we are happy just to finally get eggs but the thought has crossed my mind to see if she will go broody and sit on them BUT I have some 8 week old chicks and said I wouldn't do anymore babies until spring but it is very tempting

StacyTN you've given me hope. My eldest birds were June babies....lots of bright red combs and not an egg YET!!! Killin me. Really hoping they don't just bypass winter and not start till spring!

 

[StacyTN]

StacyTN you've given me hope. My eldest birds were June babies....lots of bright red combs and not an egg YET!!! Killin me. Really hoping they don't just bypass winter and not start till spring!

Well, not to bust your bubble but the hen that is laying now was "hatched in the spring" so says the breeder, but I'm not real sure what "spring" really meant, but they looked like they were a couple months old when we got them. sorry

She is a RIR. I know exactly how you feel. We got these hens stricktly for eggs and we were so excited to ge that first egg. To boot, she is laying one everyday and all have been in great shape, hard shell etc.
I do have some bantam cochins from SQ parents that were born in June and have been mating for some time but no eggs yet. At this point, with winter setting in not sure now I want any until spring now, but we'll see. If they start to lay it will be real hard to not leave them and let them try to hatch (or pull for the incubator).

 

[DMRippy]

Not sure you meant this but leaving eggs will not make a pullet/hen go broody. Don't leave eggs in the hopes..... wait till they go broody and then give them eggs or chicks

I take eggs everyday.... still have broodies.

BTW I think I may have broken the BLRW's ... Moved them to a new pen, gave them a little roo for them to harass

poor guy, Move in several different birds on one side of them (roos, pullets hens) Cleaned pens next to them. I think they have STOPPED.... but no eggs yet so they will get to stay in the BUSY pen for a little while longer.

BTW Ice packs didn't PHASE them.

 

[Countrypunk92]

O_O
Broodies

I am starting to see comb development and blue enter the wings,woo

 

[BMaverick]

Lovin the TN life here. Would be better if the people from the cites like Goodlettsville & Springfield stop dropping their dogs off as strays in the area around Cross Plains. our birds already have enough predators, no need for more.

 

[Countrypunk92]

LOL that is a usuall animal drop. My friend lives there and she finds new cats, dogs, everything there.