The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[ssterling1776]

I actually have Bertha, Martha, and Fannie (but Franny instead of Fannie) as well. Hehehe. I like Doris though! 

Here are some more from my family history Edna, Irma, Imogene, Reba, Hazel for the ladies and Ezra for the boys.

Ruby, Ramona, Dora, Shirley, Eloise

 

[stonykill]

So, neophyte that I am... I have a question. How do you know when a girl has gone broody,,, she simply sits on her eggs, and won't get up? For those of us who collect eggs every day, does a broody just start sitting one day on an egg she has laid? If she does, you can just give her more, and she will accept them? If one gets off a nest after a bit, can one put them into an incubator, or are those just a lost cause?


ALong these lines of thought,, I am fairly sure 7 of my 9 pullets are laying,, I've been collecting eggs for 2 weeks now, is it safe to remove the dummy eggs you think?

thanks guys,
MB

when you have a broody you know it. I can see a few days before they sit that they are getting ready to go broody. They sit longer and longer each day after laying until they sit. I never remove dummy eggs. But with that said, yes I'm sure you can. She will take every egg you want to give her.

 

[jockeyeba]

My chickens will fly over a wooden or chainlink fence that is 4-6 feet high, but for some reason since they can't perch on it, they won't go over a 42 inch high poultry netting.  Weedkiller is mostly for a stationary fence, but if you are using it for portable fencing, you can just move it.  I mow around mine since I don't use weedkiller, but that involves mowing both sides, then moving it a foot to mow more--it gets to be a lot of work in summer.  The grass can really get into the netting and stickif you don't keep up with it.

  my Sumatra's can fly straight up 15 to 20 feet if they feel the need. My EE's 10 feet easily. I've had OEGB's in the past that could fly over fences almost as well as my Sumatra's. Now the big girls, the RIR's, Black Australop and the mutts need what you say...a perch to clear the fence. 

When we made a 6' high pen around the Bantam coop they just flew out & across the yard like it was nothing. Had to put poultry netting across the entire top of their pen

Now the AG's can really fly they're totally freerange & roost in the trees except for the original 6 hens will go into their coop at night, I lock them up & turn them loose every morning My 3 WR's can bearly climb over the 6" ledge in & out of their coop

 

[jockeyeba]

I actually have Bertha, Martha, and Fannie (but Franny instead of Fannie) as well. Hehehe. I like Doris though! 

Here are some more from my family history Edna, Irma, Imogene, Reba, Hazel for the ladies and Ezra for the boys.

I name all of my sheep but only a few of my chickens

 

[jockeyeba]

my RIR's that went broody aren't hatchery birds. They are old farm stock from a farm that ran for 60 years in the area, breeding it's own birds. My hatchery RIR's haven't at least so far given broodiness a 2nd thought.

So, neophyte that I am... I have a question. How do you know when a girl has gone broody,,, she simply sits on her eggs, and won't get up? For those of us who collect eggs every day, does a broody just start sitting one day on an egg she has laid? If she does, you can just give her more, and she will accept them? If one gets off a nest after a bit, can one put them into an incubator, or are those just a lost cause? ALong these lines of thought,, I am fairly sure 7 of my 9 pullets are laying,, I've been collecting eggs for 2 weeks now, is it safe to remove the dummy eggs you think? thanks guys, MB

My AG girls lay 12-14 eggs then go broody, stay on the nest & you will know when they are, they'll peck the heck out of you, I only know the 12-14 deal because some of them are really good at hiding their eggs & when I find them thats always how many they have before they start setting. I have to take a towel & cover them to pick them up, throw them out of the nest & take the eggs if I don't want chicks at the time

 

[Bulldogma]

Those are great photos BDM! Beautiful birds too.

lol
Your birds are liking the snow experience..cute

HOLY CARP! These pictures are beautiful! You could use any one of them for a winter month cover shot in a calendar.

Thanks, all! Snow is almost completely gone now. We probably won't get any more this winter - LOL.

 

[Melabella]

when you have a broody you know it. I can see a few days before they sit that they are getting ready to go broody. They sit longer and longer each day after laying until they sit. I never remove dummy eggs. But with that said, yes I'm sure you can. She will take every egg you want to give her.

Thanks for explaining that! I'll leave the dummy eggs,,good idea.. If a broody jumps off a nest mid way through, can one intervene, and try to continue to hatch them?

My AG girls lay 12-14 eggs then go broody, stay on the nest & you will know

when they are, they'll peck the heck out of you,

I only know the 12-14 deal because some of them are really good at hiding their eggs & when I find them thats always how many they have before they start setting. I have to take a towel & cover them to pick them up, throw them out of the nest & take the eggs if I don't want chicks at the time

The ol towel trick...lol... I just did that to clip my rabbits nails...she wanted to kill me. Wrappedher in a towel, and she couldn't move, and grabbed each leg out at a time. She still got even with me, and peed in my lap. I think I have to walk deep into the woods, and turn her loose! jk...well,,,maybe not.....

MB

 

[Melabella]

Thanks, all! Snow is almost completely gone now. We probably won't get any more this winter - LOL.

Are you kidding me BDM? You really won't get any more? I think I have to move to Virginia....home of the great Secretariat!

. one of my favorite pictures of him.. rarely seen, with Eddie,,, his devoted groom Barn10, in the back walking ring.. Belmont Park, NY

p.s. Talk about Standard of Perfection, this is about as good as it gets.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote: Bulldogma


I think my "little yellow" may turn out to have the same coloring as your Ginger?? What do you think..this is Little Yellow today at 3 weeks:







And this is today too...just for the "ahhhhhh" factor

 

[jockeyeba]

We are very fortunate to have so mny expirenced people on this thread. Most of them brood. So if you are considering using a broody hen, they have tons of information to offer. Each one has experiences that work for them. I am constantly learin from so many every day. It is remarkable of the wealth of information in such a small area.

I wanted to bring up the subject of brooding for a reason. Spring is on the way and many hens are gettting reaady to nest. It is perfect time in there cycle to start laying and getting ready. Many of the more broody hens start laying well and go broody a few months right after they recover from molt. Some breeds and hens do not go broody or they start to set a nest and change there minds.

I bet you wonder why. Most of the chickens that people have in there back yard are production birds, and chicks from production birds. They were bred to lay eggs, not hatch eggs. Just keep the eggs coming. They were culled for going broody. Just the longest egg layers were kept. Eventually the super layer was made. Leghorns.

To be continued after chores...

Let us discuss some of the very broody breeds.

The broody breeds I have are:
Cochin
Silkie
Game Bantams
and a Barred Rock line that makes good broodies

Stony, we need your input here as well.  

American Games are extremely broody, thats all they want to do is raise chicks