Using a broodie mama is a magical experience (plus a new garden gate)

[humblehillsfarm]

A month ago I joined this forum to seek advice regarding a mama hen who has been broodie for two months. I got some barnyard mix eggs for her to hatch. It took a while to figure out what was best for mama and me, so in the end we went from six eggs to three, and of those only two hatched. They hatched on Sunday and their temperment is so much better than any hatchery chicks I've raised. Mama hen is doing great! On the day they hatched we also planted three apple trees and built a new gate for our garden.

 

[Aidanhall92]

Aww what a lovely looking chick!

 

[Chicklady707]

What a neat experience! Thanks for sharing!

 

[humblehillsfarm]

What a neat experience! Thanks for sharing!

Ugh they are the sweetest peeps! They are curious and don't freak out when you pick them up. They snuggle into my palms and when I give them back to mama she lifts her chest for them to hide and uses her beak to tuck them in. It makes me never want to brood them myself again! Too bad I already ordered chicks in December and they are arriving next week! I don't have any broody hens to stick them under and I imagine this mama wouldn't accept any more.

 

[Chicklady707]

Ugh they are the sweetest peeps! They are curious and don't freak out when you pick them up. They snuggle into my palms and when I give them back to mama she lifts her chest for them to hide and uses her beak to tuck them in. It makes me never want to brood them myself again! Too bad I already ordered chicks in December and they are arriving next week! I don't have any broody hens to stick them under and I imagine this mama wouldn't accept any more.

My chicks I ordered are arriving the week of June 1 (1st flock of 23 ever for me). I’m excited to start my chicken journey. Hopefully someday one of the girls will go broody like your hen did so my family can experience the hatching of eggs firsthand.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

My chicks I ordered are arriving the week of June 1 (1st flock of 23 ever for me). I’m excited to start my chicken journey. Hopefully someday one of the girls will go broody like your hen did so my family can experience the hatching of eggs firsthand.

As magical as it is, I'm not sure I'd try again just because I don't know what I want to do with any extra roosters.