Wing It Ranch

[WingItRanch]

Not really, since I brood outside I feel like all the chicks I grow out mature pretty quickly. Your Marans ladies will be big and robust, while some of your others maybe slimmer built. The cream legbar that is with the Bielefelder pullets (same age) looks anorexic next to them, lol

Gotta love a robust lady!!!

I think because I'm comparing to my last brood, I'm just surprised how healthy and mature these ones are. I brooded outdoors this time, earlier in the year, with the Mama Heating Pad and it just made a world of difference. I'll never go back. In the future I'd really love to only have a broody hen raise chicks.

I haven't had any experience with broodies yet. I'm not sure if it's because of the breeds I keep or just because they're young. My oldest hens are just over a year old. In case anyone needs a reminder, here are the breeds I have:

5 Easter Eggers
4 Plymouth Barred Rock
4 Olive Eggers
2 Welsummers
2 Blue Copper Marans
1 Ancona

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Gotta love a robust lady!!!

I think because I'm comparing to my last brood, I'm just surprised how healthy and mature these ones are. I brooded outdoors this time, earlier in the year, with the Mama Heating Pad and it just made a world of difference. I'll never go back. In the future I'd really love to only have a broody hen raise chicks.

I haven't had any experience with broodies yet. I'm not sure if it's because of the breeds I keep or just because they're young. My oldest hens are just over a year old. In case anyone needs a reminder, here are the breeds I have:

5 Easter Eggers
4 Plymouth Barred Rock
4 Olive Eggers
2 Welsummers
2 Blue Copper Marans
1 Ancona

I'm glad you enjoyed brooding them outside, it's definitely the ticket! Age has nothing to do with it, or breed IMO, Onyx hatched her first brood at 9 months (she's an OE) she is on her 5th brood at 1yr 7 months old , my other OE Prue (she's an OG) was 3 before she went broody, hasn't gone broody since and she's 4 1/2, my brahma, Maribel (5 yrs old) has never gone broody, I've had a bunch of orps, only 2 have gone broody, I could go on and on. I really think it is in the hen or it's not. Be careful, you'll be up to your eyes balls in broodies But worry not, me and @wrathsfarm have got your next generation covered

 

[wrathsfarm]

Not sure if I'm mentioned this before, but....

Need. More. Marans.

 

[wrathsfarm]

My Marans are like Silkies... Broody machines.
1 BCM in '22, 1 BCM in '23. All 9 BCMs and a Black Australorp in '24.
6 so far this year. 5 BCMs (1 hen/4 pullets) and another BA that failed.

Edit... oops 1 last year (Black) and 1 this year (Lil Black) are hybrids... Midnight Majesty Marans.

 

[WingItRanch]

I have heard broodiness is contagious. None if mine seem inclined...

I wanted one to go broody earlier in the spring but I gave up and brooded myself. I'm not planning on adding any more until my hens mature more and start slowing down. So probably year after next. Hopefully the timing will be right and I'll have a broody I can give hatching eggs. I want a rooster raised in the flock.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I have heard broodiness is contagious. None if mine seem inclined...

I wanted one to go broody earlier in the spring but I gave up and brooded myself. I'm not planning on adding any more until my hens mature more and start slowing down. So probably year after next. Hopefully the timing will be right and I'll have a broody I can give hatching eggs. I want a rooster raised in the flock.

Yes very contagious with mine. I've got 2 here cluck cluck clucking but still laying. It's triggered them, but they haven't committed to anything.

I keep a couple golf balls in each box mainly for the pullets when they started laying but left them in to encourage a broody. Other than that we have to wait and see.

It might be wise to start searching for Marans eggs tho, so that your ready just in case one of your girls flips broody.

See what I did there?...

 

[thistlewick]

I just read somewhere recently here on these forums somewhere, probably maybe even from one of you but my memory is in the garbage...

Anyway - that putting a nest full of fake eggs on a nest can encourage broody behavior :O

Like not just 1 or 2 but like 8

I bought a bunch of fake eggs to try but I haven't had the gumption to do it yet hahahaha

 

[wrathsfarm]

I just read somewhere recently here on these forums somewhere, probably maybe even from one of you but my memory is in the garbage...

Anyway - that putting a nest full of fake eggs on a nest can encourage broody behavior :O

Like not just 1 or 2 but like 8

I bought a bunch of fake eggs to try but I haven't had the gumption to do it yet hahahaha

It definitely wouldn't hurt to try. A hen will lay a clutch before going broody. Now that count could vary as chickens can't count, but I seem to get them to go broody with nothing, or 1-2 golf balls.

If you decide to do this, pick a nest box out of the way and not a favorite. This helps with not having a broody in heavy traffic. I would even opt to try setting up a milk crate sort on the floor or screwed to wall. This makes it easy to move broody to separation from flock if you choose. A broody will imprint on the nest and will sometimes break if you try to move her and eggs into another nest so all my nest boxes I can move.

 

[WingItRanch]

Good news. I haven't had any more egg eating or cracked eggs. Adding more fake eggs seemed to do the trick. I also added pads inside the most popular nest boxes for some extra cushioning since the pullets kept kicking out all the straw and leaving only the hard wood for the eggs to sit on.

 

[WingItRanch]

All 10 hens laid an egg today and not a single one cracked!

Looks like Spring is over. Super hot all week and probably until November...