Wing It Ranch

[Auntiejessi3]

You're right! With her all puffed out, she does look like a (very angry) pile of leaves!

What a perfect description

 

[WingItRanch]

Broody appears to be taking shorter breaks and sitting for longer. Guess she's taking her job very seriously.

I still can't get over that of all my girls, a 6 month old EE/Welsummer mix is the one that was the most determined!

 

[WingItRanch]

So I saw on the coop camera that broody was taking a little break so I texted my partner (I was working) to go check on her eggs while she was out and make sure she still had only 5 and that none were broken. He did... 45 minutes after I asked him. So of course she was back on the nest by the time he made it to the coop.

When I got home, he told me with an offended look on his face that she pecked him. I said... "well, did you touch her?" And he said "she looked so calm and quiet sitting there so I thought I'd give her a little pet."

I've had chickens for a couple years now and he's never once tried to pet any of them. He choose a brooding mama to make his first attempt!!!! I didn't even feel bad. He got what he deserved.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

So I saw on the coop camera that broody was taking a little break so I texted my partner (I was working) to go check on her eggs while she was out and make sure she still had only 5 and that none were broken. He did... 45 minutes after I asked him. So of course she was back on the nest by the time he made it to the coop.

When I got home, he told me with an offended look on his face that she pecked him. I said... "well, did you touch her?" And he said "she looked so calm and quiet sitting there so I thought I'd give her a little pet."

I've had chickens for a couple years now and he's never once tried to pet any of them. He choose a brooding mama to make his first attempt!!!! I didn't even feel bad. He got what he deserved.

This had me rolling! While hubs was doing my chicken chores after I got out of the hospital I told him he needed to check under Onyx to make sure she wasn't hoarding eggs, when he came back in he said "damn she's grouchy," I got up and went into the kitchen and he was washing 2 little bloody pecks where she nailed him. The things we do for love

 

[WingItRanch]

It's been exactly 1 week since broody has been sitting on fertilized eggs. I was thinking about candeling in the next few days.

 

[WingItRanch]

It's been exactly 1 week since broody has been sitting on fertilized eggs. I was thinking about candeling in the next few days.

I'll probably wait until the weekend (which would be day 11) when I can get some help with broody. My plan is to wait until night time and put on gloves and reach under broody to check all 5 eggs. I'll also do a "sniff test" and then slide them back under her. Hopefully it won't be too disruptive for her but I've never had incubating eggs so am interested in seeing in first hand.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I'll probably wait until the weekend (which would be day 11) when I can get some help with broody. My plan is to wait until night time and put on gloves and reach under broody to check all 5 eggs. I'll also do a "sniff test" and then slide them back under her. Hopefully it won't be too disruptive for her but I've never had incubating eggs so am interested in seeing in first hand.

I candle mine when they come off the nest for her daily. My nests are darker tho so there's that. Is her nest open so she can come off on her own or do you let her out?
I say this so if she doesn't come off nest the last couple days, I don't force mine to. I treat it like incubation lockdown.
Some of mine do during this period, some don't.

 

[WingItRanch]

I candle mine when they come off the nest for her daily. My nests are darker tho so there's that. Is her nest open so she can come off on her own or do you let her out?
I say this so if she doesn't come off nest the last couple days, I don't force mine to. I treat it like incubation lockdown.
Some of mine do during this period, some don't.

She can come and go as she pleases! I check on the nest when she's off just to make sure she hasn't stolen another egg but her breaks are usually around noon and it's very bright out at the coop. I'd have to bring them inside the house (which is about 5 acres away from the coop) to get a dark place to look at them and, knowing me, I'd probably drop an egg.