Broodies on the Homestead

[Mini Horses]

I LOVE to watch them! When I threw some scraps out today, the hen with one chick...yes, ONE!!...ran and grabbed some and took it to her chick! Dropped it down for the chick and clucked to it She has a nest in the barn, takes it there at night and had actually scooped loose hay up into a nice outer mound for a nest. The one with 6 chicks (these two shared) is on full attack if you even look her way. Great mom, 2nd yr in a row. I will band her to know which one as I have several white with some black spots. Want to keep her!

 

[Beekissed]

I too have more broodies...two more this week. I'll give one chicks tonight and one eggs, just to get them off my coop nests.

 

[Mini Horses]

I too have more broodies...two more this week

Ahhh...Spring is in the air! They sure make raising chicks less of a chore and the chicks are trained in every way

 

[sumi]

I LOVE to watch them! When I threw some scraps out today, the hen with one chick...yes, ONE!!...ran and grabbed some and took it to her chick! Dropped it down for the chick and clucked to it She has a nest in the barn, takes it there at night and had actually scooped loose hay up into a nice outer mound for a nest. The one with 6 chicks (these two shared) is on full attack if you even look her way. Great mom, 2nd yr in a row. I will band her to know which one as I have several white with some black spots. Want to keep her!

Good broodies are awesome

 

[Beekissed]

Good broodies can also be a pain in the patootey. I've got Broody #1 sleeping in the coop nest boxes now with her brood. BIG no no. Now I'll have to block off the nest boxes and open them up each day to keep from having tiny poops in the hay. Grrrr!

Foster mom is covering her new chicks and Broody #3 is covering her new clutch of eggs. Broody #2 will get to take her brood out on the land today, day three after hatch. Been raining for two days, so I doubt she will go far...rainy and cool.

Got three more Johnny come lately chicks under a heating pad from a messed up brood by broody #2, hope to add them to foster mom's brood when they gain enough strength.

Never had such a messed up, mixed up broody season...it's getting problematic.

 

[Mini Horses]

Never had such a messed up, mixed up broody season...it's getting problematic.

Same here! Musical chairs with eggs, chicks, nests, hens! I blame ME for not isolating like I know works. Won't let myself get so messed up again. I've lost chicks because of it

I want some new bloodlines. Next year I will buy day old to foster a setting hen, even losing eggs if need be.

 

[Beekissed]

Broody #3 is having her hatch today....7 are out and alive, one looks to have been smashed by mama and about 6-7 more eggs are yet to hatch. More WR than mixed breeds this hatch, which I'm pleased about.

The other two broodies and families are doing fine, they have 8 chicks each and are doing well on keeping them fed and fit.

I'm missing a BA out of the flock today...she has been coming and going out of the flock lately and I'm thinking she's either laying out in the woods and just isn't making it back for feeding time, or she's sitting a nest, which would be unusual for hatchery stock BAs...particularly the group I have, which have shown no broody tendencies. I hope she IS broody and going to come back trailing a bunch of chicks one day soon...that would be great.

If all the eggs hatch from this current hatch, I'll have 46 birds on the land this season, until fall butchering time.

 

[BarredBuff]

I am aggravated at my broody girls this year. I have had a BO set twice and destroy her nests both times. I tried to reset her with fresh eggs the other day and she broke part of them. I'm going to get the old ones out and try a new set in a day or two. I love a broody, but she is a headache.

Pretty sure my turkey hen is setting somewhere in the woods, or fence row. I can't find her. More power to her.

@Beekissed Where did you get your White Rocks from? I am getting ready to do some serious culling and want to add that breed into the flock.

 

[Beekissed]

I am aggravated at my broody girls this year. I have had a BO set twice and destroy her nests both times. I tried to reset her with fresh eggs the other day and she broke part of them. I'm going to get the old ones out and try a new set in a day or two. I love a broody, but she is a headache.

Pretty sure my turkey hen is setting somewhere in the woods, or fence row. I can't find her. More power to her.

@Beekissed Where did you get your White Rocks from? I am getting ready to do some serious culling and want to add that breed into the flock.

Got my original 5 hens back 10 yrs ago from MPC, who were using Meyer's hatchery as a source back then. Not sure if they'd have the same good genetics as back then, I've heard reports that folks like McMurray's better nowadays.

Since then I've added standard bred stock and have bred my own line from there.

It's a good breed to have around...meaty, calm, hard working, easy on feed.

 

[baymule]

I had a broody hen and a broody Muscovy. But a 6 foot rat snake cleaned them out. I found him curled up, called my husband and I hated to, but we killed him. Then Paris jumped on him and wore herself out shaking that snake. We finally had to throw it over the fence so she wouldn't keep shaking it.