Broodys all over the place!

[sumi]

I'm starting to wish one of my hens would go broody. It's been awhile since we had chicks around here and judging the cutest baby fowl contest for BYC (over 900 entries) did NOT help any…

 

[NH Homesteader]

still no turkeys... Assuming my first broody failed, but a seconds one started sitting a bit after her so maybe we'll have babies soon? So clueless... Chick babies should be due this week but they're first time broodies so I question their commitment.

 

[sumi]

Did you candle the eggs to see what's going in there? I also thought they'd have shown up by now.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Nope I never do. I'm a slacker, and I don't go near them when they're sitting cause they're scary! Lol. Last year when we gave up, babies showed up... So.... Who knows.we hatched 3 inside so I know everyone's fertile.

 

[Beekissed]

Finally got a stump rolled into the coop for a place to help the juvenile chicks to follow their mama up on the roosts. I closed off the nest boxes and went up later to find them on the top roosts. Success!!!

No more sleeping in a nest box.

Now, need to move the last broody into the maternity ward and put some eggs under her. Sure hope this clutch is more successful than the others.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have 1 broody now but 2 mamas that hatched 2-3 week ago and we're being over run with blk snakes a few are over 6' in length. Any one have any ideas on what to do to keep them at bay. I can't keep my mamas and chicks penned up I haven't a pen. they all free range on a little over a half acre fenced. I haven't ever killed the blk snakes because they keep the copperheads down and also eat mice and rats but I am really concerned they will get these chicks too.

 

[Beekissed]

I have 1 broody now but 2 mamas that hatched 2-3 week ago and we're being over run with blk snakes a few are over 6' in length. Any one have any ideas on what to do to keep them at bay. I can't keep my mamas and chicks penned up I haven't a pen. they all free range on a little over a half acre fenced. I haven't ever killed the blk snakes because they keep the copperheads down and also eat mice and rats but I am really concerned they will get these chicks too.

I've found that bird and deer netting around the living area and sleeping quarters of the mama and chicks can catch some snakes...they wind themselves up in it. I've also used a light application of mothballs before chick season starts with good effect, but if you wait until they have already found the food source of chicks, the mothballs won't work. This season I overdid it on mothballs and that was a huge mistake for my hatches, so from now on only a few each season around the outside of the coops prior to chick season and more reliance on the bird netting instead.

This year I finally have good mouser cats on the land and that may contribute too....no mice, no snakes hanging around.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Your cats don't go after the chicks? That has mainly kept me from adding any cats here.

 

[NH Homesteader]

My broodies have had zero success. We are going to candle and figure out what in the heck is going on. We didn't have a way to separate them and they're all first timers so lots of nest hopping. Hope to either have chicks or break some because I am sick of having no eggs, and no chicks!

Now that I have been reading Bee's broody info, I know how to help next time around at least.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Woohoo - A coronation Sussex hatched out what looks like 2 lavender orp and one black orp chick! Not exactly wonderful success since she was on at least a dozen eggs. Now, if she can just keep 'em alive!