The great broody experiment (new pics p 18)

[Beekissed]

I don't think so, unless one is developing show bloodlines and breeding for certain traits. I don't think chickens are susceptible to the whole genetic soup thingy like other animals. When one male services a whole flock, I just can't imagine how they could NOT breed daughters and grand-daughters. I guess it happens and some chicks are born with genetic defects and we just don't hear about it because they get culled...I don't know.

I agree! I was annoyed with this one broody and would never let her sit, because I felt she would make a bad mother. I was going to cull her because she is always broody and then I got to thinking......why not use these evil powers for good? Why not let her sit to her heart's content so that I won't have to buy chicks?

Last year she was my only broody....this year I have three. Maybe I can encourage the broodiness trait back into my flock.

 

[me&thegals]

What a strange, strange world we live in. Order chicks from states away and cull our broody hens. Yikes! And, I'm shocked to realize how often we do crazy things just because it's the way it has always (or recently) been done, and we do it without thinking. At least I do.

 

[dacjohns]

Lots of things in life are amazing, even miraculous.

Baby kittens are up there right now. Kitty is a really good mom.

Broody hens are another thing. When those little chicks hatch out and start following momma hen around . . . it's just great. Then you get to watch momma hen teach the chicks. They do tend be a little wild though but I still like "natural" raised chickens.

I had three broods last year. Two in the coop and one that disappeared into the woods and did it without our knowledge.

 

[Tallman]

Why can't one of my hens go broody!?!?!?

I need some chocolate and a hug.

I talked to a neighbor who has bantams that get broody. He said that when he has one ready to set he will call me, and I can pick the little lady up so she can set here. If it all pans out, I think I'll give this guy a loaf of my bread or put him in my will.

Hey free I ain't got no chocolate but here's the .

 

[freemotion]

Hmmm, maybe I can put the word out and buy a broody from someone locally. Not a bantam, though, with our big pasture, the redtails would have a nice snack. I have a covered pen where the broody can live until the chicks are bigger than a cheese doodle.

Once the turkeys are in the freezer, that is! June 1!

 

[freemotion]

OK, here is the picture of the egg sculpture one of my hens made in the nest box. Sorry about the picture quality, my battery was dying and I also didn't want to turn the light on and wake up the girls!

Weird, huh?

 

[Beekissed]

You may be on to something, free....my broody makes the same configuration! I couldn't believe it myself when I saw that and it would seem like it would be uncomfortable and that the top egg would get most of the warmth or something. My first broody didn't do that, though.

It is very weird!

 

[MorelCabin]

But do they actually set them like that, or is that a 'storing' configuration for setting at a later date? I have 3 hens setting right now, one should be hatching any day now...I forgot to date it!

 

[Beekissed]

Morel, I lifted my red EE off her nest to check the eggs and found them just like that! And she was sitting right down in the nest. This poor gal is more broody than she is normal...she has two huge lines of flesh showing on her breast from the sloughed feathers and down. A born broody hen, if I ever saw one. I finally had mercy on her and let her sit.

 

[MorelCabin]

Haha! Well, she's good for something! One of my silkies is sitting on 17 eggs right now...I have no idea how that's going to go...she was sitting on 18 but kicked out a dud yesterday. I figured I'd try it and see if she really could handle that many. No idea, but I know the wild ducks around here brood tons at a time.