The great broody experiment (new pics p 18)

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Dominique got off the nest this morning when she heard me feeding the turkeys. I quickly put some feed down for her, since I don't leave a full free-choice feeder in squirrel season, I worried about her getting enough food for three weeks.....at least until I can move her to the broody pen.

I snuck in and checked the nest.....the six eggs I stuffed the nest with were the only real eggs! She'd gone broody on a rose quartz egg and a golf ball! I understand. In the dark, I pick up that golf ball and bring it in with the eggs on a regular basis.

She was still out when I came in to filter the milk. I will check before I go to work later to see if she went back. I have only one more week of rooster, then it is coq au vin!

 

[ams3651]

wow, somehow I lost track of this thread. She hatched 4 successfully and another 2 who had a hard time getting out of the shell and didnt make it. They are 4 weeks and I opened the broody box a couple days ago. She took them out in the run for the first time yesterday. I think I have 1 roo. I dont have any recent pics but I do have one of her. And yes it was out first time hatching, mine and hers.

 

[punkin]

Both of mine seem to be sitting OK. June 12th should be their due date.

I'm going to put the 3rd one back in with the rest of the flock tomorrow. I hope a few days is all it will take to break her.

 

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Dominiqu-ah was off the nest this morning when I went to check on her, so I fed her and peeked at the eggs quickly.....two pipped!!!!! One was Blue-blue's, my favorite hen!!! (Of course, that also means it is half the evil rooster-formerly-known-as-George....)

An update, since I couldn't safely leave feed for her since the chippies would get it all, I ended up hand feeding her every day. She hissed at first and refused, but hunger took over and I quickly learned that she would eat if she couldn't see my eyes. So I would hold the cardboard flap of the box she is in at an angle so I could see just enough of what I was doing, but we couldn't see each other's eyes. Then she would eat until she was full! I know she got off the nest for water and such, because I could see the scratch marks in the dirt and I left fresh greens for her, too.

I brought her worms and grubs that I collected while gardening, too.

The last three days, she did her broody doo in her nest box! So I had to go in and pull that out, with her hissing and pecking and huffing at me.

I'm so excited! I was not able to candle the eggs, my flashlight is too weak I guess, and I never got out to buy another one. I am just hoping to get to the dead eggs before any explode.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Congrats, Free!!!!!!

I have two broodies again, haven't separated them yet, my frist broody (Chirpy, our frizzled Sizzle) hatched 3 chicks and they are all frizzled feathered like their mama. Too cute.

 

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We have one chick so far, definitely Blue-blue's offspring....I hope it is a pullet!!!! Two more are pipping. Yippee!

 

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This morning......three more chicks! So how long before I remove the rest of the eggs, please?

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I would give her a couple more days, Free. I had chicks hatch as late as day 28, so give her about 2 more days to see if anymore pop out.

Congrats on the new babies!!

 

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Thanks, Aly, now if I could just get my turkey hen to sit awhile and relax.....I was advised on byc not to make a nest box, but to make a brush pile for her. That just is not working, so I will build the nest box this week and see what happens.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Thanks, Aly, now if I could just get my turkey hen to sit awhile and relax.....I was advised on byc not to make a nest box, but to make a brush pile for her. That just is not working, so I will build the nest box this week and see what happens.

Make the nest box.

My turkey hen right now is setting in the layer coop IN the nest box for my chickens!

Make the box.