Broodies on the Homestead

[Beekissed]

In the middle of a hatch this night/morning. Two out and 3 more to go, if they are going to hatch...candled but can't see any internal pips at all. One egg exploded in the nest, rotten egg everywhere......just horrible!

Cleaned up the one chick that got the goo on him, covered the mess as best I could with fresh hay and let her continue with this disaster.

 

[Miss Lydia]

aww poor mama, thankfully I have never had an egg explode yet. Hope the rest hatch and the chick with goo will be okay.

Next hatch day here is July 3rd.

 

[Hinotori]

I had eggs explode once. Makes me leary. It was during an unusually wet spell here.

I set eggs on Monday. Dozen under an broody and stuffed the incubator since fertility probably is low with birds molting. The heavy butt feathering doesn't help either.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I trim fluffy butt feathers keeps them clean too.

All the best for a great hatch, nothing more rewarding than watching mama and babies.

 

[Mini Horses]

Had two hatches earlier, now 11 chicks on their own about 2 months old. 2 hens currently setting....another sat and no eggs hatched. I have roos, most hens are being serviced but the early eggs did far better. Hoping the current two hatch theirs.

I'm thinking the weather has some effect and, the roos may need a rest also!! Have some hens who are favs, some who are not interested! It's a crap shoot. Not incubating any this year. No time for it all....esp the after the hatch part.

The chicks were well integrated into the flock and are not being picked upon by the adult hens. They know how to forage, where the coops, water, feed is when it's time. LOVE my hens for doing all that for me. The only step I have left is to divert them into the large coop solely. They go in there but want to sleep in their hatch shelter. Awaking in the large coop and a few days unable to leave the run will get them acclimated to roosting there.

Did I mention....I LOVE my broody hens ? !!

 

[Mini Horses]

One broody hatching a set....began yesterday RIGHT on time...I swear, their calendar is great!! Coming in last night had one just so fluffy and cute yellow chick. Getting ready to check on other eggs in a few. Hard to leave her alone and not disturb but, no window like on incubators.

Another broody due to hatch 6/8.

The 11 who have been emancipated are still doing great & several have the fluffy EE cheeks. Which is great as customers get a kick out of the colored eggs. Many are black but, I have several Black Ameraucana and BCM. You can see some with a light feathering on legs.

It's fun to watch them develop. Of course, I have a couple favs. But I don't tell them that!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Congrats on the hatching
Hope you have found many more since last post.

Next hatch here due 7-3.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Random chick hatched today from the last hen that hadn't quit... Woohoo! Took us a minute to find out who mama was, but then she beat the snot out of another hen who got too close and then claimed the chick, lol.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yay Congrats!! mama hens are awesome.

 

[Hinotori]

My most aggressive when broody hen got on the nest a few days ago. I was actually very happy to see this as she doesn't care who she has to beat the crap out of to get chicks. She prefers to co-brood like most of my silkies. She likes someone else to round up the chicks and hide them while she attacks. She sways other hens around to her way of thinking as well.

Once when another hen in her pen hatched chicks when she wasn't broody herself, she just up and decided "I want those." And helped raise them.

I put her in the isolation coop with the broody I've had eggs under. They had some sort of discussion, and split the dozen eggs up. Now they are sitting beside each other. This is good. I have 2 dozen eggs set in the incubator at the same time. The two of them should handle it just fine.

Because of who the one hen is, I can put her with anyone. Some of the others don't get along well and I have to remember who they like. They all tolerate this one. Part of that may be because she's the very top hen and doesn't take no for an answer. But she's never mean to anyone else. Rarely does she peck.