Chickens!!

[milkmansdaughter]

I've got an Orpington now named Lilly who will sit all afternoon in the laying box on eggs that are from other hens. I hate to tell her that they're never going to hatch... We have a young rooster just starting to strut his stuff. We weren't planning on having chicks this year, but I kinda feel sorry for Lilly. I usually leave an egg for her in the box overnight. Maybe I can get her some fake ones?

We're getting about 5 eggs a day from about 8 layers. We have three young ones not laying yet ( we think one is a rooster) and three old ladies well past their prime. They might still be contributing once in a while. We give a dozen a week away to a friend with cancer, and a dozen to an elderly neighbor, and a few slow days this week and we were out of eggs. Funny how quick you get used to getting your own eggs! I was outside the coop the other day waiting for a fresh egg for a recipe. -

 

[Swede]

I used to have an old hen that would steal all the chicks. If they would leave their moms she pecked them in the head and killed them. Other moms were no match for her. I gave her and the 25 chicks she managed to steal to my neighbor so they could get a flock that would survive. With her and my meanest rooster I knew they would have a flock that would survive and they did. They told me they named her 'The b!tch from hell'.

 

[sumi]

I've got an Orpington now named Lilly who will sit all afternoon in the laying box on eggs that are from other hens. I hate to tell her that they're never going to hatch... We have a young rooster just starting to strut his stuff. We weren't planning on having chicks this year, but I kinda feel sorry for Lilly. I usually leave an egg for her in the box overnight. Maybe I can get her some fake ones?

If you're not going to let her hatch some chicks for you, it would be best to break her broodiness. The best way to do this is putting her in a wire bottomed cage (so there is air flow beneath her), with NO bedding materials, or eggs. Just food and water. She should snap out of it within 3 days unless she's really determined. Broody hens lose a lot of weight, due to their inactivity and little food intake, so allowing them to stay broody for too long can end up harming their health.

 

[Swede]

If you're not going to let her hatch some chicks for you, it would be best to break her broodiness. The best way to do this is putting her in a wire bottomed cage (so there is air flow beneath her), with NO bedding materials, or eggs. Just food and water. She should snap out of it within 3 days unless she's really determined. Broody hens lose a lot of weight, due to their inactivity and little food intake, so allowing them to stay broody for too long can end up harming their health.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Thank you, @sumi . I don't have a small pen right now but can borrow one tomorrow. Today I collected eggs as they were laid, and just kept shooing Lilly out of the nest box. Once I had all the eggs I thought I'd get, I closed up the laying boxes for the day and only let them back in to roost tonight. Lilly wasn't super happy with me, but she did get out and forage with the others. I really appreciate your advice! We are planning on raising at least one batch of chicks next year (mostly just to say we did). Lilly should get her chance next spring.

 

[sumi]

You're welcome! She's a pretty hen. If she's broody now, chances are she will go again at some point. When you're ready to let her hatch some eggs for you in Spring, you can encourage her to go broody by leaving some eggs in a box for her. I've had some success with this method. You can't make a hen go broody, but a box of eggs sometimes triggers the hormones, depending on the individual, or in my MIL's case, half the flock! She was in hospital once and we forgot to collect the eggs from her coop for 2 or 3 days.. I walked in and found broodies lined up like peas in a pod! Ooops! Her little bantams were crazy broody though.

 

[sumi]

I'm about to wring my mad broody's neck, never mind break her. The beatch took a bite out of my bare foot when I stumbled outside, still half asleep, first thing this morning to go open their pen and feed them And then took a bite out of my arm when I went out later to hang the laundry.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Chicken soup!!

 

[sumi]

Chicken soup!!

If she wasn't my DS's little "baby"… Of course she is super sweet with him, but me who feeds and cleans up after the birds..

 

[CrealCritter]

View attachment 4291 Here's the frog!

I would have posted a pic of the wound when he bit me, but that would be quite graphic for some users don't you think @sumi?

I been married to the same woman for 32 THOUSAND years we had 7 children together, adopted 2 and raised 2 more. All my children have grown and moved out and I'm still married to her. So trust me when I say - there is nothing you can say or do to offend me!