The great broody experiment (new pics p 18)

[Beekissed]

Why don't we have a pic of the week? TEG and BYC has them...why not us? Then we could have those adorable, self-sustaining flock pics of your broody up on front page, BB!

 

[Blackbird]

We also need more photo and message space (I'm sure Aly would agree with that). As well as a better picture at top.. 3 wind turbines, solar paneling, sun, and the dirt.. Where are all the greens and animals and home products?!? Lol.

Maybe you should suggest these things Bee?

 

[Beekissed]

Well, BB....I'm not exactly a favorite on these forums. I even get in trouble for eating popcorn! So....I'm probably not the best one to advocate for new things, huh? You might get better results from someone who isn't such a trouble maker like the big, bad Bee.....

 

[Blackbird]

Hm... I vote Sally to do it.

It would be nice to have a photo of the week though; animals we've raised, something we've made, or even a plant we've grown. What a great idea I say.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

*WAVES HANDS FRANCTICALLY IN THE AIR*



I'll do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We soooooooooooooooooooooo need more photo space, if nothing else!




Wifezilla, to answer your question about the chicks, barred rock chicks are black like that and usually the ones with the bigger white sprawling head spots are cockerels. Now, since I'm not sure if BlackBird has BR's Roos in his flock or who his little Mama Hen has been running with, I can't say that they are pure or not.

 

[Blackbird]

Well.. we have a Silver Phoenix roo, a silver Phoenix mix, a black Cochin and something mix, then the 9-12 Light Brahmas.. and three other unidentifiable mixed roosters that she's had access to.
All our BR roos are too young right now and seperated.

Go ahead Aly!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Go ahead Aly!

I did I did!!!

I tried waiting for you to pop on first, but I couldn't wait another minute!

We NEED more upload storage space!!

 

[big brown horse]

Hm... I vote Sally to do it.

It would be nice to have a photo of the week though; animals we've raised, something we've made, or even a plant we've grown. What a great idea I say.

*Still yawning* Say WHAT?

ETA: Oh, I see what is going on. Yes a photo of the week would be really cool!

 

[Blackbird]

Update on broodies..

The BR and all 13 babies are doing fine.

On the 12th my mom found a hen in our stack of square hay bales with two chicks sticking their heads out from under. I moved her and she had four babies and another egg was hatching. There were three other eggs under her that weren't hatched but they were piled down in the nest a ways and when I moved them I found maggots under them

I left the hen and babies so the fifth chick could hatch out. A couple hours later when I checked on them there were cats lurking all over the place, so I took the hatching egg, put it in the incubator, and put the hen and four babies in the shed with all out other mothers. The next day I threw out the three eggs still in the nest (nothing in them thankfully, but wasn't gonna but them in the incubator with maggots all over) and the chick in the bator had finally hatched.

I couldn't find the real mother in the shed with all the junk around so I gave it to the BR with 13 babies, whats one more, right? Well the next day the BR didn't have it at all, but the original mother did. I'm assuming they recognised eachother's clucking..?

This morning when my mom was in getting hay she heard some peeping and found a nest of 12 eggs, all from the same hen, but no hen on them and they were all cold. She had to go to work but she told me that if it was coming from the eggs to put them in the bator. We were both wearing fairly heavy jackets because it was pretty chilly out.

I went and was checking the eggs over but I still heard peeping and it wasn't coming from the eggs. I moved a couple bales and couldn't find anything so I went in to get a flashlight.

Came out and Lonji the cat was up there snooping around! I turn my back and the nasty thinks she needs a snack. I chase her off, look in a bunch of crevices and tunnels for any nests and chicks. I finally get to where Lonji had been and where the nest where the hen that now has 5 babies was. I moved some bales and found two chicks off the side of the nest and down a crack several feet!

The area was only accessable from top where the hen had her nest and they look right right age, they could only be hers, but that means they've been there 4 days! They were very thin and a little lethargic. I took them inside to the original mother, plopped them down in front. The hen got up, her babies ran all around, and now she wouldn't even know how many she has even if she could count.

They're a little weak and kind of shaky when they walk. When they stand still their bodies wane around, poor things. The other thing I worry about is that one is slightly deformed, its top beak is crooked and it only has one eye, the other just isn't there. It looks like the socket was partially formed but no eye and its all fluffed over. They both drank and where pecking around fine and huddled near their mommy to stay warm.

But after all they've been through I think it would be wrong to discard the little deformed one. But can you imagine? Their tiny bodies don't give off much heat and its been getting pretty cold at night, and four days! My little troopers! LOL!

 

[big brown horse]

The little one with one eye...he should be called "Lucky"!!

I have been waiting for 8 months for one of my hens to go broody!! You have cornered the market on broodies!! I am so happy for you, there is nothing better to look at than a mother hen and her chicks.