Chicken math isn't supposed to work this way!!!!!

[Smart Red]

Good news (sort of). The hen wasn't broody. Once I moved the 'nest' she slept on the roost with the others. She had just settled down for the night on that spot. Today she flew down and out the door with the others as well.

The bad news. There are a lot of wasted eggs in that bunny basket. . . now down in the gully as wildlife feed.

It seems that the peeping I'd heard was a nest just outside the coop window not coming from the unhatched eggs themselves. Nope! No near babies-to-be in that basket.

I feel a lot better. I hate the feeling of harming my chickens even unintentionally. Of course, I still do have the dozen little peeps running the garden shed.

I asked son yesterday if he would bring the flatbed trailer up from beside the neighbor's property. It is time I start building that second coop.

 

[canesisters]

Yea. Too much of a good thing gets to be a burden sometimes. I'm glad you're still at 1 dozen chicks.
If I wasn't so far away, I'd be happy to take them off your hands.

 

[Smart Red]

Still have plenty of time to build that mobile coop. The babies tested their senses outside for a bit today. First with Mom at the garden shed door and then -- a few of them -- by slipping under the shed's garage door. I raise it just enough to get some air moving through the building and out the window.

I think it took a lot of courage to venture outside without Mom nearby.

 

[baymule]

I would be delighted to have a broody hen hatch eggs. But I would need a rooster....

 

[Nyboy]

Would your husband or neighbors mind a rooster? you can also buy hatching eggs .

 

[Smart Red]

Bay, you have enough room for a rooster. They are actually neat to have around. I did have one noisy roo, but the three I have now aren't a big problem noise-wise.

Wish I had the noisy one to park next to the neighbors' bedroom window though.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I would be delighted to have a broody hen hatch eggs. But I would need a rooster....

Excuses, excuses, excuses. When you get a broody hen tell me. I'll send you some eggs.

 

[baymule]

I ordered a straight run of Delaware chicks, so I have a rooster, several in fact. But I will butcher most of them and save the best, then cull down to one or two. I may not keep the Delawares as they are the meanest durn chicks I have ever seen. I call them the piranhas. I am going to play with some breeds and see which ones I like best. Any suggestions on broody, dual purpose chickens?

 

[Smart Red]

Australorps are a nice dual purpose chicken with big eggs and a habit of getting broody -- at least it hasn't been entirely bred out of the hens. Hilda is my last full Australorp and this is her fourth clutch.

Several of my Plymouth Rocks have started setting, but have been easily dissuaded from their broodiness so I don't know if they would take a clutch to hatching or get distracted and leave the nest.

 

[thistlebloom]

Isn't broodiness something that can be bred in or out of a particular line? My 5 year old Australorp has never been broody. My Dutch bantam is broody every spring and hides nests all over.