What's in your flock?

[Ridgerunner]

My chickens are a total mess right now. I recently took one out of my broody buster, but then put a different one in. I have two different hens walking around fluffed up and making those broody sounds, but still laying eggs and roosting on the roost. I don't now if either of them will kick over to full broody mode or not.

I put a dozen eggs under a fifth broody, but one of the eggs broke about three days later, thin shell from the look of it. I checked the other 11 eggs and all but three were messed up with egg yolk and white so I chunked those and started her on another dozen yesterday. I opened those 11 eggs and 10 of them were developing nicely.

I really like a broody hen but come on, I only have seven hens.

 

[thistlebloom]

I'm interested in your "broody buster" @Ridgerunner. I have two broodys and this evening when I collected eggs there was a third sitting in the nest box. It's a little frustrating since I don't want those particular hens setting. They all look the same so I've been putting a different color zip tie on their legs to ID the broodies.

So what's your broody buster made of?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Bay, I'm using my brooder built into the coop since it is not otherwise being used. The bottom is 1/2" hardware cloth, the top is my droppings board. That plastic "draft protection" is not on since I want as much breeze under her as I can get to cool her jets. That's 1" hardware cloth on the sides.

 

[buckabucka]

I don't fight my broodies anymore. I had a buff Chantecler that I tried everything with. She had a wire bottom cage with a fan blowing under her, sat on ice cubes, etc. She sat for 75 days, I think, -it was a long time! Now I just drag them out twice a day. I have a large number of chickens though, so I don't miss the eggs.

 

[thistlebloom]

Bay, I'm using my brooder built into the coop since it is not otherwise being used. The bottom is 1/2" hardware cloth, the top is my droppings board. That plastic "draft protection" is not on since I want as much breeze under her as I can get to cool her jets. That's 1" hardware cloth on the sides.

View attachment 2463

Thanks Ridge, I have a wire cage that I put them in during the day, then let them out in the evening, put them back in in the morning etc.... I guess it's the same idea. It worked on one a few weeks back, she quit fooling around after 3 days in it. I've never had so many go broody at once before. Maybe it's because they're all sisters so they're more competitive. Haha.

 

[Kassaundra]

Three generations, Broody mom (Reba) and her broody daughter (Baby girl) co - brooding chicks. This is the first one out.

 

[Kassaundra]

Snapped a quick shot of some of the teen girls chilling in the shade

 

[baymule]

@Kassaundra you are really making me like Turkens! They are just so darn cute!

 

[Kassaundra]

Muuuhahahaha, one more down.

 

[Wishin']

O.K the one on the left reminds me of a dinosaur

I love naked necks, they are so crazy, and have a dinosaur attitude to boot.