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Broody Brains

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The15thMember:
My sisters have a hen which they are letting go broody.  It is the first time we've tried letting a hen raise her own chicks.  They named this hen "The Brains" when she was a chick, because my youngest sister had 3 chicks she was playing with and she told us, "This one is the leader, this one is the brains, and this one is the mascot."  :cheesy:  "The leader" and "the mascot" got other names eventually, but The Brains just stuck.  The girls put her in a pen by herself in the garage because the other hens were bothering her and gave her 9 eggs from their best hens, although The Brains destroyed 2 of them.  She is happily caring for the remaining 7, so we are assuming she just didn't like something about those 2.  The eggs are due to hatch on 4/4.   

gww:
I used to let the chickens raise their own but now when I get one setting, I just go to the store and buy a couple of chicks and put them under her.  One time I put 17 chicks under one mom cause it was cheaper then having just two or three chicks shipped.  Don't get as many roosters this way.  Mostly if they sit early spring our tractor store will have chicks that can be bought.  I only give them anything at all to ease their misery cause hens can be bull headed enough to effect their own heath.
Cheers
gww

The15thMember:

--- Quote from: gww on March 22, 2022, 10:42:07 pm ---I used to let the chickens raise their own but now when I get one setting, I just go to the store and buy a couple of chicks and put them under her.  One time I put 17 chicks under one mom cause it was cheaper then having just two or three chicks shipped.  Don't get as many roosters this way.  Mostly if they sit early spring our tractor store will have chicks that can be bought.  I only give them anything at all to ease their misery cause hens can be bull headed enough to effect their own heath.
Cheers
gww

--- End quote ---
That's a good idea!  Skips the waiting too.   :happy:

gww:
I usually block my chicken in for about a day after giving her the older chicks so she can get them in line and train them where the warm spot is under her.  Most are pretty rough but chicks learn really fast.  They need a safe place to get water also.  The next day they are on their own to do as they may and they always do good.
Cheers
gww

BeeMaster2:
Most of our free range hens are sitting on a nest. One, Partridge, just hatched 9 out of 9 eggs on the 18 of March.  They are all still all alive. Pretty amazing considering there are 2 hawks right here all the time and we have lots of foxes and coyotes and raccoons.
The hawks have learned not to mess with the mother hens, they will go into full attack mode and put them on their back if the hawks are not careful. I have seen the hens fly straight into one as he was diving in to grab a chick and he ended on his back being attacked by the he hen.
Most of the hens have some jungle foul in them. They are fighters and that is why they survive and raise a lot of chicks.
Jim Altmiller

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