Diary

Broody hen updateRSS feed

Posted: Sunday 29 June, 2008

by Rosemary at 8:38am in Poultry Comments closed

Well, she's still sitting tight. The broody is a young Black Rock - I'm surpised at that, I would have thought one of the pure breeds was more likely, and not very likely at that. In fact, I had asked Andrew for one of his Silkies as a broody, before they both turned out to be boys.

I bought 6 RIR and 6 Cuckoo Maran eggs for her - I've put 8 in the incubator and 4 under her (I could only get eight in the incubator as they were good sized eggs). I was reluctant to give her all the eggs, because I don't know how reliable she will be.

She dashes out in the morning gobbles down some food and a drink and races back to her nestbox. She has to be forced out in the afternoon to top up.

I've ordered her a broody coop - yes, I know a cardboard box in the corner of the garage would do. This should come tomorrow, so we'll hopefully get her settled there to await the big day which should be Friday 11th July.

My intention is to put all the hatchlings under her regardless of whether they hatch in the incubator or naturally. But I'm not counting them!

Oh, and my 2 male / four female Copper Black Marans now look like four male and two females, but no crowing yet, so we'll see. Little Chip is growing well and has developed a top knot - not sure if it's Chip or Chippette, now. I kind of hope s/he's a female as Carol has a male Cream Legbar.

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