The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Roxy on March 15, 2012, 05:09:27 pm

Title: Broodies are clucking
Post by: Roxy on March 15, 2012, 05:09:27 pm

Must be Spring, there is a line of banties in the shed, all clucking away. Not sure I want to sit eggs this time, given the amount of cockerels I hathed last year, and they are still here, so not want any more!!

Title: Re: Broodies are clucking
Post by: chrismahon on March 15, 2012, 05:12:58 pm

Its a big problem for us as well Roxy. We only have 4 broody runs, will not be hatching this year and one of the TNN's is in already!

Title: Re: Broodies are clucking
Post by: Womble on March 15, 2012, 09:06:05 pm

LOL, yes two of our hens have gone 'missing' already. I'm just waiting a few weeks to see if they both come back with families in tow!!  ;D

Title: Re: Broodies are clucking
Post by: little blue on March 16, 2012, 07:30:07 pm

And my Maran, she hasn't ever been with a cockerel, but was keeping an egg warm when I got home from work...

Title: Re: Broodies are clucking
Post by: Roxy on March 16, 2012, 11:39:27 pm

Little Blue, if you want any fertile eggs for your broody, we have all sorts - including blue eggs, and bantam eggs ;D  Or you would be welcome to a cockerel (or three!) although perhaps not......!!

Title: Re: Broodies are clucking
Post by: little blue on March 17, 2012, 07:19:21 pm

Ooh, thankyou
You know what would happen the cockerels :/

Trouble with this one is, she learnt a VERY bad habit from the ex-bats, and sometimes eats eggs  >:( 
so I'll stick to the incubator.

I'm collecting up the RIR &  RIRxLS ready to set for Easter chicks  :chook:

Title: Re: Broodies are clucking
Post by: Mel Rice on March 18, 2012, 06:13:59 pm

Little Blue does your hen eat whole eggs? or just broken ones? Mine will eat eggs if dammaged(sat on) but not otherwise.

Title: Re: Broodies are clucking
Post by: little blue on March 18, 2012, 06:33:50 pm

Well, when & after the ex-bats were living with her, she ate damaged & weak shelled ones, then went broody!
there are no ex-bats now & I have moved where they live, so she isn't too bad - the eggs are stronger & we get them mostly before any damage is done (they are abit bonkers in that pen, and lark about or lay in daft places!)

I just won't take a chance with hatching eggs, so there is no cockerel in there.
I use the incubator for the RIRs as they havent (yet) gone broody...