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New babies!

I'm so jealous - they are unbelievably cute! My sons' school brings in eggs and an incubator each easter so the kids can see the chicks hatch and there is nothing cuter than a new chick! I'm never quite sure about the ethics of hatching without a mum at the school though (a heat light is fine for warmth but doesn't give a whole lot of love in their early days.....), so it's so sweet you got chicks for your broody mum!

And how much must your own kids love you at the moment for getting them such cute pets!
 
soxfan said:
Now hopefully when I get home from work she hasn't eaten them all. :lol::lol::lol: I'm kidding, she is very gentle with them. ANY hen who has been sitting and waiting 5 months for babies is by nature going to be a great mom!
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Just curious as I don't really know anything about chickens/hens/roosters at all. Anyhow, do you harvest eggs from the other hens but just knew that this particular one was brooding and knew not to move her eggs? How long does the hatching process usually take?
 
PierreBear said:
Just curious as I don't really know anything about chickens/hens/roosters at all. Anyhow, do you harvest eggs from the other hens but just knew that this particular one was brooding and knew not to move her eggs? How long does the hatching process usually take?
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So she was sitting on a fake egg I put in there to lure the new layers to lay IN the nest boxes and not in the damn woods:???:

I have no fertilized eggs. My rooster has JUST started to mate with the hens. So, you know they are broody if they lay and sit on the egg all day. And the next day. And the next day- EVEN if you remove it. It's instinct.

The others just lay, sing an obnoxious "hey look at me, I just laid an egg" song, and leave to go about their business. IF she were to hatch fertilized eggs it takes 21 days. She has been sitting for 5 months and probably would have died if I didn't do something. She would come out ONCE a day to eat and drink and try to kill anyone and anything in her path. :lol: Broody mama's are VERY protective of their nests.
 
Oh my gosh soxfan you have definitely made my day!! Thank you for sharing this. And Michelle O'brahma is a beauty, I love her too, lol!!
 
This is so sweet and really put a big smile on my face!!! They are beyond adorable and their mama looks very happy and proud now! Kudos to you soxfan!!! =)2:appl:=)2
 
HI:

I had to come back to this sweet thread...such a cozy coop!

cheers--Sharon
 
I'm so glad you're a chicken whisperer! Mama certainly looks fulfilled now (okay, full disclosure: not sure I'd be able to recognize an unfulfilled hen!)
 
You have probably made her the happiest ma ma hen around!:appl: Plus, I'm sure those chicks are happy to have a ma ma now too!
So adorable. I love your chicken coop...so fancy!
 
Cuteness overload! :kiss2:
Thank you for posting a video. It's the best thing I've seen all day. :love:
 
soxfan said:
My husband built the coop and used the "wichita cabin coop" plans. They are $5 and available online. We did customize the size. Those name plaques are old. Right now I have one rooster, 8 hens, and 6 babies. IF you build a coop, account for "chicken math." They are like potato chips, you can't have just one. :lol::lol: Always build your coop bigger than you will think you will need it.

The only coops I will recommend for purchasing are ones that very expensive or built on site. The cheap ones are not predator proof and will fall apart:( If hubby isn't handy, hire someone. Chickens are quite easy to care for. The hardest part is loosing one or having to put them down if they get sick or suffer.

My husband had to put down our silver-laced wyandotte last weekend. It wasn't pleasant. She was very sick:(
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Literally every chicken owner I've ever asked about their chickens has told me this! :lol: They must be so fun.

And those names! :lol-2: Love 'em.
 
Great thing to do and I love your gorgeous chickens and their lovely home too!!!!
 
OMG you guys. She is SUCH a good momma. I should have done this months ago. I suck :oops::oops::oops: I gave her some scrambled eggs, mealworms and cantaloupe today while the chicks were busy eating and drinking. She picked out pieces and gave them to the chicks instead of eating it herself! did see her eat some of their crumble and water earlier today. Ugh. I hope she gets back to normal soon!!!

Brahma went in there to check them out and ran away. She's like "Nope, F this. I'm like 19 in chicken years and you look haggard. Bye Felicia..."
 
I must be a little emotional today - my eyes filled up a little at how happy she is to be a momma! You did a great thing soxfan! Your chicken coop is a beauty, your dh did an amazing job.
 
soxfan said:
OMG you guys. She is SUCH a good momma. I should have done this months ago. I suck :oops::oops::oops: I gave her some scrambled eggs, mealworms and cantaloupe today while the chicks were busy eating and drinking. She picked out pieces and gave them to the chicks instead of eating it herself! did see her eat some of their crumble and water earlier today. Ugh. I hope she gets back to normal soon!!!

Brahma went in there to check them out and ran away. She's like "Nope, F this. I'm like 19 in chicken years and you look haggard. Bye Felicia..."
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First, you don't suck. You rock. And I'm sure she'd agree with me if she could cluck her response :mrgreen2:

But I've got to ask... is the scrambled eggs thing for real?! I am honestly dumbfounded. It never occurred to me that chickens would eat scrambled chicken eggs :shock:. I know you joked earlier about hoping she didn't eat the chicks and I thought you were kidding. But do they do that? Help this city girl understand - lol.
 
ILikeShiny said:
First, you don't suck. You rock. And I'm sure she'd agree with me if she could cluck her response :mrgreen2:

But I've got to ask... is the scrambled eggs thing for real?! I am honestly dumbfounded. It never occurred to me that chickens would eat scrambled chicken eggs :shock:. I know you joked earlier about hoping she didn't eat the chicks and I thought you were kidding. But do they do that? Help this city girl understand - lol.[/QUOTUe
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Yes. Any chicken that needs protein, is not eating, or is convalescing, can get a boost from cooked eggs. If you have an over abundance of eggs, you can and should feed them to your chickens. In addition, you can dry and grind your eggshells to feed back to the hens for calcium and stronger egg shells. If they lack calcium and eggs break inside them, they can die.

And yes, chickens sometimes do eat their own eggs if they are lacking in nutrients. That's why I feed extra eggs and shells back to them. I haven't had an egg eater yet!

Most people don't realize that chickens are omnivores. They eat meat. Yes, even chicken. They are tiny dinosaurs! I saw one of my buffs swallow a mouse whole once.

And if a hen isn't a good "setter," then yes, they will kill their own offspring.

But that doesn't mean most aren't good mamas!!!
 
:love: This is awesome! What a wonderful thing for you to do. It was a stroke of genius to think of buying baby chicks to give to her. I love the sweet pictures you posted of them all. So adorable.
 
Video from this morning. A couple of them have "pasty butt" ( dried poop lol) I will have to wash it off and blow dry their little butts this afternoon. Mama is gonna have a fit! :shock::shock::shock:

 
The video says "processing," it will be up soon.
 
:love::love::love: Gah, so cute I can't take it!
 
HI:

Let us know how blow drying the bum goes.......:lol-2:

cheers--Sharon
 
And soxfan, I love all of the info you've given us, lots of things I never knew!!
 
This thread is awesome :D
 
soxfan said:
And yes, my hen's name is Kevin. We originally thought it was a rooster. Remember the movie "Up?" "Kevin's a GIRL?" :lol::lol::lol:
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Yes!!! I love that movie! :lol:
 
How precious Soxfan, I'm loving it!
 
soxfan said:
For those of you that don't know, I have chickens:) They are spoiled rotten and live in this palace:

13227503_1195800380452526_238454361795022239_o-1.jpg 13244215_1195801237119107_8374002230329016567_o-1.jpg

I have a hen who is broody (sits on eggs trying to hatch them.) They are not fertile and she has been doing this for 5 months. She's lost a lot of weight and she's miserable. So last night I got fed up and went to Tractor supply, bought 6 2 day old chicks and snuck them under her in the middle of the night. Not a PEEP. Woke up this morning and she was SOOOOOOO happy to be a mom! And the chicks just love her!

Pics:

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IMG_4039 2.JPG
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:kiss2: that coop! Life goals... (that coop may be bigger than my apartment).

You have beautiful chickens! And so happy for Kevin and her new babies.
 
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