broody babes

I have wondered if you guys/gals were getting the itch because i have three hens in my henhouse who have gone broody on me....
i am not ready yet for chicks

Several of our ladies are broody too....perhaps a sign of early spring?

Here the frogs are singing, the eagles are nesting, and the wild ducks are breeding already...maybe an early spring in on it's way!!!

Oh those frogs, sorry need to speak to that thought first. I love the chorus of the frogs, and yes, Islandgirl, I think this is early for the frogs to begin. Lived on the Lower Mainland'ish area my entire life, until four years ago, when we moved to the north Okanagan. The frogs, oh the frogs...but I really think this is very early to hear them. We won't hear the frogs til about a month later than the Lower Mainland of BC, everything seems to be about a month behind in early spring, but when the spring comes, it comes in like a lion, catching up I guess. Oh the frogs, beautiful....spring is coming, spring is coming.

Geeze, almost forgot what the thread was about, going to go have and look, got consumed with the thought about the sounds of the frogs. We got lots of toads up here, never seen a frog, but they are here, cause I have heard them so loud and clear. Toads make kind of a peepy sound, totally different. Thousands of toads, big ones, small ones, many, many toads, invasion of toadlike.

Now back to Bigrock, sorry, got lost for a minute.

The itch is happening, to us all, the itch to allow nature to become. I have one buff orpington that is clucking away, not sitting on a nest yet, but she will be soon. I will let her go broody. It is early in the year, and many of us just can't let it happen, yet. For all sorts of reasons. But if you can set up a nice area, Bigrock (and I think you can....) why not? It takes 21 days for the hens to hatch eggs, and then she looks after them for about 4-6 weeks, maybe longer. They don't really need much care, other than a safe place to hang out with mamma for a bit, until they can be in the commune with the others, or just grown in a different area. If you can must this up, why not? You could have some very early chickens in your yard. Whatcha gonna use for incubation eggs with mamma? I would just be curious...I would like to hear. If not, want some more buff eggs? Got lots of those happening these days. Would give you some very nice meat birds when you have extra cockerels, for your table, and you know you will. they dress out to about 4.5 pound bird after processor meeting. But yes, if you don't want broodies, you need to break those up, cause they will just sit and sit and sit and be unproductive. Either use them, or break up. Put them in a place where they are uncomfortable for a few days, meaning, emotionally uncomfortable. Usually will help to break the broody. What breed are they that decided that wanted to mother? Have an awesome day, CynthiaM.

yeah..no room right now. i have separated the new marans off until i can tell what egg they are laying, and that might be a while before they decide to lay something...perhaps i should mix them... then my other house is full of the roosters still... the ones someone was going to come and get so they didn't go to freezer camp..then that someone didn't show up..
anyways...no room right now...and perhaps today, i will break them up...they just look so darned happy
i put new nesting boxes in the big house yesterday to give the others who are still working time to do their job.
hatching this year.. marans, olive eggers....maybe some coopers from coopslave..
need to find a nice black ameraucana boy to replace my Tony..and i will wait till the fall for that one..as i have a line on one..hopefully...ameraucana's next year.
planning on welsummers next year as well.

Well my goose hatched two last week. I have a broody with a 6 week old banty, my incubator is loaded and waiting to be loaded woth more goose eggs...yes spring is here.