As I have previously mentioned, we have four broody hens. I have since moved the little gray girl and her clutch of 5 remaining eggs to an inside brooder. I have also put the buff girl in her own cage with a clutch of 5 chicken eggs and a turkey egg. I go out, and I see yet another bantam going broody. The white EE girl with speckles. If that wasn't enough, Myrtle, the horrible broody from last year, has gone broody yet again. 6 broody hens! 6! What am I going to do with all these chicks they are bound to hatch, I ask! I did end up selling three BCM, the three Cornish, and the two Wyandotte pullets, so that brought it down a smidge....
So today, I made a trip to TSC, hoping to catch a sale since it's pretty close to their end of Chick Days. They were not on sale, but I ended up buying 9 anyway. Way to go chicken math! Sell 8, get 9 back. LOL Anyway, I had to figure out what to do about arrangements because I don't have any extra brooders for them, I am getting a shipment in next week, and Terry's poults should be hatching next week to boot! So when I get home, I had a brilliant idea! Give the chicks to a broody hen! Brilliant! Well, the only one I have inside is my little gray girl. I took her eggs, which she wasn't very pleased about, and gave her the 9 chicks. One poked its head out on one side, and she pecked the tip of its beak ever so gently. I love watching good broody mamas. She was so happy, clucking to them, putting them under her. I need to take some pictures! The 9 I ended up with are 4 Speckled Sussex (st run), 1 Black Sex-Link (pullet), 3 brown chicks that were in the Black Sex-Link pullet bin, and a single feather-legged bantam (possibly a Dark Brahma st run).
Well, I can't just let these eggs that are due to hatch next week die, so out she went to Myrtle. She is the only broody in the big coop, and she won't stay on them long enough to start her own clutch, so she can take these and raise them. We are all happy now, with exception of the three broodies still in the bantam coop with no eggs.
Sadly, we may have a case of Coccidiosis running through my bantam coop. Sadly, whatever the cause, I have lost several chickens. I personally think it may be an aggression between my large chickens and the smaller chicks, but just in case, I am providing Corrid to get rid of any Coccidia that may or may not be present.
So far, I have lost two BCM and my Speckled Sussex, which is why I brought home some Speckled Sussex, but only 4 because they are straight run, and I do have several pullets coming in next week.
I suppose the ones that come in next week can have a new mommy too.... It'll help the unnecessary egg hatching. Well, it will at least bring it down to a minimum. I'm not going to kill off any eggs that have some development thus far.
For now, all I have are explanations. Pictures to come, possibly tomorrow, or whenever I find the SIM my 3 year old hid from me....
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