New Chicks and Ornery Broody

I have several broody hens.  Yes, I am aware "we all know this" as I have indeed badgered my readers several times with the subject, but I felt I should lead this entry for any new reader's benefit, since it is pertinent information.  Leading on from a previous post, the Buff bantam had been sitting on her eggs for about a week, she decided to just simply get up and refused to sit on them again.  Her broody broke.  "Great," I thought to myself sarcastically.  So yesterday I took her eggs to my recently added broody, a Phoenix.  She took them well, and the eggs are progressing nicely (I candled them today to be sure).  If that wasn't bad enough, Buff Bantam went straight back to being broody again!  I mean, COME ON!  Dang broodies and their inability to be convenient, except for this one perfect broody hen...

Another batch of chicks came in today.  Out of them, I'm keeping two Polish (a Golden Laced and a White Crested Black), a Speckled Sussex, and two Barred Rocks.  Well, at least that was the plan.  I brought in a couple of broody hens today to see how they would react to the new chicks.  Not all broodies, I found, are not as accepting as the gray bantam....  The two I brought in were cruel, pecking and attacking them.  Those two went back to the coop.  I waited until night, thinking it would make it easier to transition the broody girl with chicks, and move her into a crate.  I brought in an EE bantam, having her lay on eggs while she was brought in.  When she settled, I traded three chicks (the two Polish and the Sussex) for the eggs, and she took them well.  The Barred Rocks were not as open to the idea.  They refused to go under Mama hen, and Mama became agitated with the Barred Rocks.  I don't have another broody box so we may not be keeping any Barred Rocks.

I hope she accepts these three okay.  So far, she seems fine, albeit confused.

Cows are still happy in the pasture pen.

 Annabelle comes up for some loving every chance she gets.  She enjoys a good rub down from chin to flank at every opportunity.



The Goats and their pregnancy is coming along well.  Bootsie is miserable.  Poor girl does the shuffling waddle when she moves from point A to point B, scuffing her back hooves along the ground as she goes.  Meri is fine.  She seems like she hasn't had to adjust much since her impregnation.

The Kids still love to help out, and the pups still enjoy some time roaming the farm pens.

Last mention of broody (until next time), I now have a broody duck to add to the broody collection.  So, I have a broody Phonix sitting the the lost eggs of Buff Bantam.  Buff Bantam, an EE bantam, Black Japanese bantam, and the duck are all broody with nothing under them.  Myrtle, the inside EE (previously pictured) and Gray are broody with chicks.

I need to figure out what to do about the Barred Rock chicks, and who to put them under.  If I could trust Buff Bantam to stay on her eggs, I would give the BRs to the Phoenix, but I can't trust her to stay broody if I move her, and I don't want the other broodies to fight over the nest and break the eggs (happened before with Gray).  I'm overwhelmed....  *Sigh*  I might be selling a few broody hens.