I realize there are a few things out of place in the milking/storage area of the goat barn, but if you look closely you may see one thing that positively does not belong here……
Shhhhhh. She doesn’t think we see her.
I let a broody hen hatch out three chicks and keep two of them:
I gave one to another broody.
A few days ago, yet another broody hatched out three chicks. Today I removed the front of the brooder and the mama brought her babies out into the coop for the first time.
We have no shortage of broodies here this year.
The Irises my mother gave me last year are now in full bloom.
And we should be eating strawberries soon.
Spring has definitely sprung.
Tags: strawberries
I love baby chicks. *sigh* Nice job, Penny!
What kind of hen is that broody in your milking room? She looks like she’s wearing a white necklace.
Not only do we have springtime here, but I feel summer is not far off. The temperatures are steadily climbing every day.
Thank you Angie! I love the baby chicks too. Last year I let each broody hatch out 6 or 8 eggs – and I was quickly overwhelmed! This year I’m limiting them to about 3 each – and then sneaking the babies under other broodies at night if I can! Charlotte’s 2 broodies have several under them – but they will all be leaving with her, so I’m ok with that
CeeCee – that hen is a cross between a White Faced Black Spanish Hen and a Phoenix rooster. I love all my hens – but my original Black Spanishes will always be special to me. They are the only ones that I could train to fly up on my arms when I hold them out. I was just outside toting around a Black Spanish that decided she needed a little cuddling and flew up to my shoulder while I was trying to scoop out some scratch for everyone. They are sweet girls. And in the winter they would fly up on me all at the same time to get cuddled and warmed up!
Oh CeeCee – I just looked at that picture again and I think you may be seeing a piece of straw poking up that looks like it’s around her neck! Her earlobes are very white, but below that she’s black – I *think* you may be seeing that piece of straw?
Definitely!
OMG those chicks are so adorable, and mama looks so cute up there in the hay! The irises are BEE-U-TEE-FULL…. and I’m totally jealous of your strawberries. I want to grow my own, but I think in the next few weeks I will go to a pick-your-own farm so I can make lots more strawberry jam this year than I did last year. Maybe next year I will get my own plants!
You’re right, it’s straw.
Wow! Beautiful Babies. And as for your summer on its way… enjoy it while I shovel out from one more snow storm!!! Here I thought summer was on it’s way here too but I guess not…
(
I can’t wait for one of my chickens to decide to sit also but until then, I have put some eggs in the incubator.
Enjoy your warm weather and your soon to be strawberries! (and think of me in my snow.
Ah, wow. What beautiful hens! So besides your little phoenix hens, you had a pullet go broody as well? Lucky!
J.P. – the Phoenix hens are my best broodies, but my Golden Penciled Hamburgs do ok as well. I’ve had a few pullets go broody – most are mixed breeds this year. I honestly can’t keep track!
The chicks are so cute. I don’t know much about chickens, how do you tell when they get broody?
Wow… with that many hens, you could start your own little local hatchery!
Oh and I had a qestion about the hens and chicks. How long do you keep the hen and the biddies in the little cages under the nestboxes? I’m debating on what time I can allow my EE and her 10 babies back with the flock. Do yours free range all day? Mine are penned up untill I get home, around 3-4 and then let out. So Idk if I can trust the babies with the adults all day in their kennel. Thanks, JP
Linda – I consider one of my broodies officially broody when she has plucked her belly bare, and stays in the nest box consistently for two days and two nights straight. She will get off for 15 minutes or so to eat and drink, but for the most part, she stays on that nest. The biggest clue is if she stays there at night.
J.P. – I keep my hens and babies in the brooder for up to two weeks. I let them decide. My last mama hen started running to the brooder opening about two days after I put her there with the babies. I removed the door to the brooder and by the end of the day she had the babies out in the chicken run. I free range my chickens. If I were you, I’d let the mama and babies out with the flock on a day when you will be home and can watch them. My mama hens are a force to be reckoned with – they terrorize the entire yard and if another chicken even so much as looks at their babies, they are all over them! I’ve heard others have had trouble with the babies getting picked on, but I have never had that issue. My mama hens protect the babies at all cost. Hopefully you’ve kept your EE and babies contained in the coop or close to the rest of the flock so they are used to each other through wire or something similar?
I laughed when I saw that first photo. How typical of a broody chicken. They’re very pretty and the chicks are very cute. It’s a great little barn you have there.
I agree, nice barn! Makes my wish I had time to build my chicken coop. I love the chicken in the straw pic.
lmao@that little mummy chicken thinking you can see her…….
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