Update on my broody- 1 week down!

[CarriBrown]

Two to go!

This is Tina... She's been sitting on four eggs for a week. She's a Bantam Partridge Cochin and dad is a Bantam Black Cochin. Two of the eggs belong to my black Silkie.
She's been pretty onry... doesn't want me anywhere near her eggs! She's been drinking a little bit and I gave her some egg to eat today. As far as I can tell, she's not touching her normal food. Is it ok for me to feed her some rice, etc while she's sitting? I'd rather she eat that than nothing. Also, I've noticed that her comb and waddles are a little pale and she is also very tired. I have some baby chicks in the brooder next to her and they probably keep her up all the time with their constant chatter!

I guess I just need a little bit of support because I've never had a hen sit before and she's my pet. I want her to be comfortable and healthy!

 

[claraserena]

Tina looks just fine. I just went through this for the first time too(first time for my chicken too!) and I worried the whole time about her not eating. I would put a little food right next to her--eggs, canned corn. Sometimes she would eat if it was right out of my hand. She would let me pick her up(though she made some weird growling sounds) once a day--I'd put her on some newspaper on the floor and sometimes she'd poop (that was easier clean-up than had she done it in her box.) but she ate very little and even after the chicks hatched (2 1/2 weeks ago)--she doesn't eat a lot--always gives bites of food to the chicks. I don't think Tina is tired--she's just in a kind of meditative state. She looks fine--a real beauty!.

 

[justusnak]

She looks great! What a proud grandma you must be! None of my gals will go broody, so I am destined to buy babies and hatch my own. She will get up when she is ready to eat...just set it near her, with water. Soooo pretty she is. Good luck..and enjoy!

 

[CarriBrown]

Thank you so much!!!

You calmed DH and my nerves. We are proud chicken "parents" and we want the best for our babies!!
Tina says thank you for saying she's pretty (she said that after she growled at me)! I fell in love with her right away... She was one of my first chickens as an adult and I didn't know squat about them. I only knew BRs and RIRs from being a barefooted kid on a farm! I just thought she was so beautiful.