It'd be interesting over the next few days. Right now the babies are indiscriminately responding to both and running in and out of whoever accommodates them :) 😍
Both the mamas are happily sharing the coop and their babies!! Now the task is to shift them in their new home, a coop in the garden. I'll wait till its evening, pick the ladies first and the collect the chicks.
It's just over a year since I've been a chicken daddy. Two of my hens are sitting on clutches of seven and six eggs in the same run in a broody coop, and about to hatch in the next four days. They are fine sharing that space when they get off for their one-time food, drink and mega poop time...
WoDia Out of the seven eggs, five hatched!! Im SO pleased, thank you universe!! Snowy is in her broody coop, and going strong... fingers crossed she'll be a mum again by the 16th!
I wanted to share my expanding family...
Blacky Tan and Chottu created Wadda.
Wadda mated with Blomma and Sita.
I wanted a hatch on Valentines' day (easy birthday to remember right!). I purchased assorted eggs from eBay, but they arrived earlier than expected, nad the hatch also effectively...
Gifts this morning, clockwise from my thumb... from Sita (ISA Brown), Nikky (hybrid from my flock), Blacky Tan (Black rock+ Rhode), Blomma (Swedish Flower Hen), Betty (Barred Rock) and Snowy (Satin Siklie).
I would share their portraits no doubt!
I will soon share photos of the ones recently hatched in February, little divas enjoy performing for the camera :)
WoDia, thanks for sharing your POV. I feel you're right! I have put eggs under Snowy, and hope she successfully hatches them. The eggs in the incubator will hatch as they do, and I'll be as good a daddy as I can be.
Thank you for your kind wishes.
Thanks for your response Alexandra 🙏 Snowy was broody last year, and hatched one gorgeous Black Orpington chick, Sooty! My mistake at misreading the candling the eggs ended up terminating the lives of several chicks. She was a fantastic mother though!
I gave Snowy nine fertile eggs this evening...
BBT thanks for your insight! I have a brooder ready for the due chicks, but wondered if it's possible to fast-track Snowy's broodiness and see if she mothers the babies. I'll probably give her fertile eggs to sit on, and for her to do the full broody period with her choo-choo rewards!
It's a conundrum for me!! Only 6 days left for my eggs in the incubator to hatch. And Snowy, one of my hens has gone broody.
Wondering if I can put those eggs under her at this stage!
Will she hormonally accept the newly hatched?
OR
Shall I wait till the eggs in the incubator hatch, and then...