Back in June, my eight year old hen went broody and I sat her on three of her eggs. Two of them disappeared and she was left with just the one, which turned out not to be fertile.
I decided to purchase eight 2 day old chicks from a local farm on 4th July and put them under her. She accepted them right away and is a super Mum. I have 2 Orpington, 3 Black Araucana and 3 Barnvelder chicks. They all have feathers now but here they are at 3 days old.
(http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x311/7stephenson/2012037.jpg)
(http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x311/7stephenson/chicksjuly.jpg)
(http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x311/7stephenson/Chicks.jpg)
(http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x311/7stephenson/henand2chicks.jpg)
(http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x311/7stephenson/OrpingtonandBlackAraucanachicks.jpg)
They look absolutely super! Good luck.
Fantastic!! hope you get plenty of girls- or are you ok to have a few males?
I am hoping some will be hens as I have three really old hens, one of which produces about 20 eggs a year. The other two haven't laid for 3 or 4 years.
Any cockerels will have to go to the market, perhaps with the old hens. I might keep one cockerel if it is a Barnvelder or Black Araucana, as long as I have a hen to breed with it.
Knowing my luck they will probably all be cockerels. ::)
You are a big hearted softy then :D
Such cuties ;D (sp?)
Gorgeous!
How lovely, what fluffy chicks they are. Good luck with the girl count!
x sunloving