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Broody ex bat!!!!

solarbatssolarbats Senior Member
edited January 2020 in Poultry Health and Welfare
In all my years of keeping ex bats I'd heard of the odd rare broody, but now it's happened here at solarbats towers! Little Josie who was rehomed here in October, is most definitely broody!

So - I'm seriously considering acquiring a couple of day-old cream legbars if I can.

Those of you who know their stuff - what tips do you have? And should I wait two or three weeks, or strike whilst the iron is hot?

Comments

  • undautriundautri Senior Member
    Its the best feeling in the world watching a broody with little chicks and i really hate to rain on your parade but its the worst time of the year for raising chicks even with an experienced broody unless youre prepared with a broody coop indoors and can keep them in until the spring. if Little Josie snaps out of broodiness too soon then the chicks will be abandoned
    my advice would be wait and see if she goes broody in spring or summer - youre more likely to find chicks(most posh breeds arent even laying at the moment - all enjoying their winter break so the only chicks youre around qare hybrids) available then too or get building an indoor coop and run ................................
    Wishing you lots of luck whatever you decide
    XXKath
  • sandiesbrahmassandiesbrahmas Super Moderator
    Coming in 'late to the party'....but entirely agree with Kath. I'm just 'breaking' a broody now as it is an awful time for them to be looking after chicks. there are not likely to be a lot of chicks about, and they will be costly.

    I'd wait until at least April to let hens hatch or give them chicks.

    I used to have a Warren which went broody, but it's a rare event indeed for brown hybrids to do so.
  • solarbatssolarbats Senior Member
    Thank you ladies. I did think it was a bit early.
    I've been looking into this and there are mixed experiences about introducing chicks to broodies. I've had broodies before (pure breeds) and I' pretty sure I can tell a 'cranky' broody from a 'mumsy' broody. Josie is a very mumsy broody so I think she's got real potential. I'm hoping she will go broody again in the Spring so that we can give it a go.

    In the meantime I'm not too worried about 'breaking' her because it's great for a batty to have a natural break from egg laying, and I want to see if she could stay the course. I'll give her another week at least. I am getting her off the 'nest' to eat etc and she is soooo cuddly!
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