[Gardening Mark]

Wehey ppl, my hen that sat for 7 weeks (on 2 seperate batches the poor thing), has finaly tonight got her first chick, 4 days late mind, but I'm over the moon for her, atleast if she gets no more she will still be a mother, and will soon be out with her chick getting the freedom she deserves. I'm so proud of her for sticking to her guns and waiting!!! Shes a Belta..

[WG.]

Congrats.

7 weeks sitting around doing zilch ... maybe your chook should run for Parliament.  :evil:

[slowef]

Bravo, hoping for the cheep of tiny chicks any day too :-)
xx

[Sadgit]

Congrats.. I want some (need a coop and hens 1st )

this is a very very stupid question, is it possible to have a hen foster a fertilised egg? As I never want a cockerel but would love to bring up a chicks

[agapanthus]

Ahhh bless her!!

[Garderner Rhys]

Go on Mark lad do you think she will have any more. Good luck for the next batch lol.      

[Garderner Rhys]

It's got 2 now        

[Gardening Mark]

Yeah m8, theres 2 at the min, the second is a lil black n white (toon army) thing, a pure belta... 3 More are cheeping in the eggs so tomorrow there could be 5 altogether, I'm over the moon this year with the hens I have!!! Cheers for selling me them last year Rhys lol... They all sat at nearly the same time so you know I'm well happy! Hope you get plenty of eggs from those big red hens to fill your orders...

To answer your question Sadgit, - No your hen will not foster a fertilised egg unless she is broody, and without a cockerel around theres no chance of her getting broody..(Well maybe 1 in 100 or something), but I doubt it, looks like you will have to get hold of a cockerel for a few days/weeks/months till they set themselves away!!! It'll be worth it in the end as who knows what the chicks will look like when they come, all of mine look wicked! Lovely
Thanks WG!!  Slowef good luck, hope you get plenty of em, as there could be a lot of cocks lol, I'm hoping I only have 1 cock in my batches, the rest hens, but we shall see... Fingers crossed for both of us.........

[Aunt Sally]

and without a cockerel around theres no chance of her getting broody..(Well maybe 1 in 100 or something), but I doubt it,

I don't know what makes you think that mark, but it's certainly not true.  I could give you many instances of hens without a cockerel going broody,  mine included  :evil:

[slowef]

Yummy is a good example of a successful broody and she has no cock bird around to "egg" her on (excuse the pun).

Hatched today so far 2 lovely little chicks (see post Yummy)

Well done on your babies, I have been squating ona bale of hay all day waiting and watching for the next installment, nothing beats it :-)
xx

[Gardening Mark]

I wouldnt of thought that mind.... The reason being - I thought the chickens would know their eggs are not fertile if there is no cockerel. But I have just checked the net and found your advice to be true again...(I didnt doubt you, if your hens do it then I was wrong anyway, but I had to check)lol Thanks again Sally

[Aunt Sally]

But I have just checked the net and found your advice to be true again...(I didnt doubt you, if your hens do it then I was wrong anyway, but I had to check)lol Thanks again Sally

There is rarely any need to doubt Aunty's advice Mark  :!:

[Gardening Mark]

To finish this topic off the broody hen had a total of 4 chicks hatch out, although she left 2 in eggs to die, I saved one, so theres 5. Then the mother stood all over them so I had to take them away again just like last year! Or she could of killed them. They are all fine at present and in 2-3 weeks I can take them all upto my allotment again where they should be. I'm happy with the resulting chicks though they are beauties!!!!! Pics will be posted as soon as I get round to it, only not on this page, in the pic gallery me thinks, as I dont know how to shrink their file size to fit em in here, I'll do my best, I have 14 chicks now in total and you should see them.......... Mint

[Aunt Sally]

Well done Mark  :!:   Looking forward to seeing your pictures