Chicken Madness

[Hen-Gen]

Two years ago I hatched some Blue Jersey Giant eggs. I retained one blue hen thinking I could mate her to a Dominique cockerel to hatch some blue barred pullets because this is a colour I’ve never seen in the flesh. Last year she was such a persistent broody that I never managed to recognise any of her eggs from my Dominiques and random hatching did not give me any blue barred chicks. This year I hope for better luck.
But is there any way I can prevent broodiness occurring at least until I get some of her eggs. I always like to set my main hatch on March 21st, the spring equinox, but last year she was broody already. This year she is living with just two other hens and a cockerel. Surely this time!
The other hens are with a Lavender Araucana. But that’s another story.

 

[chrismahon]

If you could stop broodiness you'll make a fortune CM. It's intrinsic to a chicken and unavoidable, although over centuries some breeds are less prone to it and more prone therefore to natural extinction in the event of catastrophe. Our TNN's go broody after laying about 6 eggs, fly well, forage well and are born survivors. Nature rapidly recovers fortunately.

 

[bigyetiman]

Stop broodiness, you have more chance of achieving world peace and sorting out Brexit, working out how Donald Trump works will take longer though