So many broody hens in our muddy valley, and two more ladies declared their intentions today, veteran Alsty and newbie Welsummer.
A full quarter of our year round chicken population is engaged in procreation right now. That makes it tough for our egg customers, broody hens stop laying. We have:
– Four Silkie hens raising chicks – White Silkie 1 and White Silkie 2 who each have a brood, and Brown and Black Silkies co-mothering their second batch this year,
– A Swedish Flower raising her lone chick in the coop with the flock. (That one was a complete shock, I lifted her up one day and a chick fell out of her feather petticoat),
– A Marans in the barn setting on eggs,
– Another Marans who has just finished raising babies and gone back to her flock,
– Sparkles the Auracana, who has just done likewise,
– Brownie the chocolate Cochin, almost finished raising her first brood of the year.
– A Silver Sussex in the laying coop, about to hatch a passel of Legbars, and
– A Barred Rock in a broody box, deep in her setting trance. I prod her each day to make sure she is still with us, and she growls in return. Broodies get so grouchy.
That’s eleven, plus these two new ones makes a baker’s dozen.
Where the heck am I going to put Alsty and Welsummer? Is it time for some chicken infrastructure updates? Uh oh, maybe…stay tuned!