Broody Pics to Share

Here are a few pictures of my dark Cornish broody and her 14 adopted Cornish cross meaties.  She was playing broody for a couple of weeks and so I bought her an instant family at Tractor Supply.  I put the babies in with her at night and she has been raising them for me for the last couple of weeks.

I bet she was surprised the first morning AFTER you put them in with her.

That is nice to see. I really enjoyed those pictures and appreciate your sharing them. I wish I was where I could have some chickens. Someday.

PATRICE IN IL wrote:I bet she was surprised the first morning AFTER you put them in with her.

That is what my hubby said!

I am amazed that she has them all jumping up into the nest box to sleep at night. We all know how physically fit most Cornish cross chicks are. Most just waller around in their own poo and lay down to eat. She has these little puff balls running all over the yard to hunt for food.

I've only been able to sneak chicks in if they already have some running around. I'd love to have someone go broody this week since I have eggs in the incubator.

Well the second batch of adopta-chicks are doing very well. We have 23 chicks total with two Dark Cornish mothers are co-brooding them and doing a great job.

Today a couple of the babies slipped through the fence into the pasture where the turkey girls are ranging. One turkey came over to check them out and one of the Dark Cornish broodies shouted the alarm to the chicks and went on the warpath to protect her brood.

The chicks popped back to safety quickly, but the battle raged through the fence for some minutes. Wow. You could sure see the Game Bird in the Cornish gal. She looked like a fighting cock! The turkeys put on quite a show as well. As soon as the first turkey engaged in the fight the other 4 raced into the fray. All five turkey girls were shoulder to shoulder fighting that one Cornish broody through the fence! And she STILL stood her ground!!

Finally she dove a quick retreat, really none the worse for wear. What a mama!

Sounds like quite a bit of cackling and ruffled feathers were to be witnessed by those little chicks. I hope they learned not to go into the turkey pasture again.

It would be a hope... but you know how kids are.

Yeah, they never learn.