We have 9 modern game hens that my dad gave me 3 years ago. We lost our rooster last year but the hens still went brooding this spring. My sister raises Barred Plymoth Rocks and gave me some eggs she thought might be fertile. We put them under the 4 brooding hens. We really didn't think we would get anything because my sisters chickens are young and our hens kept moving the eggs from nest to nest. Boy were we wrong they started hatching yesterday. We cleaned up the egg shells and put in fresh shavings this morning. There are 32 so far with 5 eggs still not hatched out. The hen is still setting on the eggs so we did not move them. I'll take a picture as soon as momas let them out. Right now all we can see are little heads popping out under moma wings. They are too cute. My husband is walking around like a proud daddy.
We put another dozen under a hen that started brooding about a week ago. All the babies that hatched so far are doing great. My sister hatched a batch in an incubater at the same time. She had 6 die over the past week. I think ours are doing so well because they have a hen taking care of them.
32 and counting
Posted - Apr 18 2010 : 5:06:41 PM
