We May Be Expecting

Well, the Biscottis (that is what I named them all: Biscotti 1, 2, 3 and 4), are expecting. We don't have a rooster, so I had to get some fertilized eggs from some friends. Both of the friends I visited to get fertilized eggs have ducks, so I got duck eggs.

Here are the girls:

They were both sharing one nest the morning I took this picture.

I don't have super high hopes that we will have loads of babies. There have been so many shenanigans. First Biscotti 1 went broody, so I got her some eggs. Then Biscotti 3 decided she wanted to do it too, so I got her some. She started setting on her eggs four days after Biscotti 1. They were both doing fine for about 2 weeks. It takes 4 weeks (28 days) to hatch duck eggs. Then one day I checked on them and they had switched nests and Biscotti 1 looked very grumpy. I had my husband help me lift them out so I could candle the eggs and found that there was a broken egg under Biscotti 1 and she was covered in goo. I cleaned her up as best I could without cooling off her chest and cleaned up the nest with new straw. Two days later they had switched back. then another day later  checked on them and they were both crammed into one nest and the eggs in the broken eggs nest were left alone. (that is what is happening in the above picture) I have checked on them a few times since and they have changed nests again and again. There haven't been any more broken eggs, but I don't hold out a lot of hope that they are doing a good job in there. The first nest should hatch on Friday (3 days from today) if it is going to hatch at all. The second nest would hatch the next Tuesday. I have me fingers crossed that each of them get at least one baby, but I don't know. I will definitely post some pictures of the babies, if we get any.

Buff Orpingtons are prone to becoming broody. That is the only complaint I have against the breed. If I lived on a farm that wouldn't be such a bad thing, but in town, when I am only aloud to have 4 hens it cuts done egg production quite a bit. I have struggled to break them of the broodiness each time they decide to set on the nests, and usually I am successful in a couple days, but it takes a week or so for them to start laying again. This time I decided to get some eggs and let them try to hatch them. Having friends who live outside the city limits is fun, because they have roosters and ducks and I can get fertilized eggs from them. This is just a fun experiment. I won't be able to keep the babies. I do have homes for them though, once they are ready to go.