Grazing Acres Farm

     When raising chickens you sometimes get a broody hen, determined to become a momma.  Not always is it the good thing you would think it would be.      During the middle of May one of my Silkies (named Baby) became broody.  We had just hatched a bunch of babies for the farm and didn't really need any more little ones but I gave her two eggs to sit on.  She was very committed and didn't get up much to eat or drink, you could tell she was starting to loose weight.  Two weeks into her sitting my other Silkie (named Momma) went broody too.  Ugh, now I have two and no need for babies. Someone suggested to let them share responsibilities and the babies, which ended up working fine, until hatch day.  Day 21 came and went with no little ones hatching and my Baby had gotten really small, to the point I was worried about her.     I researched what to do, posted in a couple forums and people said a "broody breaker" is what I needed.  Here is what I learned...  A broody b

The Following Material Are Needed To Build A 4'x4' Brooder: * One 4'x 8' sheet of plywood 1/2" ( the thicker the warmer) * One 2"x 4"x 8' for legs * Two porcelain light fixtures (light bulb sockets) * One 150 watt heat bulb * One 250 red tented heat bulb * 15' Of electrical extension cord with plug * 1 Small Box of 2 1/2" screws Now To Start Building To begin cut plywood in half giving you two 4' x 4' pieces. Set one of them to the side to use for the top of the brooder. Cut the other piece down to four strips 1' wide (by 4' long). These pieces will be the sides of the brooder. On the same four pieces lay them in front of you one at a time and make a pencil mark 3" down from the top. Make sure to mark all the way across the 4' with your pencil. This will help when you construct the brooder. Next to cut the 2"x 4" into four 13" long piece, the rest of the 2" x 4" is