First hatch with a broody!

[PatriciaPNW]

Good luck! I’ve proven that the more I stay out of the process except to have food and water available in chick-sized containers the better. That includes moving them to a cage, checking eggs, etc.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

So sorry that happened. Hopefully, if you have a broody hen in the future, you can give her a private place to hatch her eggs.

 

[Mini Horses]

Sorry to hear. Next year you will get it to work

 

[Hinotori]

Im sorry.

I have a little self enclosed coop just for broodies. I don't usually need it with silkies because of their group think but it's great if I hatch large amounts for broodies. It's all 1/2 inch hardware clothed. Even the dirt on the bottom floor is to prevent rats. Currently two old biddies live in there away from pesky roosters.

I only allowed the large fowl hen to have chicks in with the other large fowl because she was 2nd in the pecking order. She has not lost that spot for good reason. Usually broody large fowl are separated.

 

[Beekissed]

I separate all my broodies from the flock so I won't have to worry about a staggered hatch due to other chickens laying in the broody's nest. It also saves her from having to sit on other eggs when she comes back from getting a drink or food because another bird is on her clutch. Then the other bird gets off the clutch and there sit the eggs, left uncovered and cold, as the poor broody is sitting on other eggs.

When chickens go off in the brush to brood a clutch, they don't have to deal with these issues, so the hatch rates are often better in a nest separated from the flock. Giving a broody her own private place can help insure better hatch rates and safety of the family until they are prepared to rejoin the flock.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Cute name ideas! But why can't you keep any?

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Cute name ideas! But why can't you keep any?

Thanks! I can't keep them because I have no room for more chickens. My coop is just right for six, which I already have. And I just wanted to try hatching and raising to about 10 weeks or a little younger, then sell/give away the chicks. I don't even know what breed they are.

 

[Hinotori]

Rats? Rats steel eggs.

 

[Hinotori]

As long as I dont hatch between late November and mid January, the silkies do just fine raising chicks. Their habit of sleeping in piles makes a big difference if the broody is with the flock. I always set two at a time now anyway as they do co-booding very well.

One of my large fowl easter eggers has 3 week old chicks. I wouldn't hatch any large fowl any later in the year unless silkies were raising them.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Oh no - sorry it turned out that way...