Broody Hen Thread!

[Hannahs Hollow]

NO Sharpie pencil works!

We use a sharpie and have never had a problem.  If your hen is in where other hens may lay eggs which end up in her nest you will want to either put a mark on 2 sides of them or just draw a plain line around the center of the egg so no matter how it is positioned in the nest it will be seen.  Then you can quickly tell which eggs are imposters without even having to handle the eggs.

 

[PimentoPlymouth]

Quote:
I was wondering how they went about it. I had a broody hen that kept collecting more eggs and I never caught her stealing them and had always wondered.

 

[fisherlady]

NO Sharpie pencil works!

We've never had a problem, why do you say to not use them?

 

[fisherlady]

Marking is a personal preference... many choices, here is a thread which mentions pros and cons with different choices...

Read through some searches and threads and decide which you feel is right for you...


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/536185/which-is-better-for-marking-hatching-eggs

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/208354/what-do-you-use-to-mark-eggs

 

[Lady of McCamley]

WOW! What a wealth of information! I very much appreciate you taking the time to write that up for me and gather the links together! I have printed your info and the info from the links! awesome!! I am going to wait two more days and candle on day 5. I am going to post pictures so I can get feedback on viability as I am brand new! I don't know if it is ok to post them in this thread though.. lol Thank you again Lady of McCamley! Oh I wanted to ask. I have written on the eggs in pencil but I imagine that wont last long. Is it safe to use a black sharpie??

I've used pencil and Sharpie...regular pen never seems to write well...I can never find a crayon.

I asked my daughter to mark some eggs for me a couple of broods back...just expecting the normal "X" on a couple of sides...and this is what I got...and we had a successful hatch...so apparently Sharpie, colored markers, don't effect the chicks at all

(A lot of the eggs weren't fertile so we had a low percentage...but the ones that were hatched fine....Ms. Marval, Leonardo, Spidy, Batman, and Flash)

Ms. Marvel is my avatar now. (Yep...we named the chicks from the eggs they hatched...kids insisted!)

Good luck!

Lady of McCamley

 

[Retrieverluvr]

My first Broody!!!! I was hoping some of my Cochins would go Broody....But I guess Wynonna the Wyandotte will do!

Here she is in the shared nest box. Once I knew she was serious I attempted moving her to a private area where the other hens woudn't take the Eggs I wanted her to hatch!






I think she likes her new digs!!! She gets her own food and water and dosen't have to share anything!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Wynonna indeed looks very intent.

Good luck with your hatch!
Lady of McCamley

 

[zinkie]

She looks happy! And I love her digs!.

You are lucky that you were able to move her and she was ok.

I tried to move mine who was sitting in the favorite nesting area and she would not have any of it. She ended up breaking 2 eggs in her 'fight' to get back to her nest, so I just moved them back.

There has been a few nosy girls bugging her, but mostly they have been ok. I often finds an extra egg and 1 was kicked out and had gotten cold.... so she is sitting on 9.

But now I am worried about the hatch. She is right next to the run door. We had put up a wind break a long time ago, so that will help. It has been really cold here and I have not been keeping that door open, but allowing them instead to roan in part of the barn (coop takes up part of it) Any suggestions Lady of McCamley?

Would it be better to put a temp board there with a small opening (I could put some HW cloth up) or completely section the area off with HW cloth.

Also, how long should the chicks and mom be separated from the rest of the flock? And will that area be big enough for that period of time.

Also, as you see, I could add the light for the first few weeks if the temps are really cold here in NH (it will be in single numbers this week). Today is day 15.

Any advice would be helpful.


The last picture is just a cabinet door, could be easily removable. The wooden box to the left of her is open facing her, I thought it would be a good place to put the chicks food when they come.

And as a side note, the girls do not EVER use the nesting boxes above Mildred. They layed where she is or in an orange tub that was next to her (I moved it to give her more room- they are still using it thank goodness!) Oh and 1 girl loves to lay and sit in the milk crate above it all!

 

[zinkie]

Would it just be easier to mover here and the chicks once they all hatch?

 

[mrstodd]

I've used pencil and Sharpie...regular pen never seems to write well...I can never find a crayon.

I asked my daughter to mark some eggs for me a couple of broods back...just expecting the normal "X" on a couple of sides...and this is what I got...and we had a successful hatch...so apparently Sharpie, colored markers, don't effect the chicks at all

(A lot of the eggs weren't fertile so we had a low percentage...but the ones that were hatched fine....Ms. Marval, Leonardo, Spidy, Batman, and Flash)

Ms. Marvel is my avatar now. (Yep...we named the chicks from the eggs they hatched...kids insisted!)

Good luck!

Lady of McCamley

your pictures made me laugh out loud!! That is awesome that she 'coloured' them like that! great picture!