NY chicken lover!!!!

[featherz]

Ok, this raises some questions for me.I have a broody in the coop. I have never had one before, so can I place eggs in the incubator under or chicks? Should I move her to the other coop? When mama and chicks are together, what food do I feed? Chick starter or the layer for her? do I feed both and some how put the layer feed where the chicks can't reach it? It would be nice if mama could do the work for me......
All suggestions weelcome. Gotta go to work. Have a great day all!

Here's what I do. I generally either give eggs or chicks. I put the chicks under at night. So far so good. Have in the past been able to put chicks under 'early' (like after two weeks or so), but you are risking her getting po'd and trying to kill the chicks. If I put eggs in, I have an incubator handy in case she decides to stop being broody. Also, if you give her fertile eggs and she's not separate from others, make sure to mark 'your' eggs so you don't get confused which is which because others will lay eggs in her spot.

I personally keep the hen in the coop with all the other ones and have had no problems so far. I don't have time or space to set up separate broody areas. Mom will take chicks out and protect from other chickens and this has worked out fine, plus momma will get the chicks integrated into the flock. Others will separate out, but this means you'll need to re-integrate when you can and that's no fun. But you have less risk of damage to the chicks that way.

When I have mixed ages in the coop I feed everyone grower feed like Flock Raiser and give extra oyster shell on the side. I use nipple waterers so I set up a low to the ground chick waterer for the babies, or you can provide 'steps' so the babies can get to the water. Avoid large open bowls of water - lost one chick that way when I forgot about a water bowl in the yard that had water in it.

 

[trilyn]

Yup. You'll never break a silkie of being broody and you really have NOTHING to lose, right? Give them the egg and watch the fun when it out grows them at 2 weeks of age. LOL

OMG..is that not the truth! LOL

 

[trilyn]

the primary benefit to a red bulb is it makes everything look red, so birds do not focus on injuries of other birds because the injuries do not stand out.

I say thank goodness for them, just recently had a wyandotte chick with a large transparent "bubble" on its neck. I know if I had it under a white light, that poor thing would not be here today. Also, gotta give kudos to Veterycin...two days and a few sprays of it on its neck, you would never know the poor thing had such a nasty boo boo.

 

[featherz]

I say thank goodness for them, just recently had a wyandotte chick with a large transparent "bubble" on its neck. I know if I had it under a white light, that poor thing would not be here today. Also, gotta give kudos to Veterycin...two days and a few sprays of it on its neck, you would never know the poor thing had such a nasty boo boo.

Another reason I like my ecoglow - they 'hide' under it in the dark for a while so any 'special needs' chicks I have are essentially invisible. I have a red twisty light I use in the coop sometime when I have babies and they need to find the roost at night. Hmm.. That reminds me, I should find that light. I had a bit of 'chick drama' in the coop last night - the olders must have pushed the youngers outside, so when I got out to close the run the babies are all huddled outside in a corner with the pop door closed. Had to bring them all in and set them on the roost. Much drama ensued but they stayed on alll night. I even got a pic I think..

 

[trilyn]

Off to work again.... Will be rushing home from work because we have a new little pinto horse joining my 3 seniors. I've resisted chicken math somewhat, but can't pass up a free horse, so think pony math is my bigger problem. And that is why I built a huge barn with 5 stalls.

Aww..how cute-congratulations, you've got to post pics please! We've had to put down our three seniors this year..the oldest being 38..very hard for us.

I was offered a miniature pinto yesterday as a companion horse for our youngest, Nicky (haflinger) and I would've taken it, but he has a tendency to tear horses to shreds til the herd order (nearly typed pecking order lol) has been figured out. He tore a t bone steak sized piece of flesh off of our Missouri Fox Trotter when we first got him. I didn't want to witness him pulverizing a mini. Gee, I wonder why he was free?? LOL

Oh, btw...if anyone knows of a nice younger, western trained trail horse for under 2000.00...please...let me know! Must be over 15 hands as it would be for my tall hubby! Thanks!

 

[demp4]

Here's what I do. I generally either give eggs or chicks. I put the chicks under at night. So far so good. Have in the past been able to put chicks under 'early' (like after two weeks or so), but you are risking her getting po'd and trying to kill the chicks. If I put eggs in, I have an incubator handy in case she decides to stop being broody. Also, if you give her fertile eggs and she's not separate from others, make sure to mark 'your' eggs so you don't get confused which is which because others will lay eggs in her spot.

I personally keep the hen in the coop with all the other ones and have had no problems so far. I don't have time or space to set up separate broody areas. Mom will take chicks out and protect from other chickens and this has worked out fine, plus momma will get the chicks integrated into the flock. Others will separate out, but this means you'll need to re-integrate when you can and that's no fun. But you have less risk of damage to the chicks that way.

When I have mixed ages in the coop I feed everyone grower feed like Flock Raiser and give extra oyster shell on the side. I use nipple waterers so I set up a low to the ground chick waterer for the babies, or you can provide 'steps' so the babies can get to the water. Avoid large open bowls of water - lost one chick that way when I forgot about a water bowl in the yard that had water in it.

Thanks I had the same questions... I have a broody with a pipped egg under her now (my daughter checks every morning) She is so excited but I told her to leave them alone!

The rest of our eggs are on lockdown inside so we should be having lots of babies soon!

 

[happyhensny]

Here's one for my gardening peeps - a quick tutorial on how to grow potatoes in a trash bag. I may actually end up doing this, as it looks extremely easy, which means I'm all for it.

http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/11980/how-to-grow-potatoes-in-a-trash-bag

Also, let me inflict one of my artsy "around the yard" photos of my forsythia bush on you, just because it's cheerful and it sounds like we could use a little bit of cheer around here this evening!

We have a couple Forsythias here and there in the yard and the sunny yellow is great to see after such a strange winter. My Veronica Cauliflower we planted indoors is about 3" tall - YUM!

Small town North of Lake George..

Welcome, we like to chat so join in!

 

[trilyn]

Another reason I like my ecoglow - they 'hide' under it in the dark for a while so any 'special needs' chicks I have are essentially invisible. I have a red twisty light I use in the coop sometime when I have babies and they need to find the roost at night. Hmm.. That reminds me, I should find that light. I had a bit of 'chick drama' in the coop last night - the olders must have pushed the youngers outside, so when I got out to close the run the babies are all huddled outside in a corner with the pop door closed. Had to bring them all in and set them on the roost. Much drama ensued but they stayed on alll night. I even got a pic I think..

I love the ecoglow..want one soo bad, just have a few things higher on the priority list right now. But, I was thinking of using those "black" reptile bulbs that throw a lot of heat also...for the same idea as the ecoglow. I really like the idea of them being on a "normal" cycle with light. Ugh...don't you hate when that happens? I've gone out a few times to find them in complete chaos and having to spend time putting them to rights. Why does it always happen on the nights you're in a hurry??

Love that little blonde naked neck...LOL!! Looks like a pullet too!

 

[featherz]

I love the ecoglow..want one soo bad, just have a few things higher on the priority list right now. But, I was thinking of using those "black" reptile bulbs that throw a lot of heat also...for the same idea as the ecoglow. I really like the idea of them being on a "normal" cycle with light. Ugh...don't you hate when that happens? I've gone out a few times to find them in complete chaos and having to spend time putting them to rights. Why does it always happen on the nights you're in a hurry??

Love that little blonde naked neck...LOL!! Looks like a pullet too!

Yah, I think that's a pullet. They are almost eight weeks. The other NN I am on the fence about. Red neck, but yellow small comb. The white one on the right I think is a roo, americauna or EE (I think I had white am eggs in that hatch). The rest I think are girls SO FAR.

 

[greymane]

OMG..is that not the truth! LOL

So true. Well, I got the turkey egg and a Cayuga egg on the same day, so I put both under my broody. We will see. I had a small nest of Cayuga eggs with one of the girls sitting on them (on and off), but our littlest goat got under the stand and trampled the nest. I think I will just pull them from now on.