ktpaco
Chirping
- Nov 25, 2015
- 81
- 9
- 71
I have three hens that proved they can stay broody long enough to hatch eggs.
So instead of having too many chicks at one time, I let my first hen sit on 6 eggs beginning Friday 3/30/18 - Then I would get chicks on Sunday 4/22/18. I followed this pattern the next Friday, so again I would start to get chicks on a Sunday. And followed that up with the last hen in the same fashion - begin on a friday, so I would have new chicks on Sunday. This means I am home when they are hatching. Three weeks in a row of new chicks on a Sunday.
So, 4/22 - we (well Ruby the silky hen) hatched 2 little chicks successfully. The other four eggs either were not fertilized or the incubating process got messed up by mom. No biggie - there should be more. Mom and chicks seem to be doing great - in there own setup up within the hen coop.
So, on 4/30 - I should hopefully have more chicks - and this is where my dilemma begins. I wasn't thinking about having multiple "setups" for each weekly hatch. Can I take the new ones that hatch on 4/30, and put them with the Ruby and her two chicks? Then I avoid having to make another setup. Or do I have to let them stay with the mom that hatches them? I want to have hens do all the work - as I have done the heat lamp and plastic totes, and while everything went ok, it was a ton of work! This time, I just want mom to attend to the chicks, and I can give them the food and water.
So can the babies coming in a few days be added to the set that will be one week older than them? And then, if I can, what about the 3rd set to come after them. There will be two weeks difference in age? Since I don't know really how many eggs will hatch - I can always put all the mama's with the babies if there are too many of them - if that works in the chicken world. I just want an easy set up, and have these little ones part of the flock as quickly as possible. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
So instead of having too many chicks at one time, I let my first hen sit on 6 eggs beginning Friday 3/30/18 - Then I would get chicks on Sunday 4/22/18. I followed this pattern the next Friday, so again I would start to get chicks on a Sunday. And followed that up with the last hen in the same fashion - begin on a friday, so I would have new chicks on Sunday. This means I am home when they are hatching. Three weeks in a row of new chicks on a Sunday.
So, 4/22 - we (well Ruby the silky hen) hatched 2 little chicks successfully. The other four eggs either were not fertilized or the incubating process got messed up by mom. No biggie - there should be more. Mom and chicks seem to be doing great - in there own setup up within the hen coop.
So, on 4/30 - I should hopefully have more chicks - and this is where my dilemma begins. I wasn't thinking about having multiple "setups" for each weekly hatch. Can I take the new ones that hatch on 4/30, and put them with the Ruby and her two chicks? Then I avoid having to make another setup. Or do I have to let them stay with the mom that hatches them? I want to have hens do all the work - as I have done the heat lamp and plastic totes, and while everything went ok, it was a ton of work! This time, I just want mom to attend to the chicks, and I can give them the food and water.
So can the babies coming in a few days be added to the set that will be one week older than them? And then, if I can, what about the 3rd set to come after them. There will be two weeks difference in age? Since I don't know really how many eggs will hatch - I can always put all the mama's with the babies if there are too many of them - if that works in the chicken world. I just want an easy set up, and have these little ones part of the flock as quickly as possible. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
