1st timer looking for advice...

[JustaDad]

And again, its not an issue of money. I could buy the Brinsea Ovation 56 (which is what I'm considering since everyone has agreed that that is the best brand) or a slightly smaller model. But my issue is this...a buddy of mine and I decided to do this at the same time for multiple reasons. Cheaper food source, knowing what is in your meat and eggs etc. He spent $1800 on a pre made coop and bought 10 hens at $10ea...it will take him 20 years to recoup his 2k. I'm into about $200 in materials and starter items. I just don't 'want' to spend a bunch of money and have it be counter productive for the reasons I chose to do it.

 

[Pyxis]

What breeds do you have? I'm wondering why you aren't getting any broodies if they're supposedly broody breeds. Hatcheries do sometimes breed the broodiness out of them so that might be the problem, you may end up needing to get some from a breeder so that they are actually true to breed characteristics. That said, my hatchery birds have been broody, so it could be a different issue. For instance, it sounds like your nesting boxes are in the run? Or maybe I read that part wrong. If they are in the run and not in the coop, they may not feel secure enough to sit, or maybe they do want to sit (you did say one hen started to sit for 2 days) but something is disturbing them enough to break them, such as seeing a predator.

 

[JustaDad]

There is no actual 'run', just a large enclosure with shelves on one side with the nesting boxes (2 rows, 1 up and one underneath that they wont use...I now know why, rookie error lol and some roosts I made out of limbs from the woods, and food and water on the opposite side. They are let out every evening for about 3-5 hours to free range then go up at dusk. It is a converted greenhouse with all glass windows around it so they can see everything, including predators. We live out in the country and have a few fox among other natural predators that they could see. Could that affect them even though they are contained and safe? When they are out to free range in the evenings the dogs are out as well and nothing comes close. The only reason the flock got cut in half is that one of the windows got broken somehow and they were out all day for 2 days unprotected before I realized it. (my daughter lets them out when she gets home from school and I didn't think anything about it until she told me that the chickens were already out when she got home after the second day). I currently have 6 Orpington one of which is the last rooster of 3, 8-10 RIR, 1 Plymouth Rock which was supposed to be the brooder that will sit on anything, 1 Australop and one other that I haven't identified. The 'oddballs' are from the adopted flock, I originally had all buffs and RIR.