5th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2014 Hatch-A-Long

[Canieldonrad]

Still have about 45 left in the hatcher. These guys came out overnight(a day early). They would have stayed in the hatcher but the La Flèche wanted to climb the walls.

 

[Nancy Jones]

How Many?

 

[abmaddox1981]

So I was standing in front of the bator, watching the eggs because about half my silkie eggs are shaking it up. My 11yo daughter just walked by and told me to stop being a peeper creeper and cook breakfast.

 

[SunnySkies]

No action here yet, but I would say tomorrow at the earliest...

 

[AK FLOCK SWAP]

Temps are holding great.. i may need to add a few more vent hole to this little guy..holds humidity very well. Like a fridge should. I have to open the door every once an awhile to drop moisture..its running 70% plus.. I think higher is better than lower.. my case ..i did very low humidity the first week, 25 to 35% then upped it to 45 to 55% the second week believe It will work out great...30 out of 32..PEACE

 

[chicken pickin]

So I was standing in front of the bator, watching the eggs because about half my silkie eggs are shaking it up. My 11yo daughter just walked by and told me to stop being a peeper creeper and cook breakfast.

LOL that is absolutely hilarious

 

[coopsbyty]

So I was standing in front of the bator, watching the eggs because about half my silkie eggs are shaking it up. My 11yo daughter just walked by and told me to stop being a peeper creeper and cook breakfast.

Lol I love it may have to steal that one

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I need some advice!!! I think I need to move my broody and the babies out of the hen house/coop based on what I have read. I put pictures of my hen house/coop below. My coop also has 2 full grown turkeys (approx 50lbs) that live full time with the girls.

I have a few questions on what to do that those of you who have much more experience than I do can hopefully answer...

1. Is it too late to move my broody to a secluded area?
2. Is my brooding box ok to put her in - It is made of 2 french doors (6ft x 2ftx4ft) Pic below
3. What type of bedding material do I use? Sawdust, shredded paper, bath towels, hay, straw
4. Will she reject the babies with just days to go if I move her now? She already kicked 1 egg out of the nest yesterday =(

So many choices and I just want to do what is best for my babies!!!

Nesting Box - 8 in drop to floor

Hen House - approx 2 ft off the ground
Brooding Box (Used for baby Chicks last spring)


Thanks in advance for any advice!!

1. Normally you can move them at any time with a few cautions.

2. Your broody apartment looks nice. I have a few breeder apartments slightly larger than that and they work nicely as temporary broody/clutch housing.

3. One you didn't mention. Pine shavings IMO are the best bedding. Corn cob bedding works very well too but around here is much pricier.

4. Here's my best plan for moving a broody which has always worked. Set up the new nest just like the one she's in. Do the following after dark. Take an equal number of either fake or real eggs and warm them up to body temp. Put the eggs in the new nest. Move the hen to the new nest and she won't know she is on a different nest.
Then take the incubated eggs, keep them warm and if she doesn't come off the new nest after a short while, take her off the nest, swap the eggs and put her back in the nest.

I've had setters successfully raise a brood with the flock many times. That said, there have been occasional problems and I do prefer to raise them in their own apartment if for no other reason than I can provide the type of feed the chicks need and the higher protein won't hurt the broody that has been on a self imposed fast.

So I was standing in front of the bator, watching the eggs because about half my silkie eggs are shaking it up. My 11yo daughter just walked by and told me to stop being a peeper creeper and cook breakfast.

It's so much easier to ignore when it is in the basement.

 

[Myfourladies]

Well, day 20 here and nothing to report. My dad swears he seen an egg rock lastnight, but I stared at them for almost 20 minutes and I didn't seen them move. Who knows. I hope tonight or tomorrow to just randomly go over to find a chick, that's my hopes.....

 

[Cynthia12]