8 month Austra white broody?

[Nicky S]

I would check around your feed store - if you can get chicks within 3-4 weeks - it will work. That is how long she would brood normally. They can often get chicks in earlier than small orders, because they are ordering large numbers, they ship better in the cold. But do order them, don't just pick up what is in the bins...that is when chicks get mixed up. (Well, you can just pick up chicks and it will work too, no big deal)

It is always fun to hatch your own eggs, but then you have a very good chance of 50% roosters - and the problem of what to do with them.

If you want pullets, order pullets, and put them under her. No need to worry about the weather, or how hot or cold they are, she will take care of all that. I had a hen bring 4 chicks through NEGATIVE 20 degrees one year, so cold that even me, (the queen of don't interfere) almost pulled them, but I didn't, and I was glad I didn't.

Longest 3 weeks ever - but so much fun...and if you were going to get chicks anyway...

I would not put more than 4-6 chicks under her, she is not that big. But 4-6 I would put to her with confidence.

Mrs K

Ok, thank you! Encouraging to know that not interfering is the best policy! Of course she had to be our smallest girl - I do worry about the temps when the coop is open all day, but for now she seems fine. Maybe I can get those chicks early!

 

[Nicky S]

No, wear a long sleeve sweat shirt, and pull the eggs out from under her. And keep doing that until you have enough on your counter to set. Then mark those eggs with marker - just an X and set all of them at once.

Every two or three days, using a towel, carefully remove her, and let her go terrorize the flock. Check to make sure that she has not added eggs to the bunch, or other hens have not added. Too many eggs - and the outer ring dies cause too cool, and then she moves them all around, and the 'new' outer ring dies... and get a very poor hatch rate.

If you want to set some of your own, and buy some chicks, you can do that if you match the hatch date with the arrival of day old chicks. Then if you want, you can get some new breeds, or if none or only one or two of your eggs hatch, you still have chicks.

Averages are funny - cause they measure overall, generally speaking, kind of, sort of there is a 50% hatch rate...some are better, some are worse. This summer, three times I set, with a pretty poor hatch rate. I think it was too hot. I have since read that if it is too hot, to use a wedge of grass and roots upside down, and dampened as bedding.

But my point is, if you really want chicks, then you might want to have a plan to get chicks if nothing hatches. (honestly, I am as excited for you as can be, good luck).

Mrs. K

My son is desperate for us to hatch our own, but if it doesn’t work out we have a list picked out to order for late spring, so I’m not so worried about that. It would be lovely to let her hatch them though. My main concern is that we have an Eglu coop and there’s not really much room in there for her to permanently occupy the nesting box - plus she’s going to steal everyone’s eggs. I can’t see how to separate her outside though, and I’m worried if I bring her in I’ll have to reintroduce her to the flock. Are the eggs she’s been sitting on for a day or so ok to remove and put back? Or will that mess up their development? This is all very unplanned as we weren’t supposed to have a rooster in the first place

 

[Nicky S]

No don't use those, use fresh never sat on eggs.

I think instead of moving her, I would create another nest box for the other layers. Sometimes if you move her, she will break being broody, or go back the the nest she likes best, leaving her clutch.

A dog crate outside of the coop, with the door way covered with a little towel, and a fake egg in there, and I am pretty sure they will lay in there easily. Or a cardboard box, it really does not have to be fancy. My chickens love a new hidden nest.

How big is an igloo coop? Because in the long run, you might need to cull some birds if it is small. Small coops really are limited on the number of birds that you can keep in them, and being raised together, or free ranging will not help.

Mrs K

Ok thank you. We definitely have to get a second coop - they say up to 6 full size chickens in the eglu but when the 5 girls go in it’s snug. Our Brahma boy doesn’t even attempt to go in . They have a good-sized run and free range most of the day, and only go in the coop to lay and sleep, no matter the weather!

 

[Nicky S]

Are you gonna let her be broody? They are so cute with chicks following them!!! She looks broody to me!!!

Yeah, we’re gonna give it a go - that image is too cute not to try

 

[Nicky S]

The problem with a too small coop, is NOT the daytime... it is the night, and in the winter the night is 14-16 hours long. Ugly behavior is caused by overcrowding, very, very ugly behavior.

If you add chicks, you need to subtract birds. Selling them if they are laying is pretty easy, a lot of people don't want to mess with chicks. Many people come on here with the idea of forever friends with chickens, but you do better with having a flock mentality, the birds come and go in a flock.

I love to have chicks, as you can tell with my encouragement to let her brood, but make a real strong consideration of your numbers, what you can do with roosters, (you really cannot keep all of them, and they can be hard to get rid of) and the actual space of the coop. You can cheat a bit in the summer, but come August, you need enough space in the coop.

Mrs K

Thank you - a lot to consider!

 

[Mrs. K]

Here are some pictures. Today, in a shed nearby, my dh had some mineral tubs, and the coons are in them. My coop is very close to this, and I know they would have gotten my chickens without this fencing.