A flock of 2 and chicks ??

[happybooker1]

Good evening. I've been a member for several year and just started posting again. I live in the country on 2.5 acres (but only the front 1/3 is cleared). I have had as many as 13 chickens together as a flock, but these last 2 (1 roo, 1 hen) are the last for awhile. They are 2 of the 8 I hatched from my "old" flock that have all passed on now so they are probably 1/2 siblings (sharing the same father). They are just 1 year old (hatched last April) and get along great. The hen lays under our window AC on the porch and seems to like it there. The rooster struts his stuff out in the front yard. But not too far from his lady. If I collect the eggs n hatch them since they're related, what kinds of problems might the chicks have?

 

[aart]

If I collect the eggs n hatch them since they're related, what kinds of problems might the chicks have?

Slim to none.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Good evening. I've been a member for several year and just started posting again. I live in the country on 2.5 acres (but only the front 1/3 is cleared). I have had as many as 13 chickens together as a flock, but these last 2 (1 roo, 1 hen) are the last for awhile. They are 2 of the 8 I hatched from my "old" flock that have all passed on now so they are probably 1/2 siblings (sharing the same father). They are just 1 year old (hatched last April) and get along great. The hen lays under our window AC on the porch and seems to like it there. The rooster struts his stuff out in the front yard. But not too far from his lady. If I collect the eggs n hatch them since they're related, what kinds of problems might the chicks have?

Why don’t you let the hen hatch them?

 

[ANightPerson]

Slim to none.

Agreed. You can repopulate the entire flock with them and you're pretty much fine for a few generations.

 

[happybooker1]

Why don’t you let the hen hatch them?

i've tried letting hens hatch chicks. Disasterous!! All 3 broodies hatched chicks successfully 1 even hatched 3. Chicks never even make it to a week. They disappear. Incubator is practically fool proof. I remember my grandmother hatching out chicks -- must be a skill I don't have. Anyway, I just use my Brinsa & get 7 out of 7.

 

[aart]

All 3 broodies

Letting more than set at the same time, ups the risks exponentially.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

i've tried letting hens hatch chicks. Disasterous!! All 3 broodies hatched chicks successfully 1 even hatched 3. Chicks never even make it to a week. They disappear. Incubator is practically fool proof. I remember my grandmother hatching out chicks -- must be a skill I don't have. Anyway, I just use my Brinsa & get 7 out of 7.

Oh, maybe if they don’t stay in the coop at night and are just outdoors, the rats and animals get them.

 

[happybooker1]

Letting more than set at the same time, ups the risks exponentially.

Nope 3 different broodies at 3 different times. All chicks were lost during the day somehow. I'd check on them thruout the day and one hour they'd be happily scratching with mom, then next hour -- gone. Lost 2 chicks, 3 chicks, 1 chick -- then gave up having broodies hatch babies. Just too sad for me. Plus they never hatched out 7-10 either, like the egg numbers they sat on. Most that was hatched out was 3.

 

[aart]

Nope 3 different broodies at 3 different times. All chicks were lost during the day somehow.

Oh, good!

Were mama and chicks free ranging?

 

[happybooker1]

Oh, good!

Were mama and chicks free ranging?

Yes they were. Checked on babies every night to be sure they got in the coop. That's when I would discover they were gone, if not before. Mamas were a cochin, n 2 Silkies.