Advice for a first timer

[Tormund]

We are attempting to hatch some eggs this year. Over the winter we lost 2 hens to cats. We have one hen that's been pretty broody lately so we decided to see if she will hatch the eggs. We had to start removing the ceramic eggs from whenever she was brooding because she wouldn't leave them alone even after we took all the other eggs. She got to the point that the other chickens were climbing in the box on top of her to lay an egg and she would just sit there until they laid it then pull the egg under her.

So We have put out a large dog kennel well layered with straw and food water and grit and moved one of the nesting boxes into the kennel. The kennel is separated from the flock. The main thing I'm not sure about is a heating lamp. Here in south Louisiana, we are already moving into spring, and it may get down into the 40s at night but its late enough there won't be any more freezes. Highs were going to be 60s mostly with occasional dips into the 50s or up into the 70s. I just put here in with all the eggs she was sitting this morning and marked them so I can't differentiate just in case she lays more. She is sitting on 11 eggs: 4 Australorp, 2 Orpington, 3 Rhode Island reds, and 2 easter egger.

Other then whethere I should put a heat lamp in any advice would be helpful. There is so much information out there about what should and should not be done that it contradictory I wanted to get the opinion of people actually hatching these.

 

[nuthatched]

Momma should be plenty to keep them warm with your temperatures

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, neighbor. I'm hopeful last night was the last freeze we will see this year. It should be. It was 26 F at our camp on the Bogue Chitto at Bush LA this morning but the 10-day forecast looks great.

Even with a light freeze like that your hen will not need a heat lamp to keep her eggs warm enough if she is truly broody. Has she settled in after her move? Does she spend nights on the nest? If so, you are good to go.

One reason you get so much conflicting advice is that we do all kinds of different things that generally work. I typically don't isolate my broody hens but let them hatch with the flock. I mark the eggs and remove any that don't belong every day after they have all finished laying. I can occasionally get some drama but it usually works out really well.

As long as she has food, water, and enough room to come off of the nest to poop you should be in good shape, They can hatch eggs fine without any help from us but if you lock her up you need to provide food and water and possibly clean the poop up. Good luck!

I'll link a thread where a lady hatched eggs with a hen where it got a lot colder than you will see to help you put it in perspective. Your hen will be fine.

Broody in Michigan Winter? | BackYard Chickens - Learn How to Raise Chickens

 

[Tormund]

Momma should be plenty to keep them warm with your temperatures

Thanks.

 

[Tormund]

Hi, neighbor. I'm hopeful last night was the last freeze we will see this year. It should be. It was 26 F at our camp on the Bogue Chitto at Bush LA this morning but the 10-day forecast looks great.

Even with a light freeze like that your hen will not need a heat lamp to keep her eggs warm enough if she is truly broody. Has she settled in after her move? Does she spend nights on the nest? If so, you are good to go.

One reason you get so much conflicting advice is that we do all kinds of different things that generally work. I typically don't isolate my broody hens but let them hatch with the flock. I mark the eggs and remove any that don't belong every day after they have all finished laying. I can occasionally get some drama but it usually works out really well.

As long as she has food, water, and enough room to come off of the nest to poop you should be in good shape, They can hatch eggs fine without any help from us but if you lock her up you need to provide food and water and possibly clean the poop up. Good luck!

I'll link a thread where a lady hatched eggs with a hen where it got a lot colder than you will see to help you put it in perspective. Your hen will be fine.

Broody in Michigan Winter? | BackYard Chickens - Learn How to Raise Chickens

So far, she seems to be doing find spends most of her time sleeping on the eggs and separating her from the flock doesn't seem to be affecting her much (sadly can't say the same for our rooster) She is in a 12in-by-12in nesting box in a 60x30 dog kennel. It has been a bad spring as far as snakes go especially copperheads and with the copperheads have come some rather large rat and king snakes who eat eggs so we didn't want to leave her in the coop. She does periodically get off the eggs to poop and is eating though I'm having trouble keeping track if she is drinking much. Otherwise things seem to be going well so far.

 

[Tormund]

Ok we have chicks!!! Of the 13 eggs momma hen was sitting she kicked we ended up with 10 chicks. 1 egg got kicked out of the nest and broken last week. 10 eggs hatched out no problem and 2 eggs just never developed. Momma hen did a little housecleaning (tossed the broken shells out of her box) and I gave her some more straw for her box.

 

[Blue is my chicken]

Ok we have chicks!!! Of the 13 eggs momma hen was sitting she kicked we ended up with 10 chicks. 1 egg got kicked out of the nest and broken last week. 10 eggs hatched out no problem and 2 eggs just never developed. Momma hen did a little housecleaning (tossed the broken shells out of her box) and I gave her some more straw for her box.

exciting