So 4 weeks ago I started collecting eggs for a broody that seemed pretty determined about it.
Each day I chose 2 or 3 eggs out of my collection and put them in a egg carton on my porch where the temp seemed right.
Then one morning (colder than usual) I noticed the thermometer was close to freezing!....oh Boy I thought, I may have just killed some of the eggs. I decided to go ahead anyway.
So after a week I had a dozen chosen and I readied my broody hutch with fresh straw, and put the eggs in. After dark I moved my broody " Pretty Princess" on the eggs and she settled right down on them.
Then 2 days later I found her pacing up and down the outer cage area, obviously over it. The eggs were cold and scratched around, so I let her out.
So I thought about it and had another young hen, that had settled on my golf balls in the nest boxes that growled and pecked my hand when I gathered eggs. So even though is was not dark I gathered her up, and put her in the box with the cold eggs. She settled in. I thought well even if only a couple hatch she will be happy...3 week go by.
Then yesterday I heard her talking to someone in the box and low and behold i lift her up and she has 12 live chicks!
100% hatch!
Each day I chose 2 or 3 eggs out of my collection and put them in a egg carton on my porch where the temp seemed right.
Then one morning (colder than usual) I noticed the thermometer was close to freezing!....oh Boy I thought, I may have just killed some of the eggs. I decided to go ahead anyway.
So after a week I had a dozen chosen and I readied my broody hutch with fresh straw, and put the eggs in. After dark I moved my broody " Pretty Princess" on the eggs and she settled right down on them.
Then 2 days later I found her pacing up and down the outer cage area, obviously over it. The eggs were cold and scratched around, so I let her out.
So I thought about it and had another young hen, that had settled on my golf balls in the nest boxes that growled and pecked my hand when I gathered eggs. So even though is was not dark I gathered her up, and put her in the box with the cold eggs. She settled in. I thought well even if only a couple hatch she will be happy...3 week go by.
Then yesterday I heard her talking to someone in the box and low and behold i lift her up and she has 12 live chicks!
100% hatch!
