ALABAMA!!

[BexB]

@Wisher1000 that sounds like the way to go for me.there are more chicks today, not sure yet how many, will have to wait till night, mine aren't as nice as yours seem to be. I will get beat up if I try now. But yes next time I will either have an incubator, or when the first goes broody, I will fix it so no one else can lay in her box. I love raising chickens, but they need to stop changing the rules. LOL, I will tell them or put up a sign.

 

[Wisher1000]

Just be careful about getting the chicks out as soon as possible. The chirping of the chicks signals the broody hen that she's done. Too much peeping and you may have all three getting up!

I start handling my broody hens as soon as they go broody. They either tolerate it or they get off the nest. It lets me know they are serious. I start by stroking them on the sides of their necks and smoothing their hackles down as they flare them at me. They soon learn that I am not going away and that I am not going to hurt them. Even the vilest hens settle in to being handled if you do it daily. I don't block the nest boxes, I just take out all the non marked eggs daily. How will the broody get out to eat, drink, poo, and stretch if you block the nest box?

 

[BexB]

Well, there are 5 more chicks tonight.but 4 are dead. 2 look like they were squashed, and the other 2 were just in the corner dead. So we went ahead and moved one hen to the rabbit hutch, with the now 8 chicks. She was great, climed in the nest and some went right under the others she pushed under. Then she gave me her, what I call "ninja growl".
I didn't think about keeping others out, would also keep her in. Sometimes I'm slow like that. ...........................
Thank you so much for your help. That goes to everyone here. You guys and gals are awesome.
I talked it over with the husband and we are getting an incubator. But I can't candle eggs! I seen absolutely nothing. I watched the video and read the posts about it. I think I was doing it right, IDK, but I will keep practicing, maybe, I will see something.

 

[tmoore8595]

But I can't candle eggs! I seen absolutely nothing. I watched the video and read the posts about it. I think I was doing it right, IDK, but I will keep practicing, maybe, I will see something.

After about day 14 or 15 you will not be able to see anything because the chick has filled the egg.

 

[Orps]

But I can't candle eggs! I seen absolutely nothing. I watched the video and read the posts about it. I think I was doing it right, IDK, but I will keep practicing, maybe, I will see something.

After about day 14 or 15 you will not be able to see anything because the chick has filled the egg.

How far along is the incubation. And how strong is the light? And how dark is the room? And what color is the eggs? Brown is harder to do than white.

 

[Tomtommom]

This I probably a crazy question but can a rooster tell when a hen is about to lay her first egg? My rooster was trying to breed one of my pullets today that should be laying any day now is he just being a rooster or does he know something I don't?

In my experience, young pullets avoid males like the plague, but once they get to come close to lay, they will accept the male (just like they start squatting for people). The male will screw anything that will let him

Mine was always trying to get my marans, who were 14 weeks old. Pedo rooster...

So if she let him, without much of a fight, eggs are close!

How far along is the incubation. And how strong is the light? And how dark is the room? And what color is the eggs? Brown is harder to do than white.

Candeling is super hard

But, the way I figure it: Dark inside = good.

 

[kaseythomas86]

...

In my experience, young pullets avoid males like the plague, but once they get to come close to lay, they will accept the male (just like they start squatting for people). The male will screw anything that will let him Mine was always trying to get my marans, who were 14 weeks old. Pedo rooster...


So if she let him, without much of a fight, eggs are close!

 


Candeling is super hard But, the way I figure it: Dark inside = good.
[/quote

Thanks! I sure hope so

 

[BexB]

I can't be sure of how far along they are, since others kept laying in the box. They are all brown. As for the light I don't know the wattage, it's pretty strong. Do you think part of the problem is their inexperience as well as mine? They just turned a year old the first week of July. They were all good mothers in the spring. They just all had very low hatch rates.
Hopefully we will get this stuff figured out.

 

[PreciousAngelJS]

Hello everyone! My name is Jess, and my fiancé and I are from Madison, just over the Limestone County border. As of now, we do not have any chickens, but are looking to get our first set soon. Anyone have any suggestions for good breeds for the heat of Alabama? Good egg layers? Good personalities?

Thank you guys! Look forward to chattin' with y'all!

 

[Wisher1000]

Hi! and welcome to BYC and the ALABAMA!! thread. We are glad you joined us. If you have never had chickens before here is my advice. Build and finish your coop before you get the birds, plan for twice the number you think you will EVER want, and understand that everything will try to eat your chickens, so plan accordingly (strong coop.) There's more, but that will get you started.