August Hatch-A-Long

[jolenesdad]

.....and she sits!!!!

In a total planner moment.... for those that do separate for hatching, when do you put mama and babies with everyone? I want to get those Orpingtons i hatched August 1 on the ground soon.... my brooder won’t last for them much more than 3 days after these chicks hatch. Will I be able to move mom and put the Orps where she is or should I start coming up with an alternate?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Well there are four out now... two in each incubator, I’m still setting up my grown up chickens and the teens up for the day, as it’s going to be a hot one! I have a small helper until this afternoon, she has hijacked her moms phone and is planted at the incubators, calling me every 5 minutes or so with updates the sooner I get done here, the sooner I can get down to the incubators seems a mind boggling concept for her I’ve got one pip I was a little concerned about last night that sounds like it’s been rolled pip down, so I’m a bit worried on that one, but everyone seems to be doing fine. Apparently the first hatchling is pecking at the second out, is that normal? I’ve never had that happen before... but that’s what the kidlet was describing on the tenth call this morning!

lol, Yeah they don't pop out very bright sometimes. I've had chicks go after their own toes and fall over trying.
Sometimes they go for eyes on other chicks because they confuse them for water or something yummy. I look forward to more updates! It sounds like there are lots of exciting hatches happening today!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Well there are four out now... two in each incubator, I’m still setting up my grown up chickens and the teens up for the day, as it’s going to be a hot one! I have a small helper until this afternoon, she has hijacked her moms phone and is planted at the incubators, calling me every 5 minutes or so with updates the sooner I get done here, the sooner I can get down to the incubators seems a mind boggling concept for her I’ve got one pip I was a little concerned about last night that sounds like it’s been rolled pip down, so I’m a bit worried on that one, but everyone seems to be doing fine. Apparently the first hatchling is pecking at the second out, is that normal? I’ve never had that happen before... but that’s what the kidlet was describing on the tenth call this morning!

Yeah!!! Sounds like it’s going well!!!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

.....and she sits!!!!

View attachment 1879427

In a total planner moment.... for those that do separate for hatching, when do you put mama and babies with everyone? I want to get those Orpingtons i hatched August 1 on the ground soon.... my brooder won’t last for them much more than 3 days after these chicks hatch. Will I be able to move mom and put the Orps where she is or should I start coming up with an alternate?

I’ve now done both:1) two that were in a separate broody box with chicks for a week, then a closed off section of the run for two weeks, and 2) one broody in a dog crate in the coop, dog crate opened at three days and she mixed with the flock. With my mean chickens, option one was much better. Even though option 2 was with the flock alpha, she was so nervous, and I think it’s because she knows that we have a flock of small velociraptors.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

.....and she sits!!!!

View attachment 1879427

In a total planner moment.... for those that do separate for hatching, when do you put mama and babies with everyone? I want to get those Orpingtons i hatched August 1 on the ground soon.... my brooder won’t last for them much more than 3 days after these chicks hatch. Will I be able to move mom and put the Orps where she is or should I start coming up with an alternate?

Whoo hoo!!! I'm so glad she settled down! Nice broody pen!
I've taken multiple approaches to broodies and their introductions now and as I've shared before, I usually take the easy street and just allow the hens to stay in their selected space and raise the chicks along with the whole flock now that I know how my flock will respond.
BUT
I have in the past kept the broody separated until I felt the chicks were a little more surefooted 3-7 days and I've also put an entire brooder of 3-week-old chicks in with my broody and her new chicks before, the broody was tough on the older chicks but like you, it was my only separated area to keep them. It's a nice roomy pen, just be sure to give them a separate box to sleep in, maybe an extra waterer/feeder and stuff to get away from the broody if she's moody. I used a Rubbermaid with a smaller hole cut in it so they had somewhere to get away from her if necessary, that's also where I kept their heat plate. I placed a small waterer and feeder behind the Rubbermaid where it was out of direct view from the other side of the pen. I will admit the chicks spent a lot of time staying out of her way but she eventually adopted some of them and not others. This also made integration very easy with those chicks because even though she wasn't protecting all of them, the rest of the flock saw the broody as a reason not to mess with any of them. Obviously, this could work out completely different for you because every broody and flock is different but from previous conversations, it does sound like you have a docile flock as well. Good luck!! I'm really excited for you! The first broody is so exciting, you'll find yourself watching the peeps follow her around for hours! It's so sweet!

 

[jolenesdad]

I’ve now done both:1) two that were in a separate broody box with chicks for a week, then a closed off section of the run for two weeks, and 2) one broody in a dog crate in the coop, dog crate opened at three days and she mixed with the flock. With my mean chickens, option one was much better. Even though option 2 was with the flock alpha, she was so nervous, and I think it’s because she knows that we have a flock of small velociraptors.

Broody is alpha. I have four other laying hens that are super docile. In fact they let my molting bottom rung girl back in today with maybe only one peck. She has been gone for two weeks! Yay.

The rest of the flock is too young to challenge mama. The oldest are 16 weeks and not laying so they’re still bottom rung and I think they’re pretty docile. I have two Delawares that are isolationists and used to be jerks. They’re ones to watch but are coming around. One is a boy but not exhibiting a single sign of maturity yet. I’ll be watching them though but mama can handle them easy I think.

The others are holdover meat birds that are more concerned with where the food is.

I think I’ll leave the other coop in tact until all integrations through end of September are done. That way the backup is right there. It’s totally closed off so it’s not that much of a help for actual integrations but at least it’s a space.

Also, that chicken wire separating the coop and mamas pen is the small 1 inch holes. Is that small enough to prevent chicks getting through?

 

[jolenesdad]

Whoo hoo!!! I'm so glad she settled down! Nice broody pen!
I've taken multiple approaches to broodies and their introductions now and as I've shared before, I usually take the easy street and just allow the hens to stay in their selected space and raise the chicks along with the whole flock now that I know how my flock will respond.
BUT
I have in the past kept the broody separated until I felt the chicks were a little more surefooted 3-7 days and I've also put an entire brooder of 3-week-old chicks in with my broody and her new chicks before, the broody was tough on the older chicks but like you, it was my only separated area to keep them. It's a nice roomy pen, just be sure to give them a separate box to sleep in, maybe an extra waterer/feeder and stuff to get away from the broody if she's moody. I used a Rubbermaid with a smaller hole cut in it so they had somewhere to get away from her if necessary, that's also where I kept their heat plate. I placed a small waterer and feeder behind the Rubbermaid where it was out of direct view from the other side of the pen. I will admit the chicks spent a lot of time staying out of her way but she eventually adopted some of them and not others. This also made integration very easy with those chicks because even though she wasn't protecting all of them, the rest of the flock saw the broody as a reason not to mess with any of them. Obviously, this could work out completely different for you because every broody and flock is different but from previous conversations, it does sound like you have a docile flock as well. Good luck!! I'm really excited for you! The first broody is so exciting, you'll find yourself watching the peeps follow her around for hours! It's so sweet!

Perfect idea. That pen is so large it’s 50 square feet I could even split it up!!!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Also, that chicken wire separating the coop and mamas pen is the small 1 inch holes. Is that small enough to prevent chicks getting through?

Yes, 1" holes are small enough. I actually have uncovered chain link in the back of my yard that I haven't changed to wood yet. The holes are large enough for even slightly older chicks to get through but chicks won't stray too far from the hen and will run right back.

 

[Knighstar679]

Woohoo I my other two eggs hatched. They got out with some assistance as they ended up in a bad position.

Now I have four little Black East Indie ducklings. Two are nice and dry. Other two have only recently finished kicking out.

 

[philosophiexo]

Egytian Fayoumis is a breed I want to tinker around with. They develop so fast that I want to cross them with highly productive breeds and see if i can speed up development in a highly productive chicken.

I’d highly recommend them! I bought four straight runs from TSC in the early spring and been super happy with them! Unfortunately I ended up with three roosters and I had to give 2 away but they were all crowing at 1 month old. Mine have a little bit of a wild temperament. The two Roos I gave away fought constantly with each other but never once attacked me, and the hen is sweet as can be but she will fight with the roosters as if she had spurs when they try to mount her and she sends them running! They’re excellent flyers and seem to be a little more intelligent than my other birds.