broody buttons. Edit: and pics of my "black button"

[Mikhail]

will a button hen ONLY sit in the nest on eggs when laying eggs or incubating them? Or will they sit in the nest just because its comfy or something? the eggs are warm, so she was laying ON them. should you only disturb a hen who's laying on eggs to water and feed them? what about cleaning the cage? my button cages needs to be cleaned everyday, and to do that I have to take out the nestbox... I'm not sure if i can not clean the cage for 16 days... And if you keep the chicks and mom and dad, do you need to put a heat lamp up or will the mom keep them warm?

 

[Akane]

None of mine have stayed broody long enough to hatch anything yet. Hens will sometimes seem to debate it and sit on eggs for a day or 2 or sit on them for so many hours a day but not enough to keep them alive. It's hard to convince buttons to go broody and so far mine are hard to keep broody even after that. My cinnamon hen just gave up again after sitting for a week. When I broke open her eggs one was bad so I think she just decided to abandon the whole lot. That makes the 3rd time she's gone broody for a week and just quit. Several of mine have made various nests including with bits of hay and so forth and rolled all their eggs into it only to abandon them a few days later. Doing anything to disturb the nest even if it seems to improve it causes them to give it up. I doubt they'd tolerate any major cage cleaning.

 

[citalk2much]

I have hens who sit their eggs hatch their chicks and raise them it is wonderful to watch
If they decide to go broody you risk it doing anything to the cage I only feed and water when they are sitting eggs.
No they do not need a heat lamp the mother will take care of the chicks.
You do have to watch them there are a lot of one that sit and quite. I use to have a hen that would sit for 14 days each and every time crazy thing she came from a friend in Florida needless to say she now has a new home. I breed for parents that sit. Can't have a crazy hen giving me headaches LOL.
Let me know if you have any luck.

 

[Mikhail]

Thanks you two!

is it okay to leave the father in with the mother and chicks?

 

[citalk2much]

That is a bid iffy the males that I have that where raised by mothers are good dads. The ones that come from the bator not so much I tend to have to take them out cuz they are mean to the chicks. I would keep a close eye on that!

 

[Akane]

My males have actually been more helpful toward eggs than the hens. They'll go so far as to completely setup the nest, roll the eggs in, and stand over them calling the hen. When a hen quits the male will sit the nest for a day or 2 waiting on her. I don't know what they'd do toward chicks but so far they make better broodies than my hens.

I do seriously cull any males that act agressive or do not take care of their hens though.

 

[Mikhail]

Quote:
Same here. Today I saw the male chasing the female around and I thought he was being aggressive towards her at first but she went and sat in the nest and then he sat next to the nest, like he was guarding it. He must have been telling her to get back on the nest. And earlier he sat in the nest with her, which I've never seen him do before now. He usually just sits outside of it.

The first time I saw her on the nest was March 30th, so I guess she stopped or they died or something and now she's started again? Unless the chicks are a bit late...but that was what, 19 days ago? And buttons usually hatch on the 16th day... She's lay at least a couple eggs since then too. But if she did quit, that was probably because I changed things in the cage and cleaned the cage (which means I had to take the nestbox out too).

Edited to add: Can baby buttons get through/get caught in 1/2 inch bar spacing? That's what my pair is in now and if possible I;d rather leave them in that cage with the chicks (if they actually hatch chicks).

And is it okay to handle them, like you would a duckling or chick? They're so tiny so.. it seems dangerous. Will the parents be okay with me touching them?

 

[citalk2much]

Quote:
Same here. Today I saw the male chasing the female around and I thought he was being aggressive towards her at first but she went and sat in the nest and then he sat next to the nest, like he was guarding it. He must have been telling her to get back on the nest. And earlier he sat in the nest with her, which I've never seen him do before now. He usually just sits outside of it.

The first time I saw her on the nest was March 30th, so I guess she stopped or they died or something and now she's started again? Unless the chicks are a bit late...but that was what, 19 days ago? And buttons usually hatch on the 16th day... She's lay at least a couple eggs since then too. But if she did quit, that was probably because I changed things in the cage and cleaned the cage (which means I had to take the nestbox out too).

Edited to add: Can baby buttons get through/get caught in 1/2 inch bar spacing? That's what my pair is in now and if possible I;d rather leave them in that cage with the chicks (if they actually hatch chicks).

Baby Buttons are about the size of a quarter so if you are talking about like a guinea pig type cage yap they can get out


And is it okay to handle them, like you would a duckling or chick? They're so tiny so.. it seems dangerous. Will the parents be okay with me touching them?

Some parents would not care some would

 

[Mikhail]

Well she's still laying on the nest and her mate is being very supportive

I can't wait till (if) they hatch. I don't really know when she decided to set again.. so I don't know when they'll hatch.

 

[Mikhail]

What color babies would a silver hen and a black male produce? The black button looks like the pure black buttons in this link http://images.google.com/imgres?img...&rlz=1C1GGLS_enUS318US318&sa=N&start=180&um=1