broody eggs hatched!!! *update, pics!*

[tedabug]

Awww. I just bought a second coop today and hope to have a broody sit on her own eggs. I read all the incubator threads and they stress me out. I'm letting mama do all the hard work. That is so cute!

 

[dldolan]

Quote:
Ditto! One of my blue cochins went broody, so I gave her 5 fertile BFCM eggs I found locally... Can't budge her from the new nest I moved her to (from the previous nest with 2 fakes in it---testing to see if she was "really" broody). Will she eat/drink/poop when she needs to or wither away? She is locked down tight on those eggs after only 30 hours...

Also, she is all snug in the mommy housing* I made inside my run for letting broodies hatch a clutch, but (and I just thought of this) she is in a metal, oblong Christmas basket thingy, bolted down, but probably only 12-14 inches long x 6 wide. 5-6 inches of shavings under 5 eggs and her. When the chicks hatch (fingers crossed!), will they have enough room to all be in there? Should I get a bigger nesting box/basket? Or just leave it? To get the chicks out, they may tumble 3-4 inches down to the floor of the cupboard... I guess I should put down shavings so they don't get hurt, but how will they get back in?

Ideas? Thoughts? Help??!!

*mommy housing =old counter unit stood up on end, making a two-story "condo". Bottom is @ 30x24 inchesx 36 high, with large wire dog pen attached, to the opening with food, water, oyster shell, and treats all attached to a side of the cage. Top of condo has 2 staggered roosts for any newbies and juvies.

I beg your pardon for too much info 'cause I'm a newbie broody lady!
Thanks!

 

[Raven81]

i had a broody that would not break so i gave in & gave her some eggs & even built her a broody box ( another post )she was that determined to sit she didnt get off the nest a couple times & just shat in a corner of the nest.(( dirty grump)) lol.... i found a torch lying around the house & candled the eggs 1/6 didnt develop( so threw it away ) but the other 5 hatched 1 day early. they are SLW dad over Blue, Black, Splash, Buff orpingtonX2. the last hatch by a broody was the neighbours hen with our fertile eggs & hatched 4-3 days early ( due on fri, had 2 on tues & 2 on wed ) this lot was also due on fri got up on thurs & 2 were out & by 4.30pm they were all hatched.

 

[tedabug]

Quote:
Ditto! One of my blue cochins went broody, so I gave her 5 fertile BFCM eggs I found locally... Can't budge her from the new nest I moved her to (from the previous nest with 2 fakes in it---testing to see if she was "really" broody). Will she eat/drink/poop when she needs to or wither away? She is locked down tight on those eggs after only 30 hours...

Also, she is all snug in the mommy housing* I made inside my run for letting broodies hatch a clutch, but (and I just thought of this) she is in a metal, oblong Christmas basket thingy, bolted down, but probably only 12-14 inches long x 6 wide. 5-6 inches of shavings under 5 eggs and her. When the chicks hatch (fingers crossed!), will they have enough room to all be in there? Should I get a bigger nesting box/basket? Or just leave it? To get the chicks out, they may tumble 3-4 inches down to the floor of the cupboard... I guess I should put down shavings so they don't get hurt, but how will they get back in?

Ideas? Thoughts? Help??!!

*mommy housing =old counter unit stood up on end, making a two-story "condo". Bottom is @ 30x24 inchesx 36 high, with large wire dog pen attached, to the opening with food, water, oyster shell, and treats all attached to a side of the cage. Top of condo has 2 staggered roosts for any newbies and juvies.

I beg your pardon for too much info 'cause I'm a newbie broody lady!
Thanks!

You're ahead of me. I was wondering the same things. My 'broody coop' has a ramp. Wondering of the chicks will hatch and just tumble to their death down the ramp LOL..I'll figure something out...Good luck to you!

 

[spartacus_63]

I have hatched several clutches over the last two years. I have used a wire medium sized dog kennel (slightly modified) and a coop originally built for banties. Both worked well. I have moved nursery operations to the "Broody Coop" to avoid having to move them later. The coop is rather high with a somewhat steep ramp. During the first week the chicks stay in the coop. By the end of the second week, the chicks have figured out the ramp. By the end of the 3rd week, the gate to the Broody Run is opened for day trips to the range. Below are a couple of pictures of the Broody Coop.

If I were designing a Broody Coop, I would make it half the size and much closer to the ground. One advantage to this height (and the original reason) is ease of cleaning.

 

[dldolan]

I love to see pictures! (So awesome and people are so creative. ) Thanks for posting your broody coop! Looks comfy.

 

[Raven81]

this is my quickly build broody box

there is a door on this side of it & when the babys hatched i put the run from the other coop on the side so i can open the door & give them more space protected from my cats.

 

[Joey8765]

okay so the two chicks are 6 days old today!!

they are doing well

my chicken coop looks like this

i guess the chicks can walk down it in the morning because i always find them scratching in the grass in the afternoon (im not an early riser)

but the thing is, they can't get back up, I have to pick each of them up and put them in the coop, it causes a great raucous but it needs to be done

 

[dldolan]

Quote:
Next time I am totally doing the side door like you have shown on yours here, as having to stick myself in a cupboard with a growling broody is not so fun! I'd rather open the door to clean and shoo her off the nest. (Which I finally did this morning and she puffed up about triple size and growled at me, but then seemed to eat and drink enthusiastically! Good idea!)

 

[dldolan]

Quote:
I am so impressed! Chicks are hardly little boogers, I see!