Many years ago I started with one coop. Over the years I got interested in raising some pure (heritage) birds. I hatch out my own chicks every year and grow them out. It's been a lot of work but it's a labor of love. I love my birds. I raise them to show at poultry shows.
I guess you are a pet lover like me... my wife is not really into pets and she is always nagging over the time that I spend with the chickens and other pets!!!
Anyways thanks a lot for your generous responses. I might require your expert opinion in the future as well.
I really don’t know. They are fine until a couple of days and when there is another couple hatches... the senior one would die in this manner. I couldn’t figure it out yet that why I’m rescuing and putting them in the brooder.
Wow... your setup amazed me!! You made those incubators yourself??? Can’t imagine. I couldnt be successful with even a single hatch in the automatic incubator and you are cruising through home made ones!! Hats off.
I’d bet it’s the hen. Especially because she was sitting on so many eggs with staggered hatching. In the future I’d limit the amount of eggs to a dozen or less and don’t let other hens lay eggs in a nest once a hen starts acting broody. It’s a recipe for disaster.
You could be right. I might do the same for next brooder hen... limit the number of eggs. That’s the best way to do it. Poor broody she hatched almost 27 till date and still I see she has quite a number beneath her.
