Diary of a First Timer

[Classy Chick]

This is my first time hatching and so far it's been sos so. I have my broody hen Sushi sitting on eight eggs and have 12 inside my homemade Styrofoam incubator. They are all silkie's that have a dollop of Rhode Island Red in their family tree. Sushi is currently inside the coop, but I woke up this morning and found a dead chick underneath her

. I think that it just got to cold (it dropped down to 28 degrees last night). So I have decided to put Sushi inside a brooder until her eggs hatch. I am making one out of a large plastic tub and putting it inside our guest house with a space heater pointed at it (there is no heating in there). Her best friend Winifred (aka Fred) has not left her side, and will even try to sit on some of the eggs, so I am thinking about putting her in the broody with Sushi until the eggs hatch, just to keep her company. The eggs inside the Incubator are in different stages of development, some were just laid and others are about to hatch! I have one that is super active in his shell, and will do flips when I candle him. The other fully developed one is mush quieter, so I'm going to have to keep an eye on him. Any advice is needed!!! This is my first time hatching ever, and I am kind of discouraged with the dead chick this morning. Is it to late to move Sushi and her eggs? She is super broody, she will sit on anything, even my little sisters puppy! (It's the cutest thing ever). Once the eegs in the incubator hatch can I put them with her? Any advice is welcome!

 

[gander007]

You really need to watch moving broody hens some times
they will just stop sitting but may be you have one who is
different ..... the plastic crate you might want to line with
a old towel and please do not point a space heater at
your hen as the temp under her to hatch the egg's is
around 102 F and this will cause problems so please do
not do this and 28 degrees is cold for you not her and
about the nest death this happens some times but it is
something that needs an eye kept on .... So if you move
your hen line the crate with something and a place with
no drafts is perfect but if you use a space heater just heat
the room not the chicken she has enough problems ......
Big points on your concern of you flock

Good luck and take care

gander007