First broody. I think I need to move her. Advice appreciated!

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

I don't know where you got them or if they are even the same breed, but no, not for a few generations. Hatcheries use techniques to keep genetic diversity high and if they are different breeds genetic diversity could not be higher.

The way all breeds were developed is by inbreeding. The way championship show chickens lines are created is through inbreeding. After they are developed the breeders then use different techniques to maintain genetic diversity but initially they want to eliminate traits they don't want and enforce traits they do want.

One method used for thousands of years with small flocks on a farm is to keep replacement chickens from your flock for a few generations, then bring in an outside rooster to restart genetic diversity. How many generations you can go will depend on how many roosters and how many hens you have in the flock and the randomness of which replacements you keep. Don't keep any defective chickens and be kind of ruthless in selecting which chickens you keep as breeders but you should be good for several generations.

Thank you. This is very helpful. I’ve always wondered how this works. I have all different breeds, so they I guess we’ll be okay for a bit. I like having a small flock and don’t intent to do a lot of breeding, but wanted to do it safely.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

It is not dumb question, in fact it is one I asked a while back.
I think Ridgerunner answered pretty much everything. What I'm doing is inbreeding for two or three generations, and then will bring in new blood.

​

Thanks. I’ll probably do the same thing. Im only breeding to keep my flock self sustaining, but I want to keep it a small(ish) flock.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

Does there come a time when the mama hen stops leaving the nest? Today is day 19 (I think), and I’ve been waiting for her to come out so I can check the nest. All week she came out around 8:30 AM on the camera. But now that I’m home and want to peek at the eggs, she hasn’t come out (it’s now 10:30).

I’ve checked the camera. I’m sure I didn’t miss her. Is she on lockdown? (Is that even a thing with broodies?)

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

Actually… I think this is why she hasn’t left the nest

 

[KelseyBoxer]

What a cute baby!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Today is day 19 (I think),

An egg does not have a full day's development the instant you start it. It takes 24 hours before it has that 1st day's development so you say "1" the day after it starts. An easy way to check your counting is that the day of the week the incubation starts is when the 21 days are up. If you start them on a Monday, the 21 days are up on a Monday.

As you can see the 21 days are not absolute. It is not that unusual for a chick to hatch a day or even two days early or late, whether in an incubator or under a broody hen. There are a lot of different reasons they can hatch early or late. I've had some hatches totally over within 16 hours of the first one hatching. I've had a few stretch out for more than two full days (over 48 hours) between the first and the last.

Congratulations on that chick. It's a good feeling isn't it.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

Congratulations on that chick. It's a good feeling isn't it.

Thank you. It is indescribable.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

@Sussex19 @Ridgerunner

I wanted to give an update on our hatch so far, and of course solicit your advice on how I'm doing or what I should change up.

My first egg hatched Friday (day 19). Mama remained in the nestbox with chick and eggs until Monday. The chick fell out of the nest box and mama fortunately went to her aid and stayed with her on the coop floor, but she had to leave the eggs, which were on days 20 & 18. (they were a little staggered because I didn't know any better, haha). The eggs sat for 7 hours in barely upper 30 temps and were super cold to the touch by the time I got home. I panicked, snatched up the eggs, and shoved them in the incubator, fearing the worst. One of the eggs had pipped and had a hole about a quarter inch in diameter. I heard, felt, and saw no signs of life. But low and behold, after a few hours in the incubator the pipped egg started moving around. Then another, and eventually the 4 remaining eggs all pipped. 1 hatched late last night (Monday), and two more early this morning. They spent the day in the incubator. When I got home tonight, Mama was on the coop floor with her chick. I gave her the three chicks. She seemed receptive, but not 100% invested. She talked with them, and they knew to try to climb under her, but she was not shifting her weight around to give them easy access like she does her older chick. I'm assuming that after spending the night under her, they'll all be happily bonded by morning. The incubator chicks were between 8-18 hours old, and seemed unsteady (they were able to move around in the bedding - just sloppily). Do you think it's okay to leave them with her, or is it too early? I was thinking the sooner the better, but of course now I'm second-guessing myself. I can always throw them back in the incubator and give them back to her tomorrow evening. I don't want them to be too weak to keep up with her tomorrow, and since it's my first batch I don't really know how to tell if they are active enough, or if they might be weak after their hot --> cold --> hot ordeal (in hindsight I probably should have brought the temp up in the eggs gradually).

My fourth egg just (literally -- as I'm typing) hatched Would you recomend leaving her until tomorrow evening when I get home (4 PM ish) or should I try to put her out in the morning before I leave for work (6 AM ish)?

And of course, I have one egg in the incubator that is on day 19... My last day of work before winter break is Thursday, so I just have two more days to go, and then I will be a lot more relaxed. I hate not being near enough to my flock to assist or intervene if needed.

 

[Sussex19]

Do you think it's okay to leave them with her, or is it too early?

As long as they can get around a bit, I think they should be fine.

Would you recomend leaving her until tomorrow evening when I get home (4 PM ish) or should I try to put her out in the morning before I leave for work (6 AM ish)?

See how active it is in the morning, and then decide is what I would do.
I'm on a phone with a very small screen, so it's a bit hard typing much, but I'm very glad that the eggs hatched!