first time hatcher, need some advice!

[BDutch]

Thanks for starting this thread @maceleneo and all who reacted with these beautiful answers. Recognising some that’s written and surprised with info I didnt know yet.

I’m having a broody right now and picking up 10 fertile eggs on Thursday. At least I hope most of them the will be fertile. I have some experience with broodies in the past 6 years and still learning. I don’t get easter or olive eggers but bantam RIR. But nevertheless it was great reading about the breeding process, do’s and don’ts and informative. I hope you keep us informed . . (Following).

 

[maceleneo]

I hope you keep us informed . . (Following).

oh I hope YOU ALL keep me informed, meaning that I'll keep asking questions for sure! but I also keep posting about my adventure!

good luck with your broody, I hope to see some picture of yours soon!

 

[BDutch]

In another thread you told me you couldn’t see the pencil markings anymore bc the hen rubbed them off. I didnt have this problem with white eggs. But now am getting dark coloured eggs for the first time and I don’t want surprises like that if I can avoid them.

So I did a little research and found this info about marking eggs in another thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ter-hatch-along.1444337/page-93#post-24135591

EggSighted4Life​

All pencil rubs off to me unless it's a grease pencil.. but sharpie or any other crayola non toxic marker if you like is good.. avoid red..

 

[maceleneo]

So I did a little research and found this info about marking eggs in another thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ter-hatch-along.1444337/page-93#post-24135591

thank you, helpful resource!
I used a pencil (retracing lines again and again) because I wasn't sure what kind of ink could damage the eggs. I hadn't non toxic markers at home, but next time (there will be a next time? I suppose this is what you call chicken math!) I'll use a marker for sure.

 

[BDutch]

. I was thinking about how / with what I could mark the eggs. But I don’t have to. My chickens lay white eggs. And the eggs I’m buying will be brown.
If one of my hens lays a white egg between the brown ones I can see the difference quit clearly, even in the moonlight.

 

[maceleneo]

hi, a little update, plus new concerns!
pingu is doing well: once a day she stands up by herself and I let her out, but she only stays five minutes and comes back to the nest.
now for the concerns: in the past weeks we were around 16º C (around 60 º F), but yesterday temperatures dropped to 0º C (32º F) and it snowed. snow has already melted, but in the next nights we're expecting freezing temperatures (there's a significant difference between day and night temperatures where I live) and I was wondering if this could be a problem. my coop is well insulated, but I can't say the same about the little box where pingu is housed right now: she sleeps right behind those thin wooden planks and she's alone there. how cold can a broody hen stand? is it safe to keep her there?

here's my rabbit prudenzio paying her a visit.

 

[BDutch]

In general, these temps are no problem at all. The broody keeps the eggs warm.

 

[aart]

how cold can a broody hen stand? is it safe to keep her there?

She and her eggs will be fine.
I've had a broody at much colder temps than that.

 

[Ridgerunner]

@aart kept an online journal about that experience. I reference it often on this forum. It is a good one and should give her credibility on this topic. She has lived it.

Winter Brooding

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/947046/broody-in-michigan-winter

You are doing fine.

 

[maceleneo]

wow, @aart , thank you so much for your report (and thanks @Ridgerunner for bringing it to my attention), it was amazing to read the whole story... very educational!
so, it seems that temperatures won't be a problem here and spring should not be too far anyway!
your experience casts further doubts, though!

I really would like to reintegrate pingu as early as eggs hatch, but I'm sure there will be problems, because there already are.
pingu and the rooster can't stand each other, so I can't expect any help from him. they normally bear with each other because they stay in the yard or free range all day long and there's enough room, so they don't have to interact (I have many feeders, waterers... etc), but in the last days before I put pingu in the "maternity ward" things were tense and other hens have started to bully her (as you know she was acting weird, running all around like a crazy).
since pingu seems to already have problems with other hens, I'm afraid reintegration will be tough. people is usually concerned about chicks, but is pingu the one who bothers me.
with these premises should I consider keep pingu and her chiks separate (maybe in the run) for longer or would this make things even worst?

another question: I know that broody hens don't eat much, but I always read about their big poops while pingu's poop is getting everyday smaller and today it was greenish!
I read this means she's not eating enough: does this mean isn't enough in general or is this normal for a broody hen?

thank you for your patience!

p.s. another reason why I loved reading that old thread was seeing aart asking questions! maybe someday I'll be able to help someone else!