Jessi.Smith
Songster
I have a couple questions, so I am posting them, then will go into background info...
1. What is the max. Age difference for chicks in the brooder- I don't want older chickens attacking younger chicks.
2. What all should I be looking g for when candling 24 day old eggs?
3. What do you do when a hen goes broody in a higher nesting box?
24 days ago I set 6 fertile eggs in the incubator. I ran the incubator for 24 hours before setting the eggs and it maintained the temperature. When I put the eggs in, the temperature dropped and it took me about 2 days to figure out how to get it reset to the the right temperature. (I had the incubator on the highest it would go, but the temperature I side just wouldn't go up past 98.5-99°F, I had to unplug it and plug it back in and then it worked). Anyways, so the first 2 days these eggs were at a little bit cooler of a temperature.
Part 2 of the story. I have some broody hens, it started out with one (Latte), and since then 2 more have decided to join Latte in the nesting box. Since there are so many hens in that one box sometimes an egg gets kicked out. When I collect eggs I have been candling them to see if they have been developing. If the eggs looked about the same age as the eggs in the incubator, I put the rescued eggs in the incubator. Currently, I have 2 four day old chicks, 1 three day old chick, and 1 two day old chick in the brooder. I had a chick hatch this morning. Will it be safe to put her with the other chicks in the brooder once she fluffs up? What is the maximum age difference I should have between chicks in the brooder? All of the chicks that have hatched so far have been ones I have rescued from the broody hen(s).
And finally, I have 2 more hens that have decided to lay on eggs in the higher up nest boxes. Do I leave them up there or try to move them (after dark) to a lower nest box?
Sorry for the long story, just have lots of questions. I have included pics of the ones that have hatched
1. What is the max. Age difference for chicks in the brooder- I don't want older chickens attacking younger chicks.
2. What all should I be looking g for when candling 24 day old eggs?
3. What do you do when a hen goes broody in a higher nesting box?
24 days ago I set 6 fertile eggs in the incubator. I ran the incubator for 24 hours before setting the eggs and it maintained the temperature. When I put the eggs in, the temperature dropped and it took me about 2 days to figure out how to get it reset to the the right temperature. (I had the incubator on the highest it would go, but the temperature I side just wouldn't go up past 98.5-99°F, I had to unplug it and plug it back in and then it worked). Anyways, so the first 2 days these eggs were at a little bit cooler of a temperature.
Part 2 of the story. I have some broody hens, it started out with one (Latte), and since then 2 more have decided to join Latte in the nesting box. Since there are so many hens in that one box sometimes an egg gets kicked out. When I collect eggs I have been candling them to see if they have been developing. If the eggs looked about the same age as the eggs in the incubator, I put the rescued eggs in the incubator. Currently, I have 2 four day old chicks, 1 three day old chick, and 1 two day old chick in the brooder. I had a chick hatch this morning. Will it be safe to put her with the other chicks in the brooder once she fluffs up? What is the maximum age difference I should have between chicks in the brooder? All of the chicks that have hatched so far have been ones I have rescued from the broody hen(s).
And finally, I have 2 more hens that have decided to lay on eggs in the higher up nest boxes. Do I leave them up there or try to move them (after dark) to a lower nest box?
Sorry for the long story, just have lots of questions. I have included pics of the ones that have hatched
