First time hatching new chicks

[mleigh]

Hi, I am new to this forum, and have owned chickens for a couple of years now. We had 10 hens and one rooster until this past weekend. We had a coyote attack and lost 5 of them in one day. They have been free range with a coop that they go into at night. We have had one broody hen for the last couple of weeks, so we decided to leave the clutch of 7 eggs with her in hope os getting some new chicks.

Questions:

The hens have always layed their eggs together and now that the broody one is sitting on the nest, the others are laying more eggs right next to her, and she is pulling them in with her as well. Will this stop, or do I need to mark the ones that she is currently on, and take the rest?

It is terribly hot here in Arizona right now. Will this have an effect on the outcome of these eggs? It is 106 degrees today!!

Can I leave all the hens and rooster together for this process? The chicks should be due to hatch around the 10th of Sept. Do I have to remove them before-hand, or can they hatch in the coop, then be removed??

I know I will have other questions as well, HELP!!!!!

Melisa

 

[mstricer]

First no the others will not stop just mark the first set and take all others out. I have two broodys oin my coop right now and I'm leaving everyone there you should be alright . Good luck
Michele

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

First of all:

2ndly, yes mark the eggs she is setting on, and take all the new eggs the other girls lay in her nest away.

3rdly, I would remove momma hen and the chicks to a safe/quiet place away from the other chickens, so mama hen can rear hre chooklets in peace.

~ Aspen

 

[mleigh]

Thank you....Can I mark them with a sharpie, or is that to strong of a scent?

 

[rekabnivek]

Just what I have heard. Take it for what it is worth. Only mark the eggs with a pencil, as to not put any chemicals onto the egg shell. The reasoning is that the shell is very porous and will absorb the chems and possible damage the fertility/growing chick. I have only used pencil in my bator and have had reall good luck.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I always use a pencil to mark my eggs.

I once got some peafowl eggs, and they were marked with a Sharpie. I didn't have very good hatch rates on some of the, that could have been why?

~ Aspen

 

[SkyWarrior]

I used a ballpoint pen on this last hatch.

Got 7 hatched out of 7 eggs. Didn't seem to harm them, but I did have 3 black, 3 blue and 1 gold chick. Maybe the ink affected their colors?

Just kidding!

Oh, and

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:

~ Aspen

 

[mleigh]

Thank you all..... I used a pencil, but the other hens have made a new nest about 8 inches away from her, so no more new eggs are makin it under!! We should have some babies around the 9th or 10th!!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I have some due the 7th I think.

~ Aspen