Hatching WITHOUT an incubator

[P-Funk]

I have an extremely broody hen and no roo's. Yesterday I got a dozen fertile (maybe) eggs from a local. Chrissy took to them instantly. She's in a dog crate with hay bedding in a section of the pen dedicated all to herself. Right off the bat she threw out the Leghorn egg, which is sitting under the heat lamp now. Will she turn the eggs by herself or should I intervene?

 

[Eggcessive]

She will turn them herself. Just put some feed and water in the dog crate, and she should handle everything else. I might take her out to stretch her legs every day or 2.

 

[Judy]

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/broody-hens-1.html

 

[gimmie birdies]

My hens would not sit on leghorn eggs either, it was weird.

 

[P-Funk]

Thanks, Egg! Her pen is actually a coop in a coop. The big one is a converted 12'x12' stall in the barn with a run outside. I built a 3'x8'x 7' tall section inside of it with a roof. She has her own bell waterer and feeder and must be coming out of her crate because the food is slowly disappearing and there is some poo in the fresh bedding.

And Flock - I read part 1 (so far) of the article you sent. Chrissy is an Ancona, not mentioned there, but seems to be doing a wonderful job. Thank you both for all the help - you BYC'ers always have a way of reducing stress levels

 

[nova022]

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/broody-hens-1.html

Excellent article! Thanks for the link/

 

[nova022]

My hens would not sit on leghorn eggs either, it was weird.

Maybe because they are white. Are your other eggs brown?

 

[P-Funk]

The dozen I got range from dark brown to green to blue to tan to white. They are all labeled so maybe Chrissy can read

It's just amazing, or dumb luck on her part, that she happens to be the biggest fattest hen in the flock and is able to cover 11 eggs.

 

[P-Funk]

O.K. This is funny to the point of ridiculous. Every since I built a 'coop in a coop' for Chrissy, the broody, the other girls figured out how to get out of their stall by launching off of it. Now there are eggs all over the barn. Every day is Easter

 

[P-Funk]

Well it's day 19 and I caught Chrissy out of her box getting something to eat. I counted all the original 11 eggs so I know she's not laying. They all look intact and nothing smells funny. The leghorn egg is still there so I'm not sure which one she threw out. I never did candle them for fear of scaring off momma. This is so exciting, there's a big bag of chick starter waiting for the new ones. Any advice for a soon-to-be grandpa?