Have a question about whether or not to get an incubator?

[chickenlady08]

Hi guys and gals,

I have a broody hen that started laying on eggs roughly March 21, then the other girls keep pushing her out of the nest and she goes to find another nest to sit on whatever is in that nest. My question is should I buy an Incubator? How do I move her without causing her to not want to lay on the eggs she has now. I candled them last nite and it is questionable if there is any sign of life of these eggs. I think that her being off the nest for hours at a time is probably not a good thing for the eggs. What do I do? I am worried because she is definitley not like my last broody hen. She won't eat when I put food in the nest with her, I know they will get off the nest but I was able to get my other broody hen to eat and drink without gettin off the eggs at all.

If I do get an incubator, what type, brand, etc should I get. I do want a very reliable one and want to have success with it. I just don't want her to not hatch any eggs.

Oh and I am thinking about bringing her into my garage and put her in a big dog kennel and give her golf balls to lay on to get her ready to lay on new fresh eggs. What should I do? I am at a total loss here.

thanks for your help.

 

[saladin]

As to the incubator: they range in price from just over $100 to $1,200 for home models. At times you can pick up a used one by looking in your local farm bulletin. So, a lot depends on how much you want to spend and how many eggs you are actually going to hatch.

As to the broody, (she doesn't "lay" on the eggs she "sits," lol) if you want her to hatch then you need to separate her where she is not bothered. I suggest moving her at night and on to golf balls. Once you know she is going to stay put: you'll know by the next day; you can then take the golf balls out and insert eggs: again night is better. Make sure the eggs are at least room temp. saladin

 

[ladytoysdream]

Hi
I got a big dog crate for my broody orpington.
I had to get her separted from the other chickens. She wanted to set so bad, that I finally gave in and on March 8th, I put 8 eggs under her. If she got off the nest, then my one orp/banty cross pullet took over the nest. I gave Little Red her own eggs, but after a couple of days, she was bothering Fluffy again. So I found the dog crate, moved it into the chicken coop, and put a nest box with Fluffy in there. We did lose one egg a couple of days ago...my guess is maybe Fluffy stepped on it. It was broke open in the box, and the chick was fully formed.

Yesterday was 3 weeks and no action with Fluffy and her eggs. Hubby told me we had a baby this morning. When I went to check on them myself, I found 2 babies peeking back at me. Fluffy is still setting in the nest box, so I am guessing she is not done yet, and will just let Mother Nature do her thing.

I did buy a incubator at TSC farm store this month. I do have 41 eggs in it and am hoping for my first time out, that all goes well. I did get the egg automatic turner for it. Still would like a humidity guage but have to find one first. My son also has 33 eggs in his for me. First time for us hatching

 

[chickenlady08]

Quote:
LOL I do realize that they sit on eggs and not lay them. I do plan on bringing her into my garage this evening and putting some golf balls under her and then giving her new eggs to "sit" on. Thanks for the advice.

I really don't want to get an incubator, I like the natural way of having chicks, not saying anything wrong with incubators, but I don't have the time to do all that is involved in that form.

 

[chickenlady08]

Quote:
I can relate with the other hens getting in to the nest with ur broody hen. I had a RSL go broody last summer and they kept harassing her and laying eggs on top of her and busting eggs, it was sad. I was new to the broodines so didn't think to mark the eggs and she had at one time like 30 eggs under her. She kept going each day and getting eggs and pulling them into her nest box. It was sad that they did crack some formed little babies open and of course they were not ready and died. I tried to move her into my smaller coop with the nest and eggs, she didn't like it so I had to move her back and made a cage around her and that worked for a short time. She did luckily hatch out 3 little fuzzies that all turned out to be roosters, I kept 1 and found 'non-eating' homes for the other 2.

That is why I don't want to get an incubator cause I would try to hatch every last egg that is layed out there. Oh my that would be alot of chicks and since I will not eat them, we don't have the coop space.

Good Luck with your hatch, you are gonna hopefully have a whole lot of babies soon.

 

[ladytoysdream]

Thanks on the good luck

I wanted a few to raise this spring, son wanted a few, and I have 4 requests from people that want chicks after they found out we have chickens.

I think if you can get your hen by herself and protected, she will do just fine. Our hen is a first timer, and not even a year old yet. We have a few other orps that are acting broody also. May have to set up another maternity box or 2 or 3 or............ Actually I been hinting for a second chicken house, for mommies and babies

 

[chickenlady08]

I moved my broody White Jersey Giant into my garage and put some shavings in a big basket and put the eggs in there and placed her in there. She of course jumped back out, but yesterday morning I went out to the garage and she was in the basket on the eggs. Yippee. I am so excited, I just hope the eggs are viable. Can't tell if there is life in there yet. But am crosing my fingers.