Hello, I am a new here! Need some advice!

[rebrascora]

If you have 51 chickens I would like to put forward the case for a broody hen. They come complete with auto turner and temp and humidity regulation and you don't even need a brooder and best of all. they cost a fraction of the price you pay for a mechanical one.... you might even already own one or two!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

 

[paramedicpuddin]

If you have 51 chickens I would like to put forward the case for a broody hen. They come complete with auto turner and temp and humidity regulation and you don't even need a brooder and best of all. they cost a fraction of the price you pay for a mechanical one.... you might even already own one or two!

That is true! I had two this summer that were broody. I didn't have a place where I could separate her from the other hens at that time. I marked the eggs she sat on, but I went in the next day, she was sitting on totally different eggs in another nest. I moved the eggs to that nest, came back a little later, she was back in the first nest. So, I took the eggs.
But when this happens again, I will move her, I hope I can without stressing her out so she will sit. I'd love to see that here on the farm! My kids would love it!
Thank you!

 

[rebrascora]

I have a small old cupboard in the hen house with a few holes drilled in the door. When a hen goes broody I make her a nest in an old drawer and put it in the cupboard with her hatching eggs in it. I put food and water in there, put her on the nest and close the door and once a day I open it and let her out whilst I do chores. I scatter mixed corn and that way she eats with the flock for a brief period, has a poop and possibly a dust bath.... In 15-20mins she is heading back to her nest. I make sure the nest in the cupboard is the only one with eggs in it at that time, to encourage her to choose the right one. If she gets the wrong one, I wait till she's settled and then lift her into the correct one and close the door. After a few days, they get into the routine of coming out when the door opens and going back to the correct nest. Because I time it so that I am doing chores whilst she is out, it takes me no extra time and I know that she is safely back on the eggs when I leave and can't be disturbed by the other hens. She gets peace and quiet and darkness which are what broody hens like. When the chicks hatch she stays in the cupboard with them for a couple of days and then I let her out with the flock. I have a large, mixed free range flock and this set up works really well for me.

 

[paramedicpuddin]

Hi

Aaron

Glad you could join the flock! I too have the advance with humidity pump and can't say enough good things about it. It's stress free, very reliable and has produced me some fantastic results. Here is a thread with my thought on it ~https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1072299/brinsea-owners

Wishing you the very best of luck and enjoy BYC

Thanks! Mine is supposed to be here tomorrow!!!