A broody hen don't know time...I've had them wait for however long I wanted for eggs or for foster chicks. As long as she is sitting on something she doesn't seem to mind the wait.
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I have Cochin and Wyandotte hens that go broody frequently. In fact three Wyandotte in the layer room and one Cochin in a breed pen are broody. I will moved 15 marked eggs from a Wyandotte breed pen under the Cochin hen. I can then mark those chicks when they hatch. Any Cochin eggs laid will be collected to go in the incubator. I would prefer the breeding hens NOT go broody, but it happens.
With the Wyandotte hens, I will move all three nests into one large pen with a protected coop letting them sit on their golf balls for a few days to settle. All three will get a clutch of chicks toepunched from the incubator. The three hens will group raise the chicks and I will be able to record the growth progress by the toepunches. These are seasoned hens that have successfully raised a clutch before. I have an older cock bird that I can put with the hens. He is great with chicks too. When the chicks are a week or so old, the hens and cock will be able to leave their pen during the day to freerange with the chicks in tow.
In addition, I have several Cochin/Wyandotte cross hens that are part of my incubating team. I know these are not heritage but they make wonderful mothers and lay eggs thru the winter.
Can you do you track eggs from individual hens? I am single mating.
My hens are not to patient with other hens while they are broody. I cannot raise them together.
Can you let a broody hen wait a week why you gather eggs from another hen? I do like the idea of giving a broody hen eggs from an incubator.
A broody hen don't know time...I've had them wait for however long I wanted for eggs or for foster chicks. As long as she is sitting on something she doesn't seem to mind the wait.
If you put them in a pen, I think you would be diminshing some of the benefits derived from a broody. This summer I had a mother hen that set a torrid pace out on the pasture. I was concerned, but the chicks kept up. They are tough little critters. I watched them get kicked, stepped on, etc. They are obviously not indestructible, but the exercise is part of what makes them strong, plus the more natural varied diet.Set up is also my issue. I think a single run for hen and chicks is the best way here too. A 3x3 coop and attached 4x10 run should do for a hen and 8 chicks. Using the coop as brooder and ranging them in the run till culling time at 10 weeks. Whaddayathink? That 1/2 sq. ft. per chick inside and 5 sq. ft. per chick outside. plus 4 sq. ft per hen inside and 10 sq ft, per hen outside. I have a huge dog run outside Only have one senior collie left who uses it. I am thinking of taking a 10 by 24 ft section and dividing it into 4 ( 4x10) breeding pens with room left over to walk between them. How many large fowl chicks do you think can be brooded with the hen when cooped in a 3w x3d x 4h coop?
Thanks,
Karen
Well, it's a step better than an incubator and brooder anyway. We haveIf you put them in a pen, I think you would be diminshing some of the benefits derived from a broody. This summer I had a mother hen that set a torrid pace out on the pasture. I was concerned, but the chicks kept up. They are tough little critters. I watched them get kicked, stepped on, etc. They are obviously not indestructible, but the exercise is part of what makes them strong, plus the more natural varied diet.
I agree. I have about 8,000 square feet protected by electro-net and I move the set up around the property. I wonder what I could get the Fed to classify me as? Might help if I was a major corporation. LOLWell, it's a step better than an incubator and brooder anyway. We have
wandering dogs in our neighborhood so I can't pasture the poultry.
But in Fed. reg, lingo, even my plan is considered free-range..
Best,
Karen
Are we talking 10% for patterned varieties( Columbian, wheaten, or anything along those lines ) or solid colors( excluding blue I would assume)?
Also to get lines that practically produce copies of the parents, how is that achieved? Obviously not adding a bunch of new blood would help but which breeding method? Would I just have to breed the crap out of them( e.g. many generations, not just a ton of chicks ) and keep my genetics close??
My foundation trio came here in Dec. 2012. In Jan. the 2 pullets started laying. I went out to the coopBirds that raise chicks together will be the ones who will sit in a nest together. It seems to be influenced by what breed they are. My Australorp hens will not share a nest and will steal chicks when the mother hen is not watching.
Pastured Poultry.I agree. I have about 8,000 square feet protected by electro-net and I move the set up around the property. I wonder what I could get the Fed to classify me as? Might help if I was a major corporation. LOL