So I started off with one broody hen, a little phoenix, who wisely chose to brood in the new hen house which has no nest boxes. I built a little impromptu nest box around her and so far she has 4 fertile eggs she is cooking. All good. No one bothers her.
Then another hen went broody in the old house, which has 6 nest boxes, one of which she is firmly ensconced with her little clutch of duck eggs (large mixed ducks and calls). A few days later, hen # 3 goes broody and gets her own clutch of duck eggs (I gave them each the calls 2 days later than the others to account for the shorter incubation time of the calls). Black broody and Cookie will sometimes swap nests. Whatever. Now a third hen (Welsummer) is broody in that same house, and a fourth (marans) is broody in a different free standing nest box inside the fenced enclosure which is my sick/ intro pen. I tried to make her a nest box in an old dog house on the ground, in the fence, for hen 4 - nope. She wanted to brood up in her box. Which is 4 feet off the ground. If any chicks hatch they will certainly fall out. But I stupidly gave her 12 marans eggs up there because someone was asking for chicks and I had them set aside already. And I haven't had much luck incubating them (humidity too high probably - was going to try dry incubation next) - I figured a marans hen could successfully incubate marans eggs. (It seemed logical at the time)
Did I mention I also have a broody call duck who is sitting on 8 eggs but I think only one is developing - several blanks and blood rings. She is safe in a little house of her own that used to belong to my old blind rooster (don't ask).
What on earth am I going to do in 2-3 weeks when all these things start hatching out? Should I take away most of the eggs and put them in incubators to minimize the risk of attacks from other chickens, etc? Should I try putting the hens in dog crates? I can probably fence off part of the coop for hens 2 and 3 (the welsummer has nothing - I'm not THAT crazy - though I thought about giving her some olive eggers to hatch out), and only try to move #4? My brooder is currently full of chicks that I hatched out last month. But I could move them out, and put one or more hens in - it's 8' x 4' with a divider in the middle. But would they stick?
or abandon?
What have I gotten myself into. Help.
Then another hen went broody in the old house, which has 6 nest boxes, one of which she is firmly ensconced with her little clutch of duck eggs (large mixed ducks and calls). A few days later, hen # 3 goes broody and gets her own clutch of duck eggs (I gave them each the calls 2 days later than the others to account for the shorter incubation time of the calls). Black broody and Cookie will sometimes swap nests. Whatever. Now a third hen (Welsummer) is broody in that same house, and a fourth (marans) is broody in a different free standing nest box inside the fenced enclosure which is my sick/ intro pen. I tried to make her a nest box in an old dog house on the ground, in the fence, for hen 4 - nope. She wanted to brood up in her box. Which is 4 feet off the ground. If any chicks hatch they will certainly fall out. But I stupidly gave her 12 marans eggs up there because someone was asking for chicks and I had them set aside already. And I haven't had much luck incubating them (humidity too high probably - was going to try dry incubation next) - I figured a marans hen could successfully incubate marans eggs. (It seemed logical at the time)
Did I mention I also have a broody call duck who is sitting on 8 eggs but I think only one is developing - several blanks and blood rings. She is safe in a little house of her own that used to belong to my old blind rooster (don't ask).
What on earth am I going to do in 2-3 weeks when all these things start hatching out? Should I take away most of the eggs and put them in incubators to minimize the risk of attacks from other chickens, etc? Should I try putting the hens in dog crates? I can probably fence off part of the coop for hens 2 and 3 (the welsummer has nothing - I'm not THAT crazy - though I thought about giving her some olive eggers to hatch out), and only try to move #4? My brooder is currently full of chicks that I hatched out last month. But I could move them out, and put one or more hens in - it's 8' x 4' with a divider in the middle. But would they stick?
or abandon?What have I gotten myself into. Help.
, but putting them in dog cages may work. We put them, when unwanted. (Not in the SPRING when I ACTuAllY WANT ThEM) in broody cages we have in our older coop. Sometimes give them some good ol’ golf balls. Good luck with the pure cuteness comin’ your way!
