Illinois...

[STACEYH]

To distract me from the grossness that is my yard right now, I am planning for spring. I think I am going to let Millie be a mama because she seems intent on hatching unfertilized eggs as is. I think I'll let her have 4 in case any don't hatch or turn out to be boys. My coop and run can't hold much more than what I already have so I can't let her go crazy. So here's where I am torn.

1) Should I give her hatching eggs and see what happens or let her sit on unfertilized eggs and sneak day old chicks in at night? I feel like the actual sitting/hatching process would be much more fun and scratch her broody itch better, but I am guaranteed a better shot at pullets if I buy day old chicks for her.

2) Can I give her an enclosed nest in the coop with everyone else or do I really need to give her a totally separate space to raise the babies? I don't keep any food or water int he coop, it's all in the run. I was thinking I could just get her a little cozy box, maybe a covered cat box or something, and put it in the coop. But I can't put food and water in there so she'd have to walk the littles to the run for food and water. Is that a no-no? The other hens are terrified of her when she's broody so I think they'd stay away from her chicks.

3) I'm thinking late March to get her started because we'll be gone for Spring break on 3/20-3/25 and I don't want to leave her while I am gone in case something happens. Is mid-April too cold for chicks outside? I've brooded my others in the house before so this will be the first time they are hen-raised outside.

I do believe you have to wait for her to go broody. She won't sit unless she is. So, either way you decide you have to wait for her to tell you when.
I personally would do eggs. They are less likely to be rejected. I would place her in the coop in a floor nest so later there isn't a problem with peeps falling.

 

[SnootyHen]

I do believe you have to wait for her to go broody. She won't sit unless she is. So, either way you decide you have to wait for her to tell you when.
I personally would do eggs. They are less likely to be rejected. I would place her in the coop in a floor nest so later there isn't a problem with peeps falling.

She's broody more often than she isn't which is why I am finally giving in.

 

[cavemanrich]

I personally would do eggs.

Drawback to us that cant keep roosters

 

[SnootyHen]

Drawback to us that cant keep roosters

I was going to buy hatching eggs from Meyer. But wow! The eggs cost almost as much as the day old chicks. I'll still probably go that route because I want to pick my breeds as opposed to just borrowing some fertile eggs from someone, but I was a little surprised.

Another surprise though is their bonus free chick has been a CCL and Ameraucana lately which is crazy considering I got a RIR as mine and the cost difference. They must have a lot of laying CCLs.

 

[STACEYH]

I was going to buy hatching eggs from Meyer. But wow! The eggs cost almost as much as the day old chicks. I'll still probably go that route because I want to pick my breeds as opposed to just borrowing some fertile eggs from someone, but I was a little surprised.

Another surprise though is their bonus free chick has been a CCL and Ameraucana lately which is crazy considering I got a RIR as mine and the cost difference. They must have a lot of laying CCLs.

I know there are people on here that sell eggs to hatch. You might try doing a shout out and see if they have a better price on their eggs.

 

[STACEYH]

Drawback to us that cant keep roosters

I don't see it as a drawback. I see it as dinner calling. I can't have roosters either.

 

[STACEYH]

She's broody more often than she isn't which is why I am finally giving in.

I have an Australorp doing that. I have to say haven't had a frozen egg this winter. She hogs the prime nest so everyone climbs on her and lays their eggs. She scoops them up and sit on them. Sure made my gathering of eggs easy not having to go out and gather every 2 hours worring about them being froze.
She will/should protect the peeps and keep them warm. As long as she take to them then she will make sure they have what is needed. You just have to have food and water where the peeps can reach and not drown.

 

[SnootyHen]

I know there are people on here that sell eggs to hatch. You might try doing a shout out and see if they have a better price on their eggs.

I can get fertile eggs locally (probably free even). I'm just being picky about wanting to pick breeds. I could even send Millie on a playdate with a friend's roo but I'm afraid she'd like it too much and start demanding her own. LOL!!!!

 

[STACEYH]

I can get fertile eggs locally (probably free even). I'm just being picky about wanting to pick breeds. I could even send Millie on a playdate with a friend's roo but I'm afraid she'd like it too much and start demanding her own. LOL!!!!

LMAO demanding her own. Yes, I know you want to pick a breed. There are people on here that sell them. Purebreds not just mixes.

 

[SnootyHen]

LMAO demanding her own. Yes, I know you want to pick a breed. There are people on here that sell them. Purebreds not just mixes.

Right but it's a lot more work finding people who have the different ones that I want versus one stop shopping at Meyer. My cousins own a local feed shop so I could easily source out eggs there. But I feel like a wierdo asking for "one of these and one of those" with a person whereas that's normal when you buy from a hatchery. I'm only letting her have 4 and they will be 4 different breeds.