June 2015 Hatch A Long HAL

[wornoutmomto3]

Oh well... tons of news over here. My broody is about a week away from hatch day and since she's been there I've only been getting 1-3 eggs per day that the other hens lay on top of her. I thought maybe they were too scared of Mrs. Broody to want to go in there and lay. I was right and wrong.

My kids left the feed pellet box open. They've been laying in there, right on top of the feed. The sight of all those eggs made my barred rock decide to brood, also. She's aggressively guarding 15-20 eggs while sitting on the entire stock of feed. She's my alpha hen, too. Who knows where the other hens are going to lay now.

I'm considering moving Mrs. Alpha hen into the chickpen with Mrs. Broody tonight after dark. I was going to do a day 14 candle of Mrs. Broodys eggs anyway. With two weeks between their hatch days, does anyone think it would be a problem to make them share a brooding pen? Will Mrs. Alpha abandon her eggs when Mrs. Broodys eggs hatch? If I have to I can probably move Mrs. Alpha elsewhere. Opinions?

That might not be the best of ideas. Mrs. Alpha may decide the chicks that hatch under Mrs. Broody are now her chicks and she might abandon the developing eggs. Or she could turn aggressive and kill the chicks that aren't under her. Another thing you will have to contend with is egg stealing. My "Queen of the Coop" and her "Second in command" went broody within a couple days of each other. Queeny took #2's eggs and made her brood in an empty nest. If that happens in your situation you will have a bunch of mixed up eggs.

It would be best to give Mrs. Alpha her own broody pen until after the chicks have hatched and she has had ample time to bond with them. Once bonded combining them shouldn't be an issue. Mrs. Alpha will be an active protector of her chicks, so the older chicks won't bother them.

 

[Antiquity]

I tossed out three eggs from under Mrs. Broody. She now has 7. One of the ones I tossed had a definite stink to it compared to the others.

I moved Mrs. Alpha into the chickpen with 21 (!) eggs. I'll probably remove half of them tomorrow. She wouldn't go in at first because the other broody started shrieking at her, but I turned Mrs. Broody's container slightly to the wall so they can't see each other when on the nests. Tomorrow I'm replacing the doors to the chickpen to keep the other hens out. I'll also clean out the egg house in the hopes that the remaining ladies start laying in there again.

What's the most number of eggs you've ever let a broody sit on?

 

[Antiquity]

That might not be the best of ideas. Mrs. Alpha may decide the chicks that hatch under Mrs. Broody are now her chicks and she might abandon the developing eggs. Or she could turn aggressive and kill the chicks that aren't under her. Another thing you will have to contend with is egg stealing. My "Queen of the Coop" and her "Second in command" went broody within a couple days of each other. Queeny took #2's eggs and made her brood in an empty nest. If that happens in your situation you will have a bunch of mixed up eggs.

It would be best to give Mrs. Alpha her own broody pen until after the chicks have hatched and she has had ample time to bond with them. Once bonded combining them shouldn't be an issue. Mrs. Alpha will be an active protector of her chicks, so the older chicks won't bother them.

They're together for now. I'm not terribly concerned with egg stealing as Mrs Broody's eggs are clearly marked, and there's a 6 inch lip between them. I'll probably try to find another place for Mrs. Alpha this week. I've only got the one chick/broody pen and one egg/hen house. Mrs Alpha would have to go in a bucket under a bush or in the garage, or I'd have to confine her to the hen house and make the other hens a nest elsewhere.

 

[wornoutmomto3]

What's the most number of eggs you've ever let a broody sit on?

The most eggs I have had under one hen is 14. Although, I prefer 5-8 eggs under one hen at a time depending on the size of the hen. The smaller the hen the less eggs and vise versa.

 

[wornoutmomto3]

Quote:
I don't know how big your pen is, but if there is space you might be able to put a temporary dividing wall. That way each hen will have their own private space to hatch and bond with their chicks.

 

[Antiquity]

I don't know how big your pen is, but if there is space you might be able to put a temporary dividing wall. That way each hen will have their own private space to hatch and bond with their chicks.

I found a picture. The chick pen is essentially a 2 ft x 4 ft dog house with an off-center door on the large face and a 7ft x 4 ft run built in on that same side. It has four doors, two that open up to view the inside, and two that open over the run. One of each on each side. These doors open from the top. I can't figure any way to divide the space that still gives both hens access to the outside for food and water. If I did it would involve cutting a new door and dividing the entire space. :/ Mrs. Alpha will probably get a bucket behind the hen house.

 

[frenchiegirl21]

EEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!! So my new egg candler FINALLY came in the mail today, and it is awesome!!!!!! I recandled all the eggs in the bators and out of 62 eggs set 9 were not fertile and 5 quit early. Which means I should get 48 chicks!!!!!!

This was an amazing way to end the day. I thought my ignorance killed 26 eggs but it turns out the little boogers are more resilient than I gave them credit. 11 days to go!!!

 

[Antiquity]

Congratulations, what wonderful news!

 

[jlynnp]

This morning I had 34 new chicks and one more egg zipping. If I get the 35 that will be an 85% hatch rate - my best ever!!!

 

[Texas4T]

Yeah! The hatch isn't a complete bust. I woke up this morning to 2 hatched quail chicks! I had to leave for the day and returned to another quail chick. So far, of the five that locked-down 3 have hatched!

How long do the need to stay in the incubator? Chickens stay up to three days; is it the same for quail?

24 hrs is fine, some people say quail need to start eating before 30hrs. Watch their behavior.
(Your photos are very dangerous! I am wistfully wanting to hatch quail again...haven't done it since 1992!)