laying box question

[SharkmanDan]

As a matter of fact LOL I currently have 13 chicks that were shipped to me as eggs and raised by 4 broody hens! It worked out very well-and from reading, you have better % of hatch rate with broody hens than with incubators. (I had 31 eggs shipped , had 17 hatch, and 13 survive. Part of the problem I had was a leaky coop-first time in 3 yrs but with the record breaking rain fall its not surprising.) However, if you only have the one broody hen who has never been a mother, I would have some sort of back up ready. Of my 23 hens, in the past 2 months I have had 8 broody. I put eggs under 5 (the other 3 are recently broody) and one of the moms (banty cochin) was an excellent broody however, as the chicks started hatching, she pushed the chicks aside and only sat on the eggs. Kind of like "WTH is that???!!!!"

I just came in from my mid-morning check, of the coop. She's not yet nesting, today. But, I think that when she lays that egg, and she, being a red sex link, lays almost every day, very consistently (goes like one out of twelve days, without laying) , I'm just going to leave that egg. It might be interesting to see what happens if it hatches. A Red Comet, which is a cross (if I recall between a New Hampshire Red, and a Delaware?), then crossed with my HUGE Australorp cockerel. Could be an interesting combination.
I have another Red Comet, Who is recovering from bumblefoot surgery, that is very motherly, to my two biggest pullets. One leghorn, and one RIR. Maybe the combination of the two, might be good for bringing new little ones into the world.

 

[MaineMatt]

2 nests will be fine. They will want to lay in a clutch by instinct. You will see two birds in one nest while the other nest(s) is empty. Also, not every birds lays every day.

If your birds are still chicks (not laying), close the nests so they dont get into the habit of sleeping in the nests.

Thanks thats what i was thinking

 

[MaineMatt]

Nest boxes: They issues if there aren't enough is, you will see them trying to pile in on top of each other (this is pretty common no matter how many boxes you have) but you will see fights breaking out as they pull each other out of the box for access. Or you will find broken eggs in the boxes from them fighting and crushing them.

The temp at the height they are at should be 95 for the first week, 90 the second week and so on. Lowering by 5
degrees
per week. They need to be able to also get out from under/away from it in case they are too warm too. Watch and see how they are acting. They should make content peeping. If something is wrong they will start a loud distressed peeping. Also, if they are all huddled up under the heat lamp versus wings spread looking too warm. You can pick up a inexpensive thermometer to put in next to them/at the same height to make sure you are keeping the temperatures correct.

Is this your first time with chicks? If so, a couple other things to remember: You will want to make sure to feed them "chick started" food and not standard layer chicken feed as the layer feed contains calcium which chicks should not have. Make sure they have water available at all times and that they cant fall into the water and drown. You can make sure of this by dropping marbles into the waterer if its too large/deep. Also, make sure the floor they are on is not slippery. Pine shavings work wonderfully but if you don't have any on hand, you can scrunch up paper towels to make sure the floor isn't slippery. Slippery floors can cause spraddled legs

Thanks for the info. This is my first time buying hens and keeping them at my home. My father has a farm and i have been around chickens all my life. But I have never had chicks this young. They are doing great. Here is a photo of them and my un finished hen house. (The are not in the hen house right now, they are in my house hah)

 

[Angiebubs]

Wow nice coop!!! And adorable chicks. What breeds?

 

[MaineMatt]

Wow nice coop!!! And adorable chicks. What breeds?

Easter egger, Black Australorp, Buff Orpington, Welsummer and 3 Rhode Island Reds

 

[theggman]

i put 2 in my house and i had 6 hens and they only used one hope this helps

 

[newandjustafew]

Hey from CA!! I currently have 5 chickens (4 hens, 1 Roo) 3 of the young ladies r separate now while I quarantine them, I got them (RSL) on Sunday. My roo & one other hen I've had few months now, and after a long (sorta) break from laying I found an egg yesterday with a VERY thin shell and pretty pliable. Today her behavior tells me shed like to lay, is it normal for my roo to accompany her into box? Scratching around like crazy? She keeps attempting to get UNDER him LOL anyone got some insight? Thx

 

[Angiebubs]

Sounds like you have an awesome roo! I have had Roos go and check into and check out nest boxes then call to the hen-pretty cute! As far as the thin shelled egg-do you have oyster shell out and available for them? I couldnt tell from your post-is she new to laying? If so, that is common when a new layer is adjusting to laying.

 

[newandjustafew]

Sounds like you have an awesome roo! I have had Roos go and check into and check out nest boxes then call to the hen-pretty cute! As far as the thin shelled egg-do you have oyster shell out and available for them? I couldnt tell from your post-is she new to laying? If so, that is common when a new layer is adjusting to laying.

I have the BEST roo (Japanese bantam) he's currently in box facing out while she scratches, looks like he's standing guard LOL and yes I do have oyster shell out (she's uninterested far as I can tell) and as far as new laying or not I'm not sure, I got her from someone who rescued (found her that day) she laid 3 after I got her, then nada for approx two weeks. I'm considering getting some calcium drench if egg shell doesn't improve over next few days.