letting hens hatch out eggs

[dlhunicorn]

I am personally terrified of using an incubator...temp and humidity swings from faulty monitors... your babies are the victims. However , I do not have my birds for breeding or for selling or for eating the eggs so I understand why ppl use them (plus I have silkies and not all breeds are as good about hatching out eggs).
Here is my "system" for hatching eggs (when the weather outside is a bit too cold then I bring it inside)... it is a "safe haven for the chickies to avoid pecking adults (adult birds do not like coming into the cage) and I leave the door open at about three weeks for all to come and go as they wish ... (I put mama outside the cage to eat her feed do her poopies and babies stay inde the first three weeks)

 

[TerrasCritters]

Aww that is to cute!
I am a hatch-a-holic and always ordering eggs online to add new birds to my flock. It always seems no one is broody when I get my eggs or they already have a bunch. The hens are THE best incubators! I just like to raise my chicks myself, unless if I had a set up like "dlhunicorn" too cool! Defenatly would recommend that one to any newbie hen to make sure she will sit, but then not all hens will let you move there nests. Silkies seem to be good at letting you move there nests!
My silkie girls will be old enough to brood some eggs for me this spring SO EGGCITED!!

 

[OkapisRule]

Do the eggs and the broody need to be separated to keep the eggs safe?
Sorry, I mean from the other chickens. You probably missunderstood me.

 

[dlhunicorn]

The bird goes where the eggs go...I only put it in the cage when they start to hatch (NOT to keep the bird sitting on the eggs!!!)
That hen is the ain mamma around here and she always gets first dibs on that basket...all my birds lay their eggs in it...

 

[bantymum]

Hi, did you mean separate the broody from the other hens?
If so , yes it is best, make up a nice nursery pen , you dont have to move her, just wire around her if at all possible to keep the other hens out. Give your broody her own food and water in there as well.
I dont have a bator but have my silkies and yes I say they are wonderful mums, just dont let them sit on too many eggs or you will lose some! 6 at most works for me!
Let us know how you are going.

 

[speckledhen]

Diana, I've always loved your little basket!

 

[ozark hen]

I forgot to add, I keep my broodie hen under a large cage made from hardware cloth to keep the eggs and new chicks safe. My black australorp will let me know when she wants to outside even though I keep feed and water inside the cage. I prop it open and she returns under it when she is ready to return. Then I close it back up. I keep the new chicks in there with her (if I am letting her raise them|) so the flock won't hurt them until they are about 3 weeks old then I turn them loose and they stick close to mama.

 

[dlhunicorn]

Quote:
Even though I found another (and larger) basket , everyone just adores that one... I finally found a basketmaker to reproduce it as it is now falling apart

 

[OkapisRule]

Quote:
Yes, that is what I mean.

 

[SunChick]

Quote:
Even though I found another (and larger) basket , everyone just adores that one... I finally found a basketmaker to reproduce it as it is now falling apart

Does she take orders? That is one cute basket!