March 2023 hatch-a-long

[NagemTX]

Right now I have to move mine because they lay outside the coop. I free range from 6 am to 6/7 pm every day. I'm just glad they like to use the dog/cat houses as they are easy to move into the newer light framed pens. Hen stays in the dog/cat house me and bro pick it up put on cart take to pen, lift pen side wall up slide dog/cat house w/ broody in in I to the pen.

Checked on her and she kinda trilled at me.

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

ya I don't move them either. I had good luck last year (one incident that I lost a chick, and one that a chick was separated and injured but she/he healed fine and I didn't even know which one it was after about a week). I did check daily for other eggs. Helped that I had camera's so I could see when someone went in the broody's nest box so I could look. hahaaa. I will have to post a pic of my nest boxes.

Yep, I need to mark the eggs I’m setting them with in the future. Learn something new every hatch!

 

[Cochinlover92]

we are pretty much at the same day for the March hatch #2. I have March hatch #1 ready to hatch in 6 days!!!!!!!! Then hatch #2 is under my broody and last night at 8:30ish was day 5, but think they may be a tad behind.

My hatch #1 will be in the house broody for (hopefully) a week till I move them out to the coop brooder. I am going to miss the peeping and having them right there when they move out!

Oh awesome! Yay a hatch buddy!!

My first group are a week old today and I moved them out yesterday. Yes I miss having them just right there! Me and my kids would just sit on the floor and play with chicks all the time Now we have to bundle up and go out into the cold (still winter here in WI) to see them which isnt as nice lol

 

[junior67]

Yep, I need to mark the eggs I’m setting them with in the future. Learn something new every hatch!

Ok the first pic is my main nest boxes 3 of them. As you can see they are seen anytime a chicken goes in the coop. The 2nd pic shows the shared nest box so more out of the way and not seen by the rest. My broody is behind the cinder block. That is there since one of my Cochins struggles going to the roost since I don't think she sees as well as the rest so if even slightly dark she won't go to roost so that gives her a step. Lol

 

[kcotton7]

This may sound weird, but I smell them. Granted I've got a pretty good sense of smell, but to me you can smell them if they are starting to go bad.

I had one that was fizzing on my first hatch and the lightbulb went off that THAT is what I had been smelling. Since then I take a sniff when I candle starting when I can't see what is going on in the egg.

Thank you!

 

[junior67]

Oh awesome! Yay a hatch buddy!!

My first group are a week old today and I moved them out yesterday. Yes I miss having them just right there! Me and my kids would just sit on the floor and play with chicks all the time Now we have to bundle up and go out into the cold (still winter here in WI) to see them which isnt as nice lol

yup I am in MA our temps are all over really cold some days then 50 others.... hoping by the time I move the chicks out (in about 2 weeks) that it is a bit warmer to go out and sit with them. LOL was nice last summer to go out and sit and let them out of the brooder to jump up all over me (that is how I ended up with my 2nd roo as he was always the one that jumped and sat on me, the rest would just run around me and maybe come on me here and there. Jameson was always on my lap...... so he stayed even though I was 100% NOT keeping another roo!!!!! LOL)

 

[Iluveggers]

@junior67 i wonder if you could rig up a flexible chicken wire barrier for her? Just cut it to the size you need maybe?

 

[junior67]

@junior67 i wonder if you could rig up a flexible chicken wire barrier for her? Just cut it to the size you need maybe?

the thing is I would need to have all different sizes (and by chicken wire and hope the others didn't knock it down) since it would need to go under the poor boards then between the shared nest box to separate those. I have one girl that will ONLY lay on the left side (when looking at it from inside the coop) of the shared box. My broody was on that side and the other one that lays under there went to the right side NO problem. This one girl went on the side the broody was on and jumped on her and pecked her until she left she would NOT use any of the other boxes. I then moved the broody over to the other side and the 2 that use the shared box have happily used the left side of the box with no problems. but the nest boxes are higher than under the poop boards so they go under them then it goes up once they walk in. I also tried to block a broody in last year and she FREAKED out and jumped over the "pen" I made for her and got out then couldn't get back in to the eggs. tried to block her under the poop boards (before that nest box was there) and she freaked out and refused to even sit any more......

I am hoping bringing food and water out to her daily she will eat and drink and have no choice but to at least step off her eggs and go to other side of box (which I will then have to clean) or just outside her nest and poop) I figure she can't just hold her poop in.........

 

[Cochinlover92]

yup I am in MA our temps are all over really cold some days then 50 others.... hoping by the time I move the chicks out (in about 2 weeks) that it is a bit warmer to go out and sit with them. LOL was nice last summer to go out and sit and let them out of the brooder to jump up all over me (that is how I ended up with my 2nd roo as he was always the one that jumped and sat on me, the rest would just run around me and maybe come on me here and there. Jameson was always on my lap...... so he stayed even though I was 100% NOT keeping another roo!!!!! LOL)

That's chicken math right there you say you are in no way getting getting more or keeping a certain one when deep down inside you know that's not true

 

[Iluveggers]

Do any of you lower your incubation temp by .5 at lockdown? I saw it in the Sally Sunshine thread, and then googled if you should, and found a few sources that said you should, but I’ve never done that. Anyone know?