Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

I think I have my first broody. She's been in the nest since yesterday afternoon. She's an 8 mos old BO. I only have 3 pullets right now and a cockerel with space for up to 12 birds I think. I ordered 4 pullets that are coming in 4 weeks. How does this broody thing wor exactly. Will she still be laying and collecting her clutch for a while yet or does the 3 weeks incubation start now? I have no idea how many if any at all she has under her. I'm fairly certain my eggs are fertile. I'm wondering if I can add the chicks I've ordered to her group if hers hatch around the time I receive the new ones. I have a 4ft dog kennel in the coop right now that I was planning to use as a brooder for the chicks I ordered. Should I move mama and her best there with food and water and figure out something else for the other chicks?


Here are a few sites that may be helpful
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/broody-hens
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/guide-to-letting-broody-hens-hatch-and-raise-chicks
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/encouraging-or-discouraging-broodiness-in-your-hens
 
Thanks 1muttsfan! I ended up sneaking 2 more eggs under her so she has 3 now. We moved and her nest to a dog kennel in the coop with food and water. She seems happy there. I decided to let her see out this broody thing and if none of her babies survive or were not fertile to begin with I'll try grafting the ones I ordered. If her eggs hatch I guess I'll brood my other 4 in something in the garage. I'm a little worried about integrating two groups but I'll figure it out somehow!
 
Thanks 1muttsfan! I ended up sneaking 2 more eggs under her so she has 3 now. We moved and her nest to a dog kennel in the coop with food and water. She seems happy there. I decided to let her see out this broody thing and if none of her babies survive or were not fertile to begin with I'll try grafting the ones I ordered. If her eggs hatch I guess I'll brood my other 4 in something in the garage. I'm a little worried about integrating two groups but I'll figure it out somehow!

You might even want to consider giving her dummy eggs (fake eggs) for now and wait to slip the eggs you want her to hatch under her to coincide with the arrival of your other chicks. In other words, put them under her 21 days prior to your other chicks arriving. Then once your chicks arrive, wait until nightfall and slip them under her with the broody hatched chicks, but keep an eye out to make sure she is treating them appropriately.

Last year I purchased some eggs from a breeder and put half of them under a broody and the other half in the incubator. I did so on the same day so they would hatch at the same time. Once all the chicks were hatched, I waited until dark and slipped the incubator chicks right under the broody alongside the broody-hatched chicks. Worked like a charm and she raised them all without any problems.
 
Grrrrrr..... Slow day at work here today. Think I'm going to try calling an Amish guy and see if I can get him to come over sometime soon to do an estimate on our barn roof.
Got the Amish guy at the second number I had for him. The numbers were for the drivers he tends to use. Luckily, he was in the area and actually going to be in Clinton today so he was able to swing by and take a look at the barn. He should be mailing mom an estimate in the next week or so.
 
You might even want to consider giving her dummy eggs (fake eggs) for now and wait to slip the eggs you want her to hatch under her to coincide with the arrival of your other chicks.  In other words, put them under her 21 days prior to your other chicks arriving.  Then once your chicks arrive, wait until nightfall and slip them under her with the broody hatched chicks, but keep an eye out to make sure she is treating them appropriately.  

Last year I purchased some eggs from a breeder and put half of them under a broody and the other half in the incubator.  I did so on the same day so they would hatch at the same time.  Once all the chicks were hatched, I waited until dark and slipped the incubator chicks right under the broody alongside the broody-hatched chicks.  Worked like a charm and she raised them all without any problems.


Great suggestion! Thanks!
 
I either have egg-eaters, or faulty chickens, because after NOT getting eggs since early December, I am only getting eggs from ONE chicken (out of about 20), and SHE isn't laying in the coop.
he.gif
Half of them are ISAs bought just over a year ago that didn't lay last summer/fall either, so age isn't the issue. I just wormed one of the coops to see if that helps. Checked for lice. Oyster shell is being offered on the side. Layer pellets because they make less of a mess with those. It's sooooo frustrating.
 
Ok need a bit of advice from the experts here. Our chicks will be about 6 weeks old this weekend and I plan on moving them out to the coop. My question is will they still need a supplemental heat source at night? They are mostly fully feathered just have a bit of the fluff on their necks yet. Right now they dont have any extra heat inside but its also not below freezing either.
 
Ok need a bit of advice from the experts here. Our chicks will be about 6 weeks old this weekend and I plan on moving them out to the coop. My question is will they still need a supplemental heat source at night? They are mostly fully feathered just have a bit of the fluff on their necks yet. Right now they dont have any extra heat inside but its also not below freezing either.
Nah, no heat needed out there.....they should be fine, as long as coop is dry and wind free.
Tho I do try to harden them off by opening a window to get the brooder room as cool as possible to lessen the temp change when they move outside...and let them spend parts of the day in a day pen outside.
I've also employed a huddle box to help them make the transition.

Huddle Box Blurb:
Make them a 'huddle box', put it in the brooder after turning off the heat(you might have to 'persuade' them to use it) then move it out to the coop with them.
Cardboard box with a bottom a little bigger than what they need to cuddle next to each other without piling and tall enough for them to stand in.
Cut an opening on one side a couple inches from bottom and big enough for 2-3 of them to go thru at once.
Fill the bottom with some pine shavings an inch or so deep.
This will give them a cozy place to sleep/rest, block any drafts and help hold their body heat in.
 
Last edited:

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom