Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[aart]

Quote: I think you may have to contain her with the nest you want her to use.....
...as soon as she accepts she cannot get back to the nest she wants, she may settle in to the nest you want.

 

[Candy442]

So literally just a 2x4 box?

She doesn't seem to be fully committed to a nest outside the coop right now, I'm going to give her a little longer to figure herself out before setting any eggs. She's just really interested in only doing it in a nestbox in the coop.

I have my outside box setup with a fake egg in it currently

yes, DH made the box out of plywood sheets pieces 2 foot by 4 foot sides and bottom.Made a lid to keep any critters out. I agree about waiting to see if she is serious. We have one hen that we call a "serial" broody. Last year she sat five times during the summer and started in early spring. She is just getting started again this year Our coops just aren't big enough to wire off broody hen areas, so we use the brood boxes we built (we have two of them and a nice size stock tank).

 

[Folly's place]

I use large dog airline crates for the same purpose. I set one up in the coop during the day, with bedding, food, and water. After dark, with a tiny flashlight, the broody hen and her eggs are moved into the cage, quietly as possible. Most often, she will fuss briefly the next morning, and then settle into it for the duration, undisturbed by other hens, but right with the group. Mary

 

[bigmrg74]

Gee. I would love to help but the surgeon has put me a weight lifting limit of 10 pounds. Like that is going to work.

You could help me keep count as I toss the bales off the wagon. Once I get past 21 I'm all out of fingers and toes to keep count on.

actually, my brother managed to turn up a guy who is **** good at stacking hay. If I was just 20 years younger and back in football shape some farmer somewhere would have loved to see us trying to settle at who was better.

 

[Monstro]

Heard internal peeping... First hatch ever. Ducks

 

[gladahmae]

Internal peeping is so exciting! Good luck with your hatch!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE one of my broody hens. She really does a great job. NO ONE is messing with ANY of her chicks, that's for sure.


Half of the first garden is in. *sigh* I have to re-till and fence the second one off. And i went to the greenhouse to get 2 black prince tomato plants (which they were sold out of) and came home with a 48ct flat of tomatoes and peppers. Greenhouse math is like chicken math for me.

 

[wannahomestead]

Well my broody beat me out and won. I'm going to let her have one of the nests in the coop. I put her makeshift nest box in the coop last night w/ her in it and sectioned it off, and she was STILL able to get out of it and get back into her preferred nest. The good news, other ladies started laying in the makeshift nest.

I placed 12 eggs under here today, including 4 that were only a few hours old.

21 days, right?

 

[WalnutHill]

Well my broody beat me out and won. I'm going to let her have one of the nests in the coop. I put her makeshift nest box in the coop last night w/ her in it and sectioned it off, and she was STILL able to get out of it and get back into her preferred nest. The good news, other ladies started laying in the makeshift nest.

I placed 12 eggs under here today, including 4 that were only a few hours old.

21 days, right?

21 days from a 23 hour sitting. Until that hen plants her butt day and night, don't start counting.

 

[wannahomestead]

21 days from a 23 hour sitting. Until that hen plants her butt day and night, don't start counting.

cool thx.

Do I need to do anything with the eggs if she's not sitting 23 hrs?

 

[1muttsfan]

Good broody thread

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ody-hen-hatch-a-long-and-informational-thread