Natural breeding thread

[TOMTE]

My favorite part about natural brooding is comparing apples to oranges. Hands off, mom teaches them everything, it's instant integration and a whole lot less work and just a sight to be a part of.

One downside is if your in it for the cuddles, most broody raised are more skittish depending on the broody and how 'friendly or docile' she is.

If we ever get to a point where we can have a larger, self sustaining flock, I'd be happy to trade off chook cuddles for chooks that are better prepared for flock life.

 

[Perris]

So it differs case-by-case but is the safest bet to incubate and/or raise chicks in a brooder, and then introduce to the flock?

I would answer what @fluffycrow said. But I've never used an incubator so I only really know one side of the story.

Are there any indications as to whether a hen will be a good setter/mother or do you just find out as it happens?

no, and they get better with practice (don't we all?)

I wondered was something wrong with the chick.

me too

I think she knew that egg was not ok.

Sometimes I think the hens just know when somethings not right.

I concur.

 

[Apis mellifera]

I love both. I generally have about 20 hens and 1 rooster. A few go broody in the spring, and I fill the incubator when people want chicks. I like storing the eggs and then giving each broody the same number of eggs at the same time. Somedays a hen will up end with an extra chick at the end of the day. I think there's a big advantage to having one breed you really enjoy raising instead of a barnyard mix.

 

[TexasBlues]

Were hatched in 3 groups? Do you mean they were hatched in an incubator?
Can you tell more about what you did and what happened along the way?

The video description I saw just shows this:

View attachment 4057017

Here’s the video description.
There was a bunch of eggs laid while we were on vacation. And I also collected eggs and put them in an incubator. The hen set eggs that were hatched over a week period and the incubator eggs hatched 2 weeks after the first.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I think there's a big advantage to having one breed you really enjoy raising instead of a barnyard mix.

Best of both worlds, here. Both my flocks have BCM roos.
My Black Copper Marans flock I'm breeding towards SOP, and my mix flock for Olives and fun mixes.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'm no expert here, and probably shouldn't answer but here goes....
Just like with everything in nature including humans. There's no limitations to what a species is capable of doing to their offspring according to their mindset.

Some reasoning I've read that hens can be perfect sitters but once the chicks appear the hens are confused at this, viewing them as intruders or not theirs. Almost like trying to stuff day olds under a non broody hen.

In most cases these will be seen as intruders and killed. There are of course exceptions and rare cases I haven't experienced yet.

this is my best guess. and while I know a few things about how to feed poultry, the whole brooding/rearing process not involving an incubator is essentially new to me - just over a handful of experiences with it, none went well. One went OK.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Best of both worlds, here. Both my flocks have BCM roos.
My Black Copper Marans flock I'm breeding towards SOP, and my mix flock for Olives and fun mixes.

Thats great, trying different approaches makes it interesting. I just found over the years (for me) that mixes stop being fun.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

So it differs case-by-case but is the safest bet to incubate and/or raise chicks in a brooder, and then introduce to the flock?

Are there any indications as to whether a hen will be a good setter/mother or do you just find out as it happens?

Introduction has TONS of threads of people struggling. I've been fortunate in that I've had no issues, but my circumstances and management differ from most - starting with LOTS of land, and multiple ways for hatchlings and adult flocks to see one another for weeks or months while remaining physically seperated.

As to your second question? I haven't a clue, and have mostly found out after the fact. Broody mom seems to be doing the right things oneday, the next, she's pushing dead chicks out of the nest (or already has), having killed them overnight.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Broody mom seems to be doing the right things oneday, the next, she's pushing dead chicks out of the nest (or already has), having killed them overnight.

How do you know the chicks aren't just dying overnight from poor nutrition?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

How do you know the chicks aren't just dying overnight from poor nutrition?

Poor nutrition doesnt result in obvious external injury** - and though I can't guarantee the nutrition of chicks I allow to brood naturally, as opposed to those I incubate and box/grow up pen, I do provide scoops of a 24% cp, 1.2% Ca +/-, 0.75% P, 1.3% Lys, 0.5% Met feed by the (broody) hen(s) while the rest of the flock is distracted w/ their usual (cheaper) mix to try and provide some support.

Also, my losses under broodies tend to happen between the first night and the third, when (in theory) chicks don't need any feeding at all.

** I am aware that the flock can peck to exclude chicks w/ illness or other deformity, so wound-type injuries can come about as consequences of some other underlying pathology.