Natural breeding thread

[Perris]

just before hatch

within the week of hatch

Before lockdown I assume...when exactly before expected hatch date? and what is your hatch rate like?

I like your system but it strikes me as a bit risky for the chicks on the verge of hatching, unless you are sure of your dates and copying commercial incubation/hatching timetables.

 

[fluffycrow]

The Polish is the broody one... waiting patiently -- she fluffs her feathers occassionally and gets close but doesn't fight the laying hen.

Not that it matters too much, but I do not see a Polish in that picture. I see what (appears to be) a naked neck, and a silkie.

While I’m generally not one to make blanket statements based on breed alone, it seems like you have a pretty stereotypical silkie on your hands. Fantastic broody and mother, terrible at setting boundaries with her group members. Thankfully, silkies are said to not break easily. Based on her general behaviour, it would not be a bad guess to say that yours will be the same in that regard

 

[wrathsfarm]

Before lockdown I assume...when exactly before expected hatch date? and what is your hatch rate like?

Yes...before lockdown. While she's still coming off the nest daily. I like doing it this way as she's fully committed and I feel she knows she's getting ready to lockdown. But it is a case by case determined by her status in pecking order and if bullying off the nest is constant with lower status I've moved earlier.

I like your system but it strikes me as a bit risky for the chicks on the verge of hatching, unless you are sure of your dates and copying commercial incubation/hatching timetables.

All my broodys have specific, dated, and marked eggs especially in relation to my Black Coppers for test mate purposes.
All eggs from one hen will be under a broody so that I can leg band them at hatch and follow growth to select for egg color and future breeders.
Hatch rates are variable here and I can't pin point that cause specifically. But not too much of a concern at the moment.
Once I get to where I can group breed and not have to test mate then it may very well be. There's so many possibilities that effect eggs not developing that I may never know.

 

[Love Donkeys]

I could use some help with my first broody! She's sitting on 7 eggs and we are on Day 15. I'm confused about what to do next. She's in the favorite nest box and other hens continue to push her out. I've read that's bad... I'll move her tomorrow.

I had to move a broody and her clutch over a week ago. She decided to have her nest in the brush about a foot away from our county road...

If you decide you must move your broody do it in the dark when the hen is sleeping. Have the new nest ready with grain and water near by. Try to get her and the eggs in the same direction she went to sleep in, then leave her alone...

I do not like them to have their chicks in the nest box. The chicks can fall out of the box and get hurt. If they they are not hurt by the fall the other hens may hurt or kill them... Good luck in what ever you decide to do...

 

[BDutch]

…By isolate do you mean so she can't see the others? The crate I'd like to use is wire and definitely see-through.

Yes its okay the see each other.

The nest area doesn't seem safe for the babies and I'm not sure how well this little Mama will be able to protect them.

Why? She keeps the new-hatched under/with her. If they are out and about they are searching for food and go back under mama to warm up.

I can keep them in the same area, just with a pen around them.

A pen is fine, but make sure the holes in the mash/hwc are tiny. If the mash is wide make a layer with fine hwc at the bottom (1ft high) Chicks are all fluff and have tiny bodies. You don’t want the hen in the pen and the chicks out.

 

[BDutch]

Can you get a hen to become broody? medicine, keeping her in a nesting box? Should I just get an incubator?

No not in general. But sometimes yes. Depends on the hen/breed. If I leave 5 eggs in a nest-box in the right season, I always had a broody within a week.

You might find this useful
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...y-the-good-the-bad-and-the-indifferent.79643/

Thanks for posting this.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Id rather not use broodies..chicks are so skittish with broodies and the least time my silkie was sitting she sat two weeks then stopped so I had to use a btor anyways so no thanks not gonna bother with that.

 

[OzarkNana]

Yes its okay the see each other.

Why? She keeps the new-hatched under/with her. If they are out and about they are searching for food and go back under mama to warm up.


A pen is fine, but make sure the holes in the mash/hwc are tiny. If the mash is wide make a layer with fine hwc at the bottom (1ft high) Chicks are all fluff and have tiny bodies. You don’t want the hen in the pen and the chicks out.

If you see the picture I posted, the nest is a few inches off the ground - I worry that the little ones could fall out out not be able to get back in.
I do have some mesh to put around the pen, thanks for bringing that to my attention!

 

[OzarkNana]

Not that it matters too much, but I do not see a Polish in that picture. I see what (appears to be) a naked neck, and a silkie.

While I’m generally not one to make blanket statements based on breed alone, it seems like you have a pretty stereotypical silkie on your hands. Fantastic broody and mother, terrible at setting boundaries with her group members. Thankfully, silkies are said to not break easily. Based on her general behaviour, it would not be a bad guess to say that yours will be the same in that regard

Oh my goodness... my bad... It's my SILKIE that's broody! Not sure why I kept calling her Polish... ugh. Lack of caffeine?

 

[BDutch]

If you see the picture I posted, the nest is a few inches off the ground - I worry that the little ones could fall out out not be able to get back in.
I do have some mesh to put around the pen, thanks for bringing that to my attention!

Just add a wide plank for the chicks to get in the nest again. Use some construction material to attach it.
Make the surface rough or glue some rough material like a pice of carpet/anti-slip on it.

I had chicks in a tiny coop with nest-boxes about 2ft from the floor. Just make sure you are around when the sun goes down and mama return to the nest.
She clucks to the chicks to follow.