Natural breeding thread

[Perris]

This seems like the right thread to post about a mature (6 years old) and experienced broody (brooded in 2021 and 2023) incubating this time out in the garden 24/7, in a hidden nest. It might be useful for anyone dealing with such a scenario in the future.

I do not know when she started laying this clutch or sitting on them, but I realized I hadn't seen her about much recently on the 27 May; when I found the nest, on the 29th, there were 15 eggs in it, all hers. By 2 June they were reduced to 13; half a shell was visible, spotlessly clean inside, and there was no other trace of it, or the other missing egg, from a superficial look through the perennial plant in which the nest is hidden. I do not disturb her, but do seize the opportunity for a quick look while she is off eating etc. There are predators about and I do not want to draw their attention to the nest's existence.

Which brings us to now, and this morning we are down to 11 eggs; 2 have clearly been crushed, their shells not strong enough for the rigours they have faced over the last couple of days, and their contents are smeared over a number of other eggs in the clutch. The broody is a 'traditionally built' i.e. chunky brick welsummer, with big strong feet, and the contents must have spilled over her legs and brood patch too, but that was not apparent when she came for breakfast this morning. I grabbed a photo and did not intervene. We will see in due course what difference, if any, it makes.

 

[BDutch]

This seems like the right thread to post about a mature (6 years old) and experienced broody (brooded in 2021 and 2023) incubating this time out in the garden 24/7, in a hidden nest. It might be useful for anyone dealing with such a scenario in the future.

I do not know when she started laying this clutch or sitting on them, but I realized I hadn't seen her about much recently on the 27 May; when I found the nest, on the 29th, there were 15 eggs in it, all hers. By 2 June they were reduced to 13; half a shell was visible, spotlessly clean inside, and there was no other trace of it, or the other missing egg, from a superficial look through the perennial plant in which the nest is hidden. I do not disturb her, but do seize the opportunity for a quick look while she is off eating etc. There are predators about and I do not want to draw their attention to the nest's existence.

Which brings us to now, and this morning we are down to 11 eggs; 2 have clearly been crushed, their shells not strong enough for the rigours they have faced over the last couple of days, and their contents are smeared over a number of other eggs in the clutch. The broody is a 'traditionally built' i.e. chunky brick welsummer, with big strong feet, and the contents must have spilled over her legs and brood patch too, but that was not apparent when she came for breakfast this morning. I grabbed a photo and did not intervene. We will see in due course what difference, if any, it makes.

View attachment 4140524

I hope it will be a great experience in due time. And also interesting to add the whole story as an article (for the contest) about natural breeding in a wild spot.

 

[TexasBlues]

This is different from the way my hens raised their chicks. I observed my hens searching tiny worms for the chicks and clucking to them to give to the chicks whatever good food she found for them.

I'd like to see that. I thought that's what this hen was doing.

 

[Skyeknight]

Best of luck to her!

Why do you say that about your setup?

Thanks!

I say that cause there are multiple hazards. My (temporary) coop is in a corner of the sheep barn using old fencing. This includes old wooden barndoors and old fences with chicken wire. This chickenwire has gaps and is loose in a few places, so it's easy for chicks to get through and get trampled by sheep, bitten by curious lambs, get stuck or hurt themselves on the chickenwire. Then there are the places my chickens choose to roost which are between 1,6 to 2,1 meters off the ground. My silkie has also chosen an nesting place that does have a guardrail, but after a little plateau it's a 50 cm drop. Furthermore since the waether can be very rainy a lot of times the area directly underneath the chicken ramp will get muddy/filled with rainwater. Basically it's incredibly easy to get seperated from mom or left behind.

 

[BDutch]

I'd like to see that. I thought that's what this hen was doing.

I have to search in my videos from the times I had chicks. If I find a good one I could upload it to YouTube and share it.

 

[BDutch]

I have to search in my videos from the times I had chicks. If I find a good one I could upload it to YouTube and share it.

The video is not what I meant to show. This is when the chicks where just a few days old and still inside the small coop, where they had nothing to scratch for.

Only wet chick feed and water in a bowl.
A few days later they all went downstairs where the mothers scratch and let the chicks eat the tiny worms.

 

[Skyeknight]

Thanks!

I say that cause there are multiple hazards. My (temporary) coop is in a corner of the sheep barn using old fencing. This includes old wooden barndoors and old fences with chicken wire. This chickenwire has gaps and is loose in a few places, so it's easy for chicks to get through and get trampled by sheep, bitten by curious lambs, get stuck or hurt themselves on the chickenwire. Then there are the places my chickens choose to roost which are between 1,6 to 2,1 meters off the ground. My silkie has also chosen an nesting place that does have a guardrail, but after a little plateau it's a 50 cm drop. Furthermore since the waether can be very rainy a lot of times the area directly underneath the chicken ramp will get muddy/filled with rainwater. Basically it's incredibly easy to get seperated from mom or left behind.

It's all so spontanious so don't really have time to think things through. I can't let her stay with the flock with chicks, but I can still let her interact with them. I have a repurposed intermediate bulk container meant for water, which I use for introducing new birds or just extra shelter in the run. At the moment I have 3 month old pullets in there so they can communicate with and get to know the rest of my flock. It's has a opening on one side big enough for a sheep to go in, I have wire in front it so my older chickens can't bully my pullets. I also use the "bottlecap" on top as to let heta escape if the weather is very hot. I can put her in there with the chicks, and then the chicks stay safe and all of them can still interact with the rest of the flock. Thoughts?

 

[BDutch]

It's all so spontanious so don't really have time to think things through. I can't let her stay with the flock with chicks, but I can still let her interact with them. I have a repurposed intermediate bulk container meant for water, which I use for introducing new birds or just extra shelter in the run. At the moment I have 3 month old pullets in there so they can communicate with and get to know the rest of my flock. It's has a opening on one side big enough for a sheep to go in, I have wire in front it so my older chickens can't bully my pullets. I also use the "bottlecap" on top as to let heta escape if the weather is very hot. I can put her in there with the chicks, and then the chicks stay safe and all of them can still interact with the rest of the flock. Thoughts?

Buy a (second hand) rabbit hutch or kids playhouse or a new prefab for chickens since there is no time to build one.
On marketplace they often offer (almost) free second hand hutches. Be careful to buy a second hand coop bc if red mites have lived in it, you buy yourself a huge problem.

 

[Perris]

Further to https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/natural-breeding-thread.1653246/post-28639361
The nest was predated last night; thankfully Janeka escaped, and was clucking quietly on the back door doormat this morning.

Five whole eggs were left amongst the debris, and an eggtopsy showed they were 11 days in (diamond egg tooth, down growing, eyelids etc.).

2 of the five were infertile/EEM and rotting (and their smell possibly attracted the predator); the other 3 were developing well. That's not a bad fertility ratio for a 6 year old hen, on a clutch that included eggs that were a month or more old - to lay 15 must have taken her at least 30 days, given her lay rate, so the oldest ones may have been fertile too originally, and suffered EEM from the repeated start-stop development over weeks while she built the clutch.

Hopefully she will get over her disappointment/ shock quickly. And nest in a coop, instead of a border, next time. And sit on a smaller, fresher, clutch of eggs. And hopefully the pullets and other hens observing her have learned it too.

 

[BDutch]

Further to https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/natural-breeding-thread.1653246/post-28639361
The nest was predated last night; thankfully Janeka escaped, and was clucking quietly on the back door doormat this morning. View attachment 4141295
Five whole eggs were left amongst the debris, and an eggtopsy showed they were 11 days in (diamond egg tooth, down growing, eyelids etc.).

2 of the five were infertile/EEM and rotting (and their smell possibly attracted the predator); the other 3 were developing well. That's not a bad fertility ratio for a 6 year old hen, on a clutch that included eggs that were a month or more old - to lay 15 must have taken her at least 30 days, given her lay rate, so the oldest ones may have been fertile too originally, and suffered EEM from the repeated start-stop development over weeks while she built the clutch.

Hopefully she will get over her disappointment/ shock quickly. And nest in a coop, instead of a border, next time. And sit on a smaller, fresher, clutch of eggs. And hopefully the pullets and other hens observing her have learned it too.

Sorry to hear there is no happy ending.
I wonder if chickens are so clever they really learn from it. Breeding is very hormone driven.
I wonder if you learned from it too? Suppose Janeka or another hen goes off to breed in the wild, what will you do?