Natural hatching question

[darin367]

I have 5 hens and a roo, mixed breeds. I have a lighted coop with 3 nesting boxes. I get between 2-5 eggs per day. I want to let a hen hatch out a batch of eggs. My question is do I let them hatch them out in the coop or do I need to seperate 1 hen and a batch of eggs. My plan was to let them hatch out in the coop and move 1 hen and chicks to a seperate cage after hatching... Thanks for the input...

 

[Judy]

Personal choice. I think I'm on my 5th broody who is setting in the coop with the flock and will raise her chicks with the flock. The last one I put in my nice broody pen in the coop, maybe 5'x5', and in about 3 days I found the chicks out in the coop and mama going nuts to get to them. No hens were bothering them except a bit of chasing. So I let mama out since things were going well. I would have to reinforce the broody coop to use it, obviously, but may not bother.

All about broodies:

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

 

[cedar post]

I usually put the broody away from other hens so the hens don't lay any extra eggs with the broody.

 

[soap&eggs]

each broody hen is different then the next..some will set really good on her nest & the next will play musical nest box...which ever box looks good at the moment is where she goes,leaving her eggs to go cold. if at all possible give her a darker corner hidden where others cant distrube her, is best to do this at night or else she will go back to where she originally was... if that isnt possible then at least mark her hatching eggs ..the other hens more then likey will lay their eggs in her nest..those you can collect daily as long as they dont have your mark on them. i ususally mark hatch due date on mine..that way if they are in past due date youll know they arent any good.

 

[soap&eggs]

each broody hen is different then the next..some will set really good on her nest & the next will play musical nest box...which ever box looks good at the moment is where she goes,leaving her eggs to go cold. if at all possible give her a darker corner hidden where others cant distrube her, is best to do this at night or else she will go back to where she originally was... if that isnt possible then at least mark her hatching eggs ..the other hens more then likey will lay their eggs in her nest..those you can collect daily as long as they dont have your mark on them. i ususally mark hatch due date on mine..that way if they are in past due date youll know they arent any good.

 

[pdsavage]

Remember one improtant thing you must first have a broody hen to hatch the eggs.
Also putting back a hen who had been seperated causes proublems with the pecking order as well.
I think if you mark eggs and keep the hen there it should be ok.
Also have places chicks can get away from the adult chickens.

 

[darin367]

None of my hens are broody. They all lay eggs in different boxes. Sometimes all my eggs will be in 1 box, sometimes in 2 different boxes. I can tell from size/color of eggs that different hens are laying in 1 box. Can I just let 1 box fill with eggs and see what hen decides to be mom.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Nope, sorry. You may never ever see one of yours go broody. You have to wait til the broodiness appears. Some breeds are more likely to go broody than others. One of mine was a mutt.

 

[pdsavage]

What breeds do you have?

 

[darin367]

americana mix with barred rock, rir, and black australorp