New to hatching...help!

[andysforrest]

Hello all,

I'm new to the hatching world. I have two black australorp hens who have started brooding. They've been sitting on eggs for about two weeks. For the most part, they've been constant, other than the short times that they get up and eat/stretch/etc. Being the newbie to hatching, we let the hens stay in the boxes where they were. So, I've got one hen who is about 3 feet high from the ground in a box and one hen who is 18 inches high from the ground. Our boxes are built with sliders to expand sideways and I can put a higher stop guard up on the front of the box. However, is the box too high from the ground? If so, what's the best way to move them???

One hen has 13 eggs and the other has 6 eggs. How long can they safely be of the eggs? We're located in Central IL, and the weather has been early spring, lows in the 20's and highs anywhere from 50-60. I'd appreciate any help/suggestions/ideas you can give me. We want this to be successful, but truly don't know what we're doing!

Thanks!
Andy

 

[brahmabreeder]

I would definetly move them somewhere ground level. When you do move them do it at night. I have read that yo'ur suppose to keep broody hens separated because they will try to steal each others eggs if you don't.

 

[WVstruttin]

I just had a hen hatch 12 eggs in her nest box. Mine too are about 3 feet off floor. After all had hatched , I moved her and babies to floor and they are doing great.

 

[andysforrest]

When you moved the babies after hatching, how difficult was it? Did you put them in a box on the ground?