***OKIES in the BYC III ***

Has anyone ever let a broody hen hatch and raise babies in the winter. I have a broody, and was thinking of letting her hatch and raise some babies, she has hatched and raised babies before and is an awesome mom. It just scares me they may not make it in the colder weather. Thanks
 
It can be done but also can be heart breaking! Just know the hen will need some protect tion from the winter elements for several months with the chicks. And the chicks will need protection till spring. If they free range a sudden weather change can be deadly. An option is to take the chicks away from hen and brood them inside. Again be prepared for doing it a few months. Good luck.
 
It can be done but also can be heart breaking! Just know the hen will need some protect tion from the winter elements for several months with the chicks. And the chicks will need protection till spring. If they free range a sudden weather change can be deadly. An option is to take the chicks away from hen and brood them inside. Again be prepared for doing it a few months. Good luck.

Thanks for the response. I will wait until spring, don't want to take a chance of loosing babies.
 
I am moving and not able to keep/raise chickens so I am looking to sell my Brinsea Octagon 20 if anyone is interested.

This one was only used one time to hatch some silkies and I had a 90% hatch rate (from my eggs). It is in excellent condition and holds humidity and temp great. It has no dents, cracks, or scratches.

Whoever buys the incubator will also get a free digital thermometer/hygrometer (with batteries) to keep track of the temperature and humidity inside the incubator.
I will also throw in a digital kitchen scale (with batteries) that I used to weigh my silkies, as well as some leg bands for chicks and another packet of leg bands for bantam sized chickens and some zip ties that I like to use to band my adult silkies.

I'm asking for $150 for the incubator and all the other things I mentioned is included.










I'm located in Holdenville, Oklahoma 74848.

Thanks
 
I got back from Michigan and my house/chicken sitters informed me that the young birds have learned to escape the yard. Turns out they are good flyers and can make it over, or at least to the top of, the 5' fence surrounding the chicken yard. Long story short wings are clipped and we haven't had an escapee since. Luckily, I only lost one in the week I was out of town. Apparently they were just as good at flying in as they were flying out. My parents were watching the house and animals and I let them know they were under no obligation to chase chickens back into the yard.

I've got two of the young roosters in the isolation pen and will caponize tomorrow. Counting them, I have a total of 7 roosters and need to get that down to 3 for my and the neighbors happiness. I keep going back and forth on the other 2 that will either be caponized or freezerized. My remaining 5 are

the White Wyandotte


the Speckled Sussex


The Silver Pencilled Rock


The Partridge Rock


and the Blue Cochin


My two favorites are the WW and the SS. The PR looks a little rough now but I think he'll grow into a nice rooster. I'm leaning towards sending the SPR to the freezer and caponizing the Blue Cochin. If anything happens to the Cochin I'll never hear the end of it and for that reason alone he may remain intact. I jinxed myself with my last post as he now crows, but only in the morning, and is making his move on the ladies. If I keep him intact I'll caponize the PR. The young ones are getting amorous and the hens are getting harassed a little too much. The Freezer is getting full so I may attempt to caponize the SPR but he would be the largest bird I've worked on. Come to think of it I may caponize him to build up my confidence with the Cochin.
 
I got back from Michigan and my house/chicken sitters informed me that the young birds have learned to escape the yard. Turns out they are good flyers and can make it over, or at least to the top of, the 5' fence surrounding the chicken yard. Long story short wings are clipped and we haven't had an escapee since. Luckily, I only lost one in the week I was out of town. Apparently they were just as good at flying in as they were flying out. My parents were watching the house and animals and I let them know they were under no obligation to chase chickens back into the yard.

I've got two of the young roosters in the isolation pen and will caponize tomorrow. Counting them, I have a total of 7 roosters and need to get that down to 3 for my and the neighbors happiness. I keep going back and forth on the other 2 that will either be caponized or freezerized. My remaining 5 are

the White Wyandotte


the Speckled Sussex


The Silver Pencilled Rock


The Partridge Rock


and the Blue Cochin


My two favorites are the WW and the SS. The PR looks a little rough now but I think he'll grow into a nice rooster. I'm leaning towards sending the SPR to the freezer and caponizing the Blue Cochin. If anything happens to the Cochin I'll never hear the end of it and for that reason alone he may remain intact. I jinxed myself with my last post as he now crows, but only in the morning, and is making his move on the ladies. If I keep him intact I'll caponize the PR. The young ones are getting amorous and the hens are getting harassed a little too much. The Freezer is getting full so I may attempt to caponize the SPR but he would be the largest bird I've worked on. Come to think of it I may caponize him to build up my confidence with the Cochin.
That Cochin is absolutely beautiful!! I've been wanting one for my ladies (I've got a Buff Brahma and would love to see their babies). Glad to know that you got their wings clipped though before any made a forever run to the hills. Was it easy for you to clip them all?
 
I got back from Michigan and my house/chicken sitters informed me that the young birds have learned to escape the yard. Turns out they are good flyers and can make it over, or at least to the top of, the 5' fence surrounding the chicken yard. Long story short wings are clipped and we haven't had an escapee since. Luckily, I only lost one in the week I was out of town. Apparently they were just as good at flying in as they were flying out. My parents were watching the house and animals and I let them know they were under no obligation to chase chickens back into the yard.

I've got two of the young roosters in the isolation pen and will caponize tomorrow. Counting them, I have a total of 7 roosters and need to get that down to 3 for my and the neighbors happiness. I keep going back and forth on the other 2 that will either be caponized or freezerized. My remaining 5 are

the White Wyandotte


the Speckled Sussex


The Silver Pencilled Rock


The Partridge Rock


and the Blue Cochin


My two favorites are the WW and the SS. The PR looks a little rough now but I think he'll grow into a nice rooster. I'm leaning towards sending the SPR to the freezer and caponizing the Blue Cochin. If anything happens to the Cochin I'll never hear the end of it and for that reason alone he may remain intact. I jinxed myself with my last post as he now crows, but only in the morning, and is making his move on the ladies. If I keep him intact I'll caponize the PR. The young ones are getting amorous and the hens are getting harassed a little too much. The Freezer is getting full so I may attempt to caponize the SPR but he would be the largest bird I've worked on. Come to think of it I may caponize him to build up my confidence with the Cochin.

Those boys seem to be on the older side for caponizing. I would be prepared to lose them.
 
Those boys seem to be on the older side for caponizing. I would be prepared to lose them.

The young ones are 16 weeks, about a month later than I would usually work on them. I've been procrastinating because I have been indecisive about which ones to keep intact. I did two of the younger ones this morning with no complications during the procedure so hopefully everything will work out. I've never caponized an adult bird before but no one wants the Cochin to go to the freezer and I don't want to keep him as a rooster so I think I'll do a practice run with the SPR and if all goes well I'll attempt the Cochin.

I'm keeping the Wyandotte, Sussex, and Partridge Rock intact.
 
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