Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bumpercarr]

Oh, yeah, pics!!!

Good idea!!!

Okay, but just the inside....I've got some clean up to do outside. Roosts will go in tomorrow, just too tired tonight. And, ignore the tools

 

[TeaChick]

Okay, but just the inside....I've got some clean up to do outside. Roosts will go in tomorrow, just too tired tonight. And, ignore the tools

Very nice!!! I bet the chickens will really like it!!! =D
Don't worry about the tools. =)

 

[bumpercarr]

Oops...missed one and posted one twice.

 

[TeaChick]

Oops...missed one and posted one twice.

Still good.
Don't worry about it, Hon.

 

[bumpercarr]

Very nice!!! I bet the chickens will really like it!!! =D
Don't worry about the tools. =)

So far, just a lot of investigation from them. I'll have to be out there at bedtime to make sure that there aren't any squabbles.

 

[fisherlady]

Quote:
Looks like a great way to get max use out of the space, beautiful work and great figuring! Glad the hens are settling without too much fuss and the roosters will settle, change is always greeted with a lot of suspicion!

 

[bumpercarr]

Looks like a great way to get max use out of the space, beautiful work and great figuring! Glad the hens are settling without too much fuss and the roosters will settle, change is always greeted with a lot of suspicion!

When the sun started going down, both roosters got very nervous when they couldn't see their girls. Finally, the girls went into the coop (brahmas in the bottom, laying hens in the top) and the boys finally settled down. No serious ruckuses, but hopefully all of the adult/juvenile birds will eventually choose the upper condo so that I can use the lower one for the babies. We'll see, maybe need some modification.

 

[Yoyo with chick]

So when you have had a broody in a broody box for a long period of time can I let her out to free range or will she free range into the forest and not find her way back.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

So when you have had a broody in a broody box for a long period of time can I let her out to free range or will she free range into the forest and not find her way back.

If she is in the "broody trance" she won't budge from the box. If she hasn't settled, and is used to wandering, yeah, you might not see her for awhile. If she is laying and fertile, you might not see her until she leads some chicks back to the homestead.

Lady of McCamley

 

[MargaretYakoda]

Well, I guess we'll join in the fun.

This is Bonnie the Broody. She's a year old Orpington. She's been hogging the nest box for over a month, but didn't quite make the commitment to being a broody until I took her out of the rest of the coop last Sunday night and put her in with eight store bought hard boiled eggs. Monday morning she SCRREEEECHED when I opened her door! Puffed all her feathers up too! She stuck with it through the day so we took out the store bought eggs and tucked in all the eggs our other girls laid that day, plus a few from the day before. Eleven eggs. We'll candle them tomorrow night to see how things are progressing.