Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

Just fill the box with more dry savings or straw or what ever your using at the moment.

Can you make a little ramp? I have done that with a piece of scrap wood and put little strips of wood across for traction. easiest would be to just cut down the front so the have a clear walkway in and out.. That way you will rest better and not worry if they fell out and can't get back in.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Can you make a little ramp? I have done that with a piece of scrap wood and put little strips of wood across for traction. easiest would be to just cut down the front so the have a clear walkway in and out.. That way you will rest better and not worry if they fell out and can't get back in. 

cutting it down leaves the problem of keeping shavings inside the box, if that's what you are using.

 

[bobbieschicks]

[sorry duplicate post

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

This winter I will be doing some culling of my older birds and the young roos.
When my broody goes broody again, in spring, I will be ordering some heritage Black Australorp eggs from the Urch's. I am very excited for some true blood in my flock. Eventually, I hope to replace all my birds with their stock.
This spring, I am going to move the flock into a larger building on the property (an old garage) from their tiny coop (an old child's playhouse). I will have 3-4 times the room, and am so excited for the change.
My latest brood is only 17 weeks old, but I long for more peeps, already! It is such an addiction!
So enjoying everyone's winter brood pics! Helps stave off the jones for more of my own!!!

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Can you make a little ramp? I have done that with a piece of scrap wood and put little strips of wood across for traction. easiest would be to just cut down the front so the have a clear walkway in and out.. That way you will rest better and not worry if they fell out and can't get back in.

Yeah that's a good idea, very affective.

 

[Rich386]

I have a hen that is ready to sit but I am concerned about the cold weather. I am in north FL and we do get into the 30. Any suggestions as to when to let her hatch out a clutch. I have never done this so I have a million questions. I have 32 hens will they attack the chicks? How many eggs do I let her sit? This post should be in the HELP WANTED SECTION!! LOL
Thanks Rich

 

[bobbieschicks]

I have a hen that is ready to sit but I am concerned about the cold weather. I am in north FL and we do get into the 30. Any suggestions as to when to let her hatch out a clutch. I have never done this so I have a million questions. I have 32 hens will they attack the chicks? How many eggs do I let her sit? This post should be in the HELP WANTED SECTION!! LOL
Thanks Rich

As long as she's in a shelter with some sort of shavings or such to sit on, she should be fine to hatch now. Keep the number of eggs low enough that she can handle them under her when they are chicks at 5 weeks old. If she's a LF you cold try 6 LF eggs to see how she does. If she's a bantam I'd give her either 3 LF or 5 bantam to hatch. If she's a first time broody I am always concerned how they will handle protecting the chicks and mothering them. But usually I don't need to worry.

I've tried several methods: separated the broody, kept her with the flock but wired off, and the last time I just left her alone to hatch in the nest box. She did fine. I never needed to even make a ramp for the babies. Once they hatched she took them out of the nest to the floor of the coop and started teaching them to forage right away.

Congrats on the broody! Can't wait to see pics of the fuzzybutts in the new year.

 

[Rich386]

Thanks Bob
This is a hen that lay green eggs and is a pretty good size so I am thinking she could handle 6. What I was planing to do was pick the largest eggs and let her have them. My thinking was that they will produce better hens. Should I mark the eggs that she is going to set or will the other hens stay out of her nest?
I seem to have a lot more questions than answers after all I am a first time father.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Thanks Bob
 This is a  hen that lay green eggs and is a pretty good size so I am thinking she could handle 6. What I was planing to do was pick the largest eggs and let her have them. My thinking was that they will produce better hens. Should I mark the eggs that she is going to set or will the other hens stay out of her nest?
I seem to have a lot more questions than answers after all I am a first time father.

Unless her eggs are easily distinguished from the others I would mark them. I use a felt tip, but a pencil will do as well. I had just one green layer at the time of my 1st broody, so her eggs were easily to tell. The others will get into the box with her or without her in it. Sometimes they break the eggs. That is one reason why people separate their broodies.

 

[Leahs Mom]

This winter I will be doing some culling of my older birds and the young roos.
When my broody goes broody again, in spring, I will be ordering some heritage Black Australorp eggs from the Urch's. I am very excited for some true blood in my flock. Eventually, I hope to replace all my birds with their stock.

I'll be looking forward to hearing how those BAs turn out for you. When I'm ready for new birds that's where I was thinking of getting mine. I'd like to see how your eggs do after shipping and whatnot.