Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[kimmerjo]

Thanks. I wasn't sure if they did or not. she has chicks due sometime this week .

 

[Searsmom]

Here's a photo of my current Marans with momma Silkie.

Lady of McCamley


The 3 BCM's, current project

I'm curious. I will be picking up day old BCMs next week and if they're that easy to sex, I don't want to come home with 3 roosters. How do you tell which is which?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I'm curious. I will be picking up day old BCMs next week and if they're that easy to sex, I don't want to come home with 3 roosters. How do you tell which is which?

I didn't sex them at a day old...but knew by 2 weeks.

However, I do remember the roo had a larger comb almost from the get go...so I would choose those chicks with the smallest, flattest comb.

Won't guarantee, but should definitely help.

And don't chose the most outgoing bird, likely a roo, nor the most fearful and hesitant, could be sick and lethargic.

Good luck!
Lady of McCamley

 

[Searsmom]

I didn't sex them at a day old...but knew by 2 weeks.

However, I do remember the roo had a larger comb almost from the get go...so I would choose those chicks with the smallest, flattest comb.

Won't guarantee, but should definitely help.

And don't chose the most outgoing bird, likely a roo, nor the most fearful and hesitant, could be sick and lethargic.

Good luck!
Lady of McCamley

Thank you! That is greatly helpful!

 

[purplesquirrel]

Question:

I have new chicks due to hatch in 2 weeks, but at the moment I have 2 x 1 month old chicks in my brooder.
I have one brooder and one bulb, will my chicks be old enough at 6 weeks to go outside?
I don't want to put the newbies in with them as they may pick on them.

Average temp outside in day time is 12 degrees C. I've been putting the two chicks outside in a small run on the grass on sunny days, and bringing them in under their lamp at night.
Sometimes in the morning there is frost on the grass.

Is this too cold?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Question:

I have new chicks due to hatch in 2 weeks, but at the moment I have 2 x 1 month old chicks in my brooder.
I have one brooder and one bulb, will my chicks be old enough at 6 weeks to go outside?
I don't want to put the newbies in with them as they may pick on them.

Average temp outside in day time is 12 degrees C. I've been putting the two chicks outside in a small run on the grass on sunny days, and bringing them in under their lamp at night.
Sometimes in the morning there is frost on the grass.

Is this too cold?

Poultry literature states 8 weeks is a good age to integrate them outside, but 6 weeks can work as long as they are fully feathered AND you have been slowly acclimating them to the outdoor temperatures (which you have been doing) AND they have a warm coop out of the weather AND the weather doesn't turn and stay frigid quickly. (I ran a conversion for your celsius and see that 12 degrees C is my 53 degrees F....which is fine...my broody hatched babies have been running around with mom in the weather since the upper 20's and 30's....but broody hatched chicks acclimate to the weather from hatch and have mum to catch warm ups with.)

So I would use this next 2 weeks to finish off acclimating them...raising the heat lamp so that they are evenutally without any heat. If you see they are not doing well at the end of the 2 weeks, then you'll know you have to go to Plan B.

Good luck.
Lady of McCamley

 

[purplesquirrel]

Poultry literature states 8 weeks is a good age to integrate them outside, but 6 weeks can work as long as they are fully feathered AND you have been slowly acclimating them to the outdoor temperatures (which you have been doing) AND they have a warm coop out of the weather AND the weather doesn't turn and stay frigid quickly. (I ran a conversion for your celsius and see that 12 degrees C is my 53 degrees F....which is fine...my broody hatched babies have been running around with mom in the weather since the upper 20's and 30's....but broody hatched chicks acclimate to the weather from hatch and have mum to catch warm ups with.)

So I would use this next 2 weeks to finish off acclimating them...raising the heat lamp so that they are evenutally without any heat. If you see they are not doing well at the end of the 2 weeks, then you'll know you have to go to Plan B.

Good luck.
Lady of McCamley

awesome thank you. They're out in the sun today even though it's quite chilly...Maybe if I give them a hot water bottle at night in the coop they'll be alright. They are pretty much fully feathered, a bit from a few bits of fluff still on their heads attached the ends of feathers...if not, I'll just have to separate them for the first 24 from the new chicks hatching (to give the chicks time to get mobile and have their wits about them) and then bung em all in together and see if the older ones are ok with them. There's only 2 older ones, and there should be 8 newbies (

) I will watch them and if the older ones step out of line I'll give them a sharp squeeze on the back of their neck feathers, they learn pretty quick I'm not alright with bullying!
I won't leave them alone together if it's not going well, obviously.
I'll let you know how it goes x

 

[mommasgirls]

Thank you! That is greatly helpful!

 

[kimmerjo]

Waiting....any day now...I am so impatient Molly decided she wasn't going to be a mother today. She wouldn't sit on the 3 eggs so I put them back under Luna so they wouldn't get cold and die. I went out and checked on her all day she didn't return to the nest she was sleeping with the others on the roost. Hope they chicks make it...

 

[myby]

Waiting....any day now...I am so impatient Molly decided she wasn't going to be a mother today. She wouldn't sit on the 3 eggs so I put them back under Luna so they wouldn't get cold and die. I went out and checked on her all day she didn't return to the nest she was sleeping with the others on the roost. Hope they chicks make it...

How long was Molly sitting on the eggs?