Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Lady of McCamley]

Right now we're at -2'F (Feels like -29 with wind chill.)
Tonight we'll drop to -10'F (less wind) and then we'll finally start to heat up. We should be back into the double digits by this weekend! Chicago winters are fun!

My flock is in an insulated coop (no heater) & has 2 attached runs. The tall run has home made clear vinyl sheeting windows but I didn't have time to make the run extension "look pretty." I simply stapled up some plastic sheeting. The sun helps heat the runs like a green house.


As you saw in my former post, my girls refuse to go out in the snow. I put a roost next to the "windows" so they can look outside & get warm in the sun.

My favorite feature (especially today) is my heated waterer. I put a submergible heater inside a 5 gal bucket with horizontal chicken nipples. Water stays liquid as well as clean. I also made a treadle feeder for similar reasons.

Very nice coops...love the idea of the sun perch.
Lady of McCamley

 

[vpatt]

Thank you!! It seemed to happen overnight.....my Dom was almost grown before I could tell for sure and then he had a growth spurt. I guess some breeds are different?

I have to keep repeating "chicken and dumplings" over and over to myself.

 

[lauraschicks]

Sorry to hear about your pullet.  If you ever have one become egg bound again, you can try giving her a 500 mg Calcium tablet.  I ground mine up and put it in scrambled eggs.  My hen was very sick,but passed a broken egg about 2 hours later.  It took her about a month to recover fully though.  I think I got really lucky since my hen is older and doesn't lay as well as she used to.   It sounds like your poor girl might have had an infection, too.    RIP little pullet

Yeah I think it was the infection that took her. She actually passed the egg yolk and membrane during the first bath I gave her, but I think a week of antibiotics just wasn't long enough.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Thank you!! It seemed to happen overnight.....my Dom was almost grown before I could tell for sure and then he had a growth spurt. I guess some breeds are different?

I have to keep repeating "chicken and dumplings" over and over to myself.

Yes...breeds indeed are different in how early you can tell the genders. Some are very easy to sex early, for example Marans typically broadcast very early...I knew at 2 weeks who the roo was.

On the other hand, Buff Orpingtons can keep you guessing for awhile, as can Cochins.

Then of course the ease of the sex link hybrids and auto-sexing breeds makes you wonder why you don't do just them.

And unfortunately, many can't keep any roo's, and even those who can usually don't need more than 1 or 2....so you begin to look at chicken recipes.

It is nice to have breeds where the roo's come to table nicely...especially earlier so you haven't paid for months of grain to get them there. I really liked that about the Rhodebars and Buckeyes. I'm looking for that "perfect" breed that produces good laying hens and good eating roo's that come to table before they begin crowing loudly....the Buckeyes and Rhodebars may be close.

Lady of McCamley

 

[vpatt]

Yes...breeds indeed are different in how early you can tell the genders. Some are very easy to sex early, for example Marans typically broadcast very early...I knew at 2 weeks who the roo was.

On the other hand, Buff Orpingtons can keep you guessing for awhile, as can Cochins.

Then of course the ease of the sex link hybrids and auto-sexing breeds makes you wonder why you don't do just them.

And unfortunately, many can't keep any roo's, and even those who can usually don't need more than 1 or 2....so you begin to look at chicken recipes.

It is nice to have breeds where the roo's come to table nicely...especially earlier so you haven't paid for months of grain to get them there. I really liked that about the Rhodebars and Buckeyes. I'm looking for that "perfect" breed that produces good laying hens and good eating roo's that come to table before they begin crowing loudly....the Buckeyes and Rhodebars may be close.

Lady of McCamley

Of course, there were signs the the Dom was a roo but I was inexperienced and he didn't act like a roo and I just was unsure.

 

[losttexan]

Yes...breeds indeed are different in how early you can tell the genders. Some are very easy to sex early, for example Marans typically broadcast very early...I knew at 2 weeks who the roo was.

On the other hand, Buff Orpingtons can keep you guessing for awhile, as can Cochins.

Then of course the ease of the sex link hybrids and auto-sexing breeds makes you wonder why you don't do just them.

And unfortunately, many can't keep any roo's, and even those who can usually don't need more than 1 or 2....so you begin to look at chicken recipes.

It is nice to have breeds where the roo's come to table nicely...especially earlier so you haven't paid for months of grain to get them there. I really liked that about the Rhodebars and Buckeyes. I'm looking for that "perfect" breed that produces good laying hens and good eating roo's that come to table before they begin crowing loudly....the Buckeyes and Rhodebars may be close.

Lady of McCamley

Everyone has their own opinion on a "perfect breed" but have you considered Bielefelders? Meaty carcasses, huge eggs, gentle dispositions, auto-sexing: what's not to like? I'm going to raise some this Spring and see.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Everyone has their own opinion on a "perfect breed" but have you considered Bielefelders? Meaty carcasses, huge eggs, gentle dispositions, auto-sexing: what's not to like? I'm going to raise some this Spring and see.

Impressive breed, and one I'll put in my breed file, but not something I find around in my neck of the woods, and so rare that I won't be finding the $$$ to be able to get it until it becomes more common. The cheapest I could find is $50 hatching eggs for 6 eggs BEFORE shipping. (Ouch).

For those interested, here is what Greenfire Farms has on them http://greenfirefarms.com/chicken/bielefelder/

It seems similar to the Rhodebar, which of the breeds I've been trying, comes the closest to maturing fairly early, providing good meat on the roosters, and the hens are laying well as 7 month pullets this first season.

Keep us posted as to how this flock does for you....and maybe if it goes well, breed some for us to buy

Lady of McCamley

 

[A6chickenhome]

Everyone has their own opinion on a "perfect breed" but have you considered Bielefelders?  Meaty carcasses, huge eggs, gentle dispositions, auto-sexing: what's not to like?  I'm going to raise some this Spring and see.

I'm planning on starting a small flock of those as welll, to see how it goes. Are you getting them from Greenfire?

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Impressive breed, and one I'll put in my breed file, but not something I find around in my neck of the woods, and so rare that I won't be finding the $$$ to be able to get it until it becomes more common. The cheapest I could find is $50 hatching eggs for 6 eggs BEFORE shipping. (Ouch).

For those interested, here is what Greenfire Farms has on them http://greenfirefarms.com/chicken/bielefelder/

It seems similar to the Rhodebar, which of the breeds I've been trying, comes the closest to maturing fairly early, providing good meat on the roosters, and the hens are laying well as 7 month pullets this first season.

Keep us posted as to how this flock does for you....and maybe if it goes well, breed some for us to buy

Lady of McCamley

Everyone has their own opinion on a "perfect breed" but have you considered Bielefelders?  Meaty carcasses, huge eggs, gentle dispositions, auto-sexing: what's not to like?  I'm going to raise some this Spring and see.

Never heard of them before, but they are beautiful. Definitely will be on my wish list for chickens in the future! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Faraday40]

Everyone has their own opinion on a "perfect breed" but have you considered Bielefelders? Meaty carcasses, huge eggs, gentle dispositions, auto-sexing: what's not to like? I'm going to raise some this Spring and see.

Bielefelders are on my wish list. Once more people start breeding them & they become more affordable, I hope to add one. I'm still in the "try it out" phase. I really enjoy the variety of my mixed flock & the rainbow eggs. The only downside is I can only breed Orpingtons & mutts.