Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

In the words of my kids - the white tubs were an Epic Fail!

Here's what I found a few minutes ago. In case it's not clear - there are two pullets in that box!


So I moved Smokey over with her eggs to the middle box.


I'm just not going to worry about it - and since it's started storming I'll just have to take care of it on Saturday or Sunday depending on weather.

I'll go back to the tried and true wired off area w/landscape fabric down the middle and the outside door close with the window open. I don't think the move failed as much as I think the new location wasn't private enough for the girls to feel safe.
So we'll try it again this weekend.

Hoping the eggs will actually hatch - with the heat and shipping I'm not that confident. Topsy has been broody now for 12 days and Smokey has been broody 4 days. The eggs are due to hatch on August 10th.

 

[stonykill]

the blue mama in the Sumatra coop has a bunch of little ones. 6 or 7 maybe, not too sure. She isn't letting me see much. Hopefully that all goes well. 1st time mama that I incubated with 2 other broody's in the coop. So far she is VERY protective. I'll keep a watch on them.

 

[Aris]

Well then it seems that I have to watch more carefully the diet of my flock

stonykill , thin egg shell is something new to my flock ,just the last 2 months problem so in my case it can't be genetics.
Anyway thanks for the help I'll try to fix it through rich in calcium foods .

 

[miss blue]

here is a photo of mum and babies they are doing very well

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Ahhhhhhh! Love the cuteness infusion. Thanks!

 

[bobbieschicks]

So cute!

here is a photo of mum and babies they are doing very well

 

[lcw1995]

I've got a partridge cochin bantam sitting oon 13 eggs(yes she can cover them all)
She's been settiing since the 16th
She's raised many chicks before so she is a good mama for sure
Well see what happens

 

[Johnn]

I saw a rat today!!, i hate them so much!, im so scared of them. I need to go get some rat poison, I pray Melow and the orp will be good mothers and protect the chicks from rats. I think the orp is starting to molt shes dropping loads of feathers, bad time to do it when she has a chick to keep warm!

 

[Wynette]

OH my word - I haven't been getting e-mail notifications on threads I'm subscribed to, so I thought there was no activity on this thread for a few days - got to thinking, THAT can't be right, so I came back online & searched for the thread. HOLY COW have I missed a lot! Love all the pics!!

Johnn - please be careful with rat poison; the critter dies, but later can be eaten by a larger predator or even a barn cat, and then THEY will die. Also, if you range your chooks, they can also get into the poison. Just be careful - not trying to tell you what to do!

 

[perchie.girl]

Well then it seems that I have to watch more carefully the diet of my flock

stonykill , thin egg shell is something new to my flock ,just the last 2 months problem so in my case it can't be genetics.
Anyway thanks for the help I'll try to fix it through rich in calcium foods .

You can grind up eggshells till they arent recognizeable and feed them back to your hens, Provide oyster shell if you can.

deb