Our First Broody and Incubator Hatch: a Diary

[Diannastarr]

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6 eggs went under Ruby late this afternoon. 3 CCLB X NN/ Breese and 3 NN X Breese from @BlueBaby that I picked up today. Hatch date should be late on August 3.

At roost she was still on the eggs in the nest box of her choice. Here we go.

WOW THOSE SHOULD BE MOST EXCELLENT CHICKS...!!! GOOD LUCK..!!! take picks for us all, I would love to see them..!!

 

[BlueBaby]

View attachment 1467717

6 eggs went under Ruby late this afternoon. 3 CCLB X NN/ Breese and 3 NN X Breese from @BlueBaby that I picked up today. Hatch date should be late on August 3.

At roost she was still on the eggs in the nest box of her choice. Here we go.

I got to thinking. I believe that they should be due to hatch late afternoon on August 2nd, not the 3rd. It takes 20 days, not 21. Just didn't want you to be shocked when they hatch on the 2nd instead of the 3rd.

 

[igorsMistress]

Oopsie, I did count wrong, guess that'll be a 3 day weekend, thanks @BlueBaby

 

[igorsMistress]

Ruby stayed in the same box with her eggs
Off to read about candling eggs so I know what to look for as we go along.

 

[meetthebubus]

Good job Ruby-kins!

 

[igorsMistress]

Ruby is in the box nearest the food bowl.

 

[Citychickengal]

How fun, following along!

I’d love one of my girls to go broody, but it’s probably good that they don’t, I don’t have room for any more chickens at the moment!

 

[Diannastarr]

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Ruby stayed in the same box with her eggs
Off to read about candling eggs so I know what to look for as we go along.

you did such a great job with your open area coop...!!!! & how sweet I love your ruby such a darling girl , one thing im always afraid about is this intense AZ heat , I make totally well ventilated laying & brooding boxes out of the large crates I make nest boxes out of them for well ventilated nest boxes & this same ventilated box can be made from hard ware cloth on top & walls & just an open wooden frame , so no walls at all for this dangerous AZ heat & especially not plastic nest box , ask bluebaby how fast a hen can go in the heat in a brood box here in AZ, im always afraid for my hens even when they are laying eggs, here in AZ, so I cooler cool my nest boxes & night coop area daily. all my birds love the cool place to nap & hang out.....lol....., but for the boys that live in large separate pens, I make them little ponds to play in every day , they stand right under the sprinkler , and want to get wet and stick their heads in the pond water to keep wet...lol... its like having kids who want to play under the sprinkler every day….lol....

 

[BlueBaby]

you did such a great job with your open area coop...!!!! & how sweet I love your ruby such a darling girl , one thing im always afraid about is this intense AZ heat , I make totally well ventilated laying & brooding boxes out of the large crates I make nest boxes out of them for well ventilated nest boxes & this same ventilated box can be made from hard ware cloth on top & walls & just an open wooden frame , so no walls at all for this dangerous AZ heat & especially not plastic nest box , ask bluebaby how fast a hen can go in the heat in a brood box here in AZ, im always afraid for my hens even when they are laying eggs, here in AZ, so I cooler cool my nest boxes & night coop area daily. all my birds love the cool place to nap & hang out.....lol....., but for the boys that live in large separate pens, I make them little ponds to play in every day , they stand right under the sprinkler , and want to get wet and stick their heads in the pond water to keep wet...lol... its like having kids who want to play under the sprinkler every day….lol....

Yes, I had a Splash Australorp hen that went broody last summer and died when we had those temps of 118 F. That splash Australorp hen that @igorsMistress seen out here the other day, is her daughter that I hatched out myself. She is the only Australorp hen that I still have here. I sold almost all of my B/B/S Australorp flock to a lady in Colorado, where it should be a little cooler for that flock.

 

[aart]

one thing im always afraid about is this intense AZ heat , I make totally well ventilated laying & brooding boxes out of the large crates I make nest boxes out of them for well ventilated nest boxes & this same ventilated box can be made from hard ware cloth on top & walls & just an open wooden frame , so no walls at all for this dangerous AZ heat & especially not plastic nest box ,

My thoughts exactly.