Our First Broody and Incubator Hatch: a Diary

[igorsMistress]

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!

Do we ever really have "room"?

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....

My thoughts exactly.

And mine. As I said, in my very first post in this thread, I've tried everything I can to break her but she insists. The second there's an egg she's on it and not budging. We've been doing this for a month and it's not getting cooler. If she's going to sit then we'll make it something she can actually get accomplished so she'll get out of there.

Incidentally, it's typically a few degrees cooler in the coop than outside and the box she's in gets a good amount of air movement.

 

[BlueBaby]

It is what it is, everyone should just be wishing her luck on her hatch!

 

[meetthebubus]

Do we ever really have "room"?





And mine. As I said, in my very first post in this thread, I've tried everything I can to break her but she insists. The second there's an egg she's on it and not budging. We've been doing this for a month and it's not getting cooler. If she's going to sit then we'll make it something she can actually get accomplished so she'll get out of there.

Incidentally, it's typically a few degrees cooler in the coop than outside and the box she's in gets a good amount of air movement.

You'll keep an eye on her, dont worry too much!
it's true the sooner she has hatched the sooner she'll be done with it
Is she coming out for her break?

Good luck Ruby you got this

 

[igorsMistress]

She's usually out a couple times a day. I don't always see her out though.

 

[igorsMistress]

Hadn't seen her out but finally caught Ruby eating this morning. She's back in the nest now.

 

[BlueBaby]

View attachment 1470260

Hadn't seen her out but finally caught Ruby eating this morning. She's back in the nest now.

That's good! If she stay's out too long, you might want to add some bars to her nesting box, but don't forget to give her 3 hot's and a cot every day!

 

[Diannastarr]

That's good! If she stay's out too long, you might want to add some bars to her nesting box, but don't forget to give her 3 hot's and a cot every day!

I always feed my broodies right in the nest box, or very close by, but take food and water away at night , so they can exit in the early mornings I have large nest boxes so I put their food and unspellable water container right in with them every morning , but no hot food, in AZ heat....lol.... so just the cot .lol... HA making sure my brood area is safe from heat & safety for the newly hatched chicks from falling out of the brood box or getting hurt or lost & wont be able to get back in with their mama hen to keep warm , im always trying to think of every little thing that could happen before it does. now I just need a good broody hen to take care of the rest.....lol...

View attachment 1470260

Hadn't seen her out but finally caught Ruby eating this morning. She's back in the nest now.

good luck RUBY...! YOU GO GIRL...????

 

[Diannastarr]

Do we ever really have "room"? thats the truth....lol...





And mine. As I said, in my very first post in this thread, I've tried everything I can to break her but she insists. The second there's an egg she's on it and not budging. We've been doing this for a month and it's not getting cooler. If she's going to sit then we'll make it something she can actually get accomplished so she'll get out of there.

Incidentally, it's typically a few degrees cooler in the coop than outside and the box she's in gets a good amount of air movement.[/QUOTE , I wish I had your broody , or at least she could teach my girls how to do it...!!and stay at it HA …..lol....

 

[igorsMistress]

The weather has been in the low 100's with lots of cloud cover. Our rain chances are decreasing so the temperature is going up, 112* in the 7 day forecast.
Currently exploring possible options to cool the nesting area in late afternoon.

 

[Onslow's Hens]

Wow, so glad I stumbled on this. I have a Black Australorp that went broody 3 weeks ago and nothing I did could break her. So, I went and got 8 fertilized eggs for her. Put them under her last Tuesday so she has been on them for 1 week. This is my first time with a broody and first time hatching so I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Eva is sitting in one of my 6 nest boxes. I put up a temporary fence around it with food and water and enough room for her to get out, walk a bit and poo. But, she is not doing that. I check on her constantly and she is not getting out, not drinking or eating and has only pooped once in a week. I tried taking her out and dipping her beak in the water to encourage her to at least drink. She won't. I tried putting a small water cup and some scratch in the nest in the corners so she could reach it but she ignores them completely. She growls and puffs up at me when I check on her, she moves around inside the nest but will not eat, drink or come out to poo. ???? Any advise? Leave her alone? Help. I don't want anything to happen to her. I am keeping the hen house ventilated so not worried about excessive heat. sorry to hijack but need some advise...