Putting eggs or chicks under broody

[Mrs. Mucket]

I'll do that then, move them after the hatch, put down some padding and also put up a little barrier at the edge of the nest box. Thanks for all your tips.

I'm trying to figure out your little signature symbols. God is Good I can read and totally agree with!! One of my daughters goes by GIGATT online (God Is Good All The Time). To read your typographical symbols should I stand on my head? LOL!

 

[mmaddie's mom]

GIG,ATT...ATT,GIG !

The symbols are my attempt at a drawing... it's a chicken sitting on a nest... to the left is the nest and egg and to the right is the chicken. Just tip your head to the right. lol... I tried )

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

Oh I see the hen and nest! How cute

 

[mmaddie's mom]

I'll be watching for what happens with Piggy and this hatch. )

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

Yesterday I noticed one of Piggy's roomies getting in her face in the nest box. So I went ahead and put the large dog crate in the coop and made a nice nest. Last night I took Piggy's infertile eggs (she had four instead of two--no wonder I was short two eggs yesterday!) and put them in the dog crate, then put her in. She seemed settled. I left the crate door open so she could go in and out. This morning she was back in the nest box, sitting on nothing and guarding her nothing with her life and her chipmunk-like chatter/growls. I don't know if she went outside and then forgot where her eggs were, or she just prefers the nest box or being up high.

So now--I could try again tonight, but I'd rather not close her in the crate yet since hatch day is still about 10 days off. She might go back to the nest box again.

Or I could wait till hatching time and put her back in the dog crate either with incubator eggs or with new incubator chicks. I'd feel OK closing her in the dog crate a few days early--she is a tiny banty and the crate is for a 100# dog. It will make a nice brooder for her and her chicks.

Incubator day 18 is next Sunday, day 21 is a week from Wednesday. WWYD?

 

[mmaddie's mom]

I close my girl in w/food and water or they will go back to their first nest... since they don't get up much anyway, they never seemed to mind being closed in. I would try again tonight and close her in. I think if they go out to do their business, they kinda forget and go back to the default nest.

Sorry I'm the only one answering... hopefully you will get some other opinions and can make a good decision that feels right for Piggy and you.

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

MM--I'm glad to have your advice! Piggy is still in the nest box, I have to find the door for the dog crate!!

Now here's another question...I plan to give Piggy half of the incubator eggs on day 18, and the other chicks after they hatch. There are 13 eggs now. I also will be getting four chicks from the feed store that I hope to raise with them. Could I give Piggy the hatchery chicks too, or will they be too old to mix with the newborns? Or could I introduce them later so they grow up with the incubator babies?

 

[mmaddie's mom]

This is one thing I have never done.

How much age difference? How good a mom will Piggy be? How big is Piggy and how many can she cover without someone being left out? If there is a big difference in size the littler ones might get pushed out. Don't know the answer? If she can handle the amount and she is a good mom and if they are similar in size, it might work... other wise I think I would add them to the incubator babies and introduce them when all are bigger and Piggy is letting hers go on their own. Good Luck! and let me know what you decide and how everyone does.

(Sorry... the computer was down for a couple of days.)

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Just re-read you last post... that is a lot of babies for Piggy to keep track of.... I'd only give her all if she is a really good mom.

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

Oh man I must have had a senior confusion moment when I wrote that. I'm getting the hatchery chicks at the end of end of April for a regular brooder (non-hen) batch of 40-some chicks. Also there are 12 not 13 eggs in the incubator right now.

So anyway for THIS hatch...I guess 12 babies might be too much for Piggy. She is tiny and I forgot mama has to keep growing babies under her for a while too. I was only thinking of her covering 6 eggs comfortably. She is sitting on eight right now--she keeps stealing the ones her sisters lay and I haven't kept up on the marking.

So I will probably still give her some Day 18 eggs but brood the rest of them myself. But first I have to find my brain.

Thanks for all your help! I will keep you posted.