QUESTIONS on incubating peahen eggs...

[Yoda]

Now all I need to do is build an anti-blackhead brooder and enclosure, no way I want a repeat of the last two years!

Anti blackhead brooder? Your birds cannot get blackhead inside a brooder. Just do not put them on the ground. You can brood the birds in a plastic tote, fishtank or wood box. I then use a large dog cage and build a wooden frame add some hardware cloth and place it in the bottom of the cage to keep them up so the poop goes through the wire. They can stay in that for a few months. You can also keep them in a shed just place pine shavings on the floor. I hope you do not have to go through what you went through last year, taking preventive steps will deffinately help you. Remember to worm them a few days after they hit the ground. Good luck with your hatching, be careful with brooder hens, some seem to quit before the egg hatches.

 

[Yoda]

I also raise silkies so always seem to have a broody hen. After a recommendation from a long-time pea raiser, last year I started my pea eggs under a broody hen the first week and then moved them to the incubator. I was having pretty good hatches before but this improved them even more.

Silkies are not the best to use because when they get off the nest to eat/drink they go to the first eggs they see and your pea egg is left getting cold. My silkies can't hatch their own eggs LOL Cochins are the better choice, my cochin hen get off the eggs and eats/drinks and right back onto her eggs not the other hens eggs.

 

[casportpony]

Anti blackhead brooder? Your birds cannot get blackhead inside a brooder. Just do not put them on the ground. You can brood the birds in a plastic tote, fishtank or wood box. I then use a large dog cage and build a wooden frame add some hardware cloth and place it in the bottom of the cage to keep them up so the poop goes through the wire. They can stay in that for a few months. You can also keep them in a shed just place pine shavings on the floor. I hope you do not have to go through what you went through last year, taking preventive steps will deffinately help you. Remember to worm them a few days after they hit the ground. Good luck with your hatching, be careful with brooder hens, some seem to quit before the egg hatches.

"Anti-blackhead brooder" was my poor attempt at humor, lol. I know all too well how birds can get it.

 

[Yoda]

Wishing you luck Casportpony this year. May all your birds be illness free!!!!!
Remember to start now what you want to do cause it is real tuff waiting til the last minute to do things

 

[kuntrygirl]

I didn't realize the temps were 100.5. I can't remember what I did last year.

Most people use 99.5.  We were getting big fat chicks that were wanting to quit.  So far it looks promising.

ok. I think I went with 99.5. I don't remember 110.5.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Anti blackhead brooder? Your birds cannot get blackhead inside a brooder. Just do not put them on the ground. You can brood the birds in a plastic tote, fishtank or wood box. I then use a large dog cage and build a wooden frame add some hardware cloth and place it in the bottom of the cage to keep them up so the poop goes through the wire. They can stay in that for a few months. You can also keep them in a shed just place pine shavings on the floor. I hope you do not have to go through what you went through last year, taking preventive steps will deffinately help you. Remember to worm them a few days after they hit the ground. Good luck with your hatching, be careful with brooder hens, some seem to quit before the egg hatches.

"Anti-blackhead brooder" was my poor attempt at humor, lol. I know all too well how birds can get it.

You know that I knew what you were talking about. I know you so well.

 

[casportpony]

You know that I knew what you were talking about. I know you so well.

Glad you could see that I was poking a little fun at myself.

 

[casportpony]

Wishing you luck Casportpony this year. May all your birds be illness free!!!!!
Remember to start now what you want to do cause it is real tuff waiting til the last minute to do things

Thanks, Yoda, may yours and everyone else's be as welll!

We already have something to put the small chicks in, it's in the living room, lol! Just need to figure out what to build that where to put it, 'cause Mike ain't gonna let me house the big ones in the house.

 

[kuntrygirl]

You know that I knew what you were talking about. I know you so well.

Glad you could see that I was poking a little fun at myself.

Yep. Gotta laugh to keep from crying.

 

[casportpony]

Yep. Gotta laugh to keep from crying.

Very true!

To keep this on topic, can anyone tell me why eggs set under a hen would hatch in 26 days? I've read that high incubator temps can cause early hatches in incubators, but I've never found any info on early hatches from broody hens. Just curious...