<sigh> does this sound like a humidity issue?

[RubyNala97]

I just started the incubator on Sunday the 21st - so I will know in a couple weeks .  HOPING to do better.  My broody should hatch hers next tuesday-ish.  She's been pretty good about keeping her nest up, so I'm hoping she does better than me.  I'm trying to figure out what to do with her as she is in the coop (general population) and I want to protect the chicks.  I'd hate to move her and have her abandon her nest.  Might just put a few chicken wire panels around her when it gets to be hatching time, then move her and the chicks together somewhere safer.

I am no expert and my flock is not even full grown yet. But my neighbor has a small farm and I go over everyday to watch his chickens. I've kept a close eye on all his broody hens. The 4th batch of spring just hatched this past weekend. After the hatch is finished, mama hen jumps down out of her nest box, the chicks follow and they follow her around, wherever she goes. None of the other chickens bother the chicks. I've never seen one problem with any of the mothers and their babies. Some of the other hens AND roosters will even take turns babysitting the new chicks or letting them warm up under them! Have you considered just letting mama introduce them in with the main flock?

 

[KaldakurFarm]

I am no expert and my flock is not even full grown yet. But my neighbor has a small farm and I go over everyday to watch his chickens. I've kept a close eye on all his broody hens. The 4th batch of spring just hatched this past weekend. After the hatch is finished, mama hen jumps down out of her nest box, the chicks follow and they follow her around, wherever she goes. None of the other chickens bother the chicks. I've never seen one problem with any of the mothers and their babies. Some of the other hens AND roosters will even take turns babysitting the new chicks or letting them warm up under them! Have you considered just letting mama introduce them in with the main flock?

I have considered this Ruby . Today my 5 week old chicks escaped the stall and the adult chickens came to visit them. No bloodshed, no problems, just curiosity. I worry too much sometimes... I'm thinking they might just be fine with her. Nobody's bothered her on her nest and she is protective of her nest. You read all the horror stories on the internet and there you are . Thanks for the suggestion!!!

 

[RubyNala97]

I have considered this Ruby .  Today my 5 week old chicks escaped the stall and the adult chickens came to visit them.  No bloodshed, no problems, just curiosity.  I worry too much sometimes... I'm thinking they might just be fine with her.  Nobody's bothered her on her nest and she is protective of her nest.  You read all the horror stories on the internet and there you are .  Thanks for the suggestion!!!

No problem! I'm just learning too. My mentor, (my neighbor with the chickens next door) is really old school. And very hands off. I don't agree with everything he does. But I've learned to stand back and watch and let the chickens take the lead. If intervention is necessary then I'll step in. But it's interesting to see how, for the most part, the chickens live in harmony with one another. Watch, when my flock is old enough, they'll run amok!

 

[KaldakurFarm]

No problem! I'm just learning too. My mentor, (my neighbor with the chickens next door) is really old school. And very hands off. I don't agree with everything he does. But I've learned to stand back and watch and let the chickens take the lead. If intervention is necessary then I'll step in. But it's interesting to see how, for the most part, the chickens live in harmony with one another. Watch, when my flock is old enough, they'll run amok!

I've had chickens for years, but am fairly new to this breed - and they are different! I've had bad experiences with other broody hens killing chicks a long time ago - so I am/was a bit gun shy. I had a leghorn hatch some chicks in December (huh??? I know!!!) on top of my stacked hay, 9' in the air in the barn. Another hen got up there and killed a couple chicks (she had like 14 chicks if I remember correctly). There was no way for her to get the chicks down to the ground as she had flown up there, so I moved her and all the chicks, and the next day I came out and she had killed every single one of them.

These chickens however, seem to be really... kind ? I am new to hatching in the incubator and have learned it all the hard way it seems. I think hands off in general is a decent policy. I'm all for doing what I can to save an animal, but I have found with hatching that every time I do intervene, it ends up just prolonging the inevitable. Live and learn!!!

 

[KaldakurFarm]

Update: So this hatch I did have better luck. I ran the first 18 days between 30-35% humidity and at lockdown jumped it up to 60-65%. I did have trouble keeping it steady. I got 20 out of 27 eggs that made it to day 18 to hatch. They almost all seemed to hatch easier and were more active. The last two eggs to hatch did have the "goo" and one of the two had to get a bath (he was also stuck). Those two hatched on day 22. My husband opened the 7 DOA's said they were full term, but did not draw the yolk into the abdomen. I again had pips at day 19 and the hatch started on day 20. So I am going to say that for me, evening out the humidity did help my hatch. I'll work to fine tune it, but that was a definite improvement for me.

PS. The broody with the chicks is a great Mom. Those hen raised chicks are so much smarter than incubator chicks. They were hopping up into a nest box a foot off the ground when they were about a week old. Never had any issues with the other birds bothering them - phew!

 

[WVduckchick]

Update: So this hatch I did have better luck. I ran the first 18 days between 30-35% humidity and at lockdown jumped it up to 60-65%. I did have trouble keeping it steady. I got 20 out of 27 eggs that made it to day 18 to hatch. They almost all seemed to hatch easier and were more active. The last two eggs to hatch did have the "goo" and one of the two had to get a bath (he was also stuck). Those two hatched on day 22. My husband opened the 7 DOA's said they were full term, but did not draw the yolk into the abdomen. I again had pips at day 19 and the hatch started on day 20. So I am going to say that for me, evening out the humidity did help my hatch. I'll work to fine tune it, but that was a definite improvement for me.

PS. The broody with the chicks is a great Mom. Those hen raised chicks are so much smarter than incubator chicks. They were hopping up into a nest box a foot off the ground when they were about a week old. Never had any issues with the other birds bothering them - phew!

That's great! I love it when people update! Post some pics if you can. And congrats!