Simulated Natural Nest Incubation~Experiment #1 So it begins....

[AmericanMom]

AmericanMom stated "Momma was sitting 9 eggs when a jealous hen tried to take her nest resulting in 4 eggs being broken, I tossed some in the incubator figuring I would allow her to adopt them after they hatch....Momma is now secluded and happy."

When you say secluded, do you mean completely out of sight of the other chickens ( in a separate coop or pen) or just in a box or cage? Or do you just put her in a covered run inside the other chickens run, so she still sees all the other chickens?

If anybody else wants to chime in, Please do. How do you deal with a broody hen?

Bee, please forgive me, I'm not intending of hi-jacking your thread and I am also excited to see how this clutch turns out!

Good Morning!
I removed her completely from the coop, she is now in the rabbit enclosure about 150 feet away. She gets out once a day to do her business, I've done this before with no mishaps as when she hatches she is allowed to free range the chicks within sight of the main flock for a few weeks until I put her and babies back into the main coop.
Some folks allow there broody's to stay in the coop but enclosed so the other hens cannot bother her, this would have been my plan except I have week old chicks in the grow out pen next to the main coop and no way within the coop to make her and the eggs safe.

 

[fisherlady]

Will turn X3 per day now, thanks to Pete....such a dear! Whenever I picture Pete I can hear him talking like Crocodile Dundee and it always makes me smile. So...how is everyone's hatches going out there today? Mine? Those eggs are just layin' there.....not doing much....I keep staring at them but they just lay there. It's true..a watched incubator doesn't go any faster. Captain's Log Entry, March 28, in the year of our Lord, 2014: Day 2 of exile on Incubation Island. Today I turned the eggs. Looking forward to turning them later on. Ship's crew growing restless, must find food and fresh water before they decide to mutiny. Will log progress.

LOL! Well, we have one broody on day 13...we only get to see her eggs maybe once a day. But we do get to see her shuffle them frequently. And my DH and I just picked up a dozen hatching eggs from a good breeder to give to another hen who went broody a few days ago. Tis the season!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Will turn X3 per day now, thanks to Pete....such a dear! Whenever I picture Pete I can hear him talking like Crocodile Dundee and it always makes me smile.

So...how is everyone's hatches going out there today?

Mine? Those eggs are just layin' there.....not doing much....I keep staring at them but they just lay there. It's true..a watched incubator doesn't go any faster.

Captain's Log Entry, March 28, in the year of our Lord, 2014: Day 2 of exile on Incubation Island. Today I turned the eggs. Looking forward to turning them later on. Ship's crew growing restless, must find food and fresh water before they decide to mutiny. Will log progress.

Bee, you're too funny! That's a good idea though... "Captain Log Entry" LOL!

AmericanMom stated "Momma was sitting 9 eggs when a jealous hen tried to take her nest resulting in 4 eggs being broken, I tossed some in the incubator figuring I would allow her to adopt them after they hatch....Momma is now secluded and happy."

When you say secluded, do you mean completely out of sight of the other chickens ( in a separate coop or pen) or just in a box or cage? Or do you just put her in a covered run inside the other chickens run, so she still sees all the other chickens?

If anybody else wants to chime in, Please do. How do you deal with a broody hen?

Bee, please forgive me, I'm not intending of hi-jacking your thread and I am also excited to see how this clutch turns out!

I have always only separated them within the same coop so they could all still see each other. When the chicks are a couple of weeks old, and the mama is still fiercely protective of them, I'll let them out into the big kid's pen. Last year I waited too long and had to keep the chicks separate after mama was finished with them. This year I hope to be more on the ball and let them out sooner. Right now, I have a broody who is pretty high ranking in the flock. I toss her off the nest every day to be sure she gets a stretch and a bite to eat so she is still quite visible to the rest of them. When the chicks hatch, I'll have to move her to a floor nest and will try to keep her right in the thick of things like a flock in the wild would do. When I've had broodies disappear, they returned followed by chicks that couldn't have been more than a couple days old... so while they're getting some strength built up, I guess I will keep them separate and then open the gate.

 

[Beekissed]

AmericanMom stated "Momma was sitting 9 eggs when a jealous hen tried to take her nest resulting in 4 eggs being broken, I tossed some in the incubator figuring I would allow her to adopt them after they hatch....Momma is now secluded and happy."

When you say secluded, do you mean completely out of sight of the other chickens ( in a separate coop or pen) or just in a box or cage? Or do you just put her in a covered run inside the other chickens run, so she still sees all the other chickens?

If anybody else wants to chime in, Please do. How do you deal with a broody hen?

Bee, please forgive me, I'm not intending of hi-jacking your thread and I am also excited to see how this clutch turns out!

There are no such things as "hi-jacks"...just good conversation!

I love it! Keeps this thread from being so darn boring.

I have left broody hens separate but in the same coop and it never worked out well...bad hatch because the hen was often disturbed and wanting to eat at feeding times, etc.

I now isolate them into their own place where they can hear the others but don't have to watch all the activity going on around them while on the nest but can get a good visual from both parties once she is up and chicks are hatched.

Took 5 eggs out of the incubator to Broody Butt last night, she accepted without a problem and immediately worked at arranging them under her, This morning she is laid out like normal brooding away... Hoping because she has 9 days til her original clutch is set to hatch that the 5 eggs that are a few days behind may be able to catch up... No better brooder than the mother herself.. made the decision to go ahead and cull the more porous eggs , Something I have never had to do but want her to raise this clutch and give her the best opportunity..

Incubator is cleaned and awaits the Turkey eggs on Sunday..

Sorry for hijacking your thread Bee...

I can't wait for this turkey hatch!!! Please keep us informed about your broody and the incubation here....this thread is very boring if someone else doesn't start some good conversation. No such thing as a hijack...just good conversation!

 

[AmericanMom]

I have always only separated them within the same coop so they could all still see each other. When the chicks are a couple of weeks old, and the mama is still fiercely protective of them, I'll let them out into the big kid's pen. Last year I waited too long and had to keep the chicks separate after mama was finished with them. This year I hope to be more on the ball and let them out sooner. Right now, I have a broody who is pretty high ranking in the flock. I toss her off the nest every day to be sure she gets a stretch and a bite to eat so she is still quite visible to the rest of them. When the chicks hatch, I'll have to move her to a floor nest and will try to keep her right in the thick of things like a flock in the wild would do. When I've had broodies disappear, they returned followed by chicks that couldn't have been more than a couple days old... so while they're getting some strength built up, I guess I will keep them separate and then open the gate.

We are adding onto the coop this summer and I told DH this is a must, I want to add a section that I can put a broody or two...

 

[AmericanMom]

I can't wait for this turkey hatch!!! Please keep us informed about your broody and the incubation here....this thread is very boring if someone else doesn't start some good conversation. No such thing as a hijack...just good conversation!

I'm meeting the lady at 3pm, I'm probably going to be no good in church Sunday lol... Funny, its also my Birthday and when DH asked me the other day what I would like I just showed him the response to my Craigslist ad...

 

[Beekissed]

LOL! Well, we have one broody on day 13...we only get to see her eggs maybe once a day. But we do get to see her shuffle them frequently. And my DH and I just picked up a dozen hatching eggs from a good breeder to give to another hen who went broody a few days ago. Tis the season!

Okay...I've got broody envy now. I was hoping to get some very prized eggs from a very good breeder from a very coveted line this year if I only had a good broody to hatch them....but instead I'm trying to learn how to be a broody well enough to maybe, finally, if it isn't too late in the breeding season by the time I get a decent hatch rate, get a few of this man's leftovers.

I just didn't know enough about incubating to build my own foam cooler and do all the controls there and felt this would be a quicker learning curve....ahem...thought wrong, didn't I?

 

[Beekissed]

I'm meeting the lady at 3pm, I'm probably going to be no good in church Sunday lol... Funny, its also my Birthday and when DH asked me the other day what I would like I just showed him the response to my Craigslist ad...

Awwwwwww!





Turkey eggs! What a perfect birthday gift!!!!

 

[AmericanMom]

Awwwwwww!





Turkey eggs! What a perfect birthday gift!!!!

LOL... When he saw the price he was pretty happy, I'm such a cheap-o
Thank you for the Bday wishes!!!!... Its also our sons 26th birthday, He always says he doesn't ever have to get me a gift because he is just the gift that keeps on giving

Thank goodness his lovely wife knows better

 

[Beekissed]

Sounds like my sons...

Last year one of them got me a Mother's Day card and left it blank...didn't sign it. Said that was so he could use it again next year. Men....