Somewhat new to chickens....please help.

[shannonb]

Okay, I'm a horse girl and new to chickens. I have 7 hens and a rooster....have no idea what kinds I have, although I know one is a rhode island red and I think one is an aurocana (sp?). Noone is being broody and in fact my best layer is the white one with feathers tufts out of her ears.....and she lays light bluish green eggs. I would also like to add that she loves me

She wants to jump on me and sit on me anytime I walk in. She also flies out of their indoor pen that is attached to their coop....the rooster wants to ehem...have his way with her and she runs and then buries her head and lays real still. Until I come into the picture then when she's on my should she gets real brave. It's actually kind of funny. Anyhow back to my question....HOW DO I KNOW ONE IS BROODY? Also, do I need a special set up to have someone hatch chicks? I don't have anyway for them to be seperated.....I do have somewhere I could put them across the pasture, but when would I do that....when they hatch? Just grab mom and chicks and move them? I don't get it....will someone explain this whole thing to me? Thank you so much and it's good to be here.

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

Good Mornin'
You have come to the right place to ask these questions...trust me everyone has questions on here....I even asked the same question....In my experience with my hen that likes to go broody...a little bantam....I first noticed she would lay on all the other girls eggs and wouldnt get off..day and night.....I didnt even have a rooster.....so after asking questions and reading on here i went and got some fertile eggs from a person that has roosters...you can ad varity in your flock then ....and after getting a small dog cage ready I placed it on the floor of the coop ....no other space for her.....and during the night I put the fertile eggs and her in the cage on shavings a supplied water and feed...mark the calender for 21 days and the chicks were hatched ...she does all the work ....keeping them warm...showing them how to eat etc....I had to place them in a bigger cage with sides on the bottom because the other hens are all bigger and the chicks were getting through the wire and mom could not protect them...hubby made a chicken tractor to have them outside during the day and when they got big enough I let them go all together with the main flock ...there is alot of personal experiences on here to read...Good Luck...I hope I helped...and welcome to BYC...now let your addiction begin....