The Middle Tennessee Thread

[cree57i]

Free ornery 8 month old Welsummer roo. He has brown earlobes but a little white puff at the base of his tail. He is currently in the roo pen but is headed to places he will like even less very soon.

 

[cazychicgirl]

Look what I got today!! My AM laid her 1st egg! Now I got my green and blue eggs!

 

[Gentry1350]

Look what I got today!! My AM laid her 1st egg! Now I got my green and blue eggs!

VERY PRETTY!

 

[cree57i]

Nice! They look like a good size for a first egg. I am still waiting for the AM's to start.

 

[cazychicgirl]

Nice! They look like a good size for a first egg. I am still waiting for the AM's to start.

Yes! I am very excited! Now I am waiting for my FBCM to start laying!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Look what I got today!! My AM laid her 1st egg! Now I got my green and blue eggs!

Whoohoo! Those are lovely.

 

[Heme]

Now you need to incubate some eggs to see how the chicks look.

 

[cazychicgirl]

Now you need to incubate some eggs to see how the chicks look.

yes, that would be fun, but I'm more of a "let your broody hen do all the work" kinda gal! LOL

 

[Heme]

Well understood: My broody hen just decided to go out and free-range again. When she was sitting, I put some fertile eggs under her from my sons spread and she did great in hatching them. I took them out and put them in the broody box because I did not know how they would get fed or watered so high up in the box without a way down to the floor below.

I suppose they must have a way...but I did not want to chance having the chicks die from lack of nutrients.

What is your take on the issue...have you experienced chicks hatching far up in a nest with no way down?

 

[cazychicgirl]

Well understood: My broody hen just decided to go out and free-range again. When she was sitting, I put some fertile eggs under her from my sons spread and she did great in hatching them. I took them out and put them in the broody box because I did not know how they would get fed or watered so high up in the box without a way down to the floor below.

I suppose they must have a way...but I did not want to chance having the chicks die from lack of nutrients.

What is your take on the issue...have you experienced chicks hatching far up in a nest with no way down?  

Last summer my broodies hatched out 3 clutches. I thought like you the 1st batch.

After they are all hatched the hen waits about 24 hours or so then gets down and starts clucking to them. You'll be amazed at how well a day old chick can hop. I did go in the coop quite a few times to check on them or help the little ones get down to their mom. The mom will not return to the box but instead stay on the floor in a corner with all the babies underneath her until they are ready to roost. I also waited till the broody was out free ranging than ran in there and moved her eggs to the lower boxes. She didn't seemed too upset with me messing with the eggs.

It is so nice having the broody raise the chicks with the flock so their is no problems with integrating later. I had tried a broody box with the first clutch and the hen would have nothing to do with it. She was less stressed if I just left her alone with the flock.

I think the best advice I read was from an old farmer that said chickens have been hatching eggs and raising chicks long before we started incubating them.
So I do my best at just leaving them be. Now if she is down on the ground with all the chicks but one, I'll help that little guy along.

And dont get too stessed on "the chicks can't reach the food" I've watched all my momma hens get food out of the feeder and drop it on the ground for the babies.

I've never hatched via an incubator, and I'm sure that's fun to see. But watching how nature works with a momma and her baby chicks is pretty amazing and down right cute too!