The Moonshiner's Leghorns

[Chookwagn]

I closed the vent all the way since it is still only up to 40%. This is getting annoying…

I run my hatches between 40 and 45 % they seem to hatch fine.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I run my hatches between 40 and 45 % they seem to hatch fine.

It’s all good now. Hanging out around 52%. my roosters are doing their jobs.

 

[ShrekDawg]

You are giving me way too much credit my friend

 

[Iluveggers]

I've had hatchery buff Orps. Hated them. Had them a few times from a few sources. They didn't go broody much and were mean. Hens were bullies and roosters were human aggressive. Mine were nothing like people describe.
Had English type Orps before Leghorns. Never had one go.broody.
Now when I had Marans they surprised me. Each one would go broody 2, 3 or 4 times a year and were great free range mommas. They often shared chicks too.

My only Marans is Broody ALL THE DARN TIME. It is NY honey, we don’t want babies when it’s negative 5 degrees! She is good at hatching chicks, but she doesn’t supervise her young and child protective (me) had to take them away from her the last time so they would survive.

The little reservoir wasn’t full—I lifted up the bottle (again) and heard a glug-glug and it filled. It’s at 50% now, eggs are in and I will check it one more time before bed

Good luck!

 

[KF0002]

Hunh. Get you an Orfingtun, you'll see. Buffly ones are purty good but lavenders can be pretty determined too. IME.

Game hens are the top tier broodies. No contest.

 

[KF0002]

My only Marans is Broody ALL THE DARN TIME. It is NY honey, we don’t want babies when it’s negative 5 degrees! She is good at hatching chicks, but she doesn’t supervise her young and child protective (me) had to take them away from her the last time so they would survive.

My Marans hens, and Marans crosses are constantly broody, but not great moms unless you confine them to a smaller pen away from gen pop. If left free ranging, they often lose their chicks and don't keep up with them well. The last Marans cross hen that we allowed to hatch eggs kept leaving her chicks behind all over the place and would not try to round them up at all. So I got sick of the whole situation quickly and gathered them all up and took them from her. She didn't seem too upset. Our Game hens are excellent mothers. Too excellent sometimes! lol

 

[KF0002]

I closed the vent all the way since it is still only up to 40%. This is getting annoying…

Leave vents at least half way open at all times. Fresh air is important during incubation. I regularly incubate chicken eggs at lower humidity and they hatch great. I aim for about 30-35% for chicken eggs and go even lower with turkey eggs.

 

[KF0002]

The little reservoir wasn’t full—I lifted up the bottle (again) and heard a glug-glug and it filled. It’s at 50% now, eggs are in and I will check it one more time before bed

50% is way too high during the first 18 days and will contribute to inadequate moisture loss from the eggs, which will in turn cause the chicks to drown on excess fluid in the egg as they hatch.