The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[cuties]

Ok, I have a non worming question (but I have really appreciated all the info. I love that I can constantly learn on this thread!!): Now that I am sure that my broody is really broody I'm going to be getting some fertile eggs for her to sit on. My question is: is it really best to move her to a separate pen? Should it be within the run still so that she can intergrate the chicks easier? Should it be completely away from everyone else? Right now she is in the favorite nest box (of course!). I managed to get the last egg from yesterday and the first laid today out of the nest when she was eating this morning. I wondered what would happen when she returned to the empty nest and well she just stayed in there, waiting for more eggs. And so yes, the other girls just squeezed in next to her! I'm sure there are three under her at least. I don't know if my other CM laid today. (the broody did NOT lay yesterday). 

Thank you !!

I also have a broody! I will be speaking (typing) from research, not experience. Ive decided to let her hatch a couple. Ive built a covered with wire wood box in the pen. I gave her a nest box, food water and grie.
I've removed the eggs shes been laying on. I did this because I know she was broody and laying all week. I also know that even today, others layed in there. I do not want to chance it that some eggs began developing monday, and some would begin developing today...
I picked eggs yesterday and today. Put them in the box. I moved her in! I waited about 15 min while she settled. That was about 1&1/2 hr ago. she is currently happy in her new nest.
I will periodically keep checking to be sure she keeps laying!
Im very excited! It will be the first time for my family.


Good luck! Hope I helped and things go well for you and your girl!

 

[cuties]

Ok, I have a non worming question (but I have really appreciated all the info. I love that I can constantly learn on this thread!!): Now that I am sure that my broody is really broody I'm going to be getting some fertile eggs for her to sit on. My question is: is it really best to move her to a separate pen? Should it be within the run still so that she can intergrate the chicks easier? Should it be completely away from everyone else? Right now she is in the favorite nest box (of course!). I managed to get the last egg from yesterday and the first laid today out of the nest when she was eating this morning. I wondered what would happen when she returned to the empty nest and well she just stayed in there, waiting for more eggs. And so yes, the other girls just squeezed in next to her! I'm sure there are three under her at least. I don't know if my other CM laid today. (the broody did NOT lay yesterday). 

Thank you !!

I also have a broody! I will be speaking (typing) from research, not experience. Ive decided to let her hatch a couple. Ive built a covered with wire wood box in the pen. I gave her a nest box, food water and grie.
I've removed the eggs shes been laying on. I did this because I know she was broody and laying all week. I also know that even today, others layed in there. I do not want to chance it that some eggs began developing monday, and some would begin developing today...
I picked eggs yesterday and today. Put them in the box. I moved her in! I waited about 15 min while she settled. That was about 1&1/2 hr ago. she is currently happy in her new nest.
I will periodically keep checking to be sure she keeps laying!
Im very excited! It will be the first time for my family.


Good luck! Hope I helped and things go well for you and your girl!

 

[cuties]

Sorry for the double post!

 

[pigeonguy]

I want to help lalaland I am at a loss though. You don't use and metal feeders or waters right. Are there any metal containers in there free range area they could be drinking from. Do you have any mouse/rat poison out anywhere. Have you noticed any mouse/rat droppings in the food or feeders or on the floor.
Just sorry to hear about it.

 

[kian]

I also have a broody! I will be speaking (typing) from research, not experience. Ive decided to let her hatch a couple. Ive built a covered with wire wood box in the pen. I gave her a nest box, food water and grie.
I've removed the eggs shes been laying on. I did this because I know she was broody and laying all week. I also know that even today, others layed in there. I do not want to chance it that some eggs began developing monday, and some would begin developing today...
I picked eggs yesterday and today. Put them in the box. I moved her in! I waited about 15 min while she settled. That was about 1&1/2 hr ago. she is currently happy in her new nest.
I will periodically keep checking to be sure she keeps laying!
Im very excited! It will be the first time for my family.


Good luck! Hope I helped and things go well for you and your girl!

Thank you! Good luck to you as well! This sounds like a good plan

 

[ramblinH]

Ok, I have a non worming question (but I have really appreciated all the info. I love that I can constantly learn on this thread!!): Now that I am sure that my broody is really broody I'm going to be getting some fertile eggs for her to sit on. My question is: is it really best to move her to a separate pen? Should it be within the run still so that she can intergrate the chicks easier? Should it be completely away from everyone else? Right now she is in the favorite nest box (of course!). I managed to get the last egg from yesterday and the first laid today out of the nest when she was eating this morning. I wondered what would happen when she returned to the empty nest and well she just stayed in there, waiting for more eggs. And so yes, the other girls just squeezed in next to her! I'm sure there are three under her at least. I don't know if my other CM laid today. (the broody did NOT lay yesterday). 

Thank you !!

I also have a broody! I will be speaking (typing) from research, not experience. Ive decided to let her hatch a couple. Ive built a covered with wire wood box in the pen. I gave her a nest box, food water and grie.
I've removed the eggs shes been laying on. I did this because I know she was broody and laying all week. I also know that even today, others layed in there. I do not want to chance it that some eggs began developing monday, and some would begin developing today...
I picked eggs yesterday and today. Put them in the box. I moved her in! I waited about 15 min while she settled. That was about 1&1/2 hr ago. she is currently happy in her new nest.
I will periodically keep checking to be sure she keeps laying!
Im very excited! It will be the first time for my family.


Good luck! Hope I helped and things go well for you and your girl!

I'm sooo jealous girls! How exciting! Just hoping one of my chicks will become an aspiring broody next spring, ha! What breeds will you all be hatching?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote: Wow, you guys.... That's interesting.

I want to help lalaland I am at a loss though. You don't use and metal feeders or waters right. Are there any metal containers in there free range area they could be drinking from. Do you have any mouse/rat poison out anywhere. Have you noticed any mouse/rat droppings in the food or feeders or on the floor.
Just sorry to hear about it.

Along the lines of what PG is saying about the metal... there is this post about metal poisoning that's worth reading if it pertains.

 

[kian]

I'm sooo jealous girls! How exciting! Just hoping one of my chicks will become an aspiring broody next spring, ha! What breeds will you all be hatching?

I am getting Olive Eggers! The lady I'm getting them from crosses her Ameraucana hens to her French Copper Marans roosters. The resulting chicks and birds are gorgeous! I am excited, I've wanted one to go broody, just didn't think I had a breed that would do it!

 

[Leahs Mom]

On the broody -
I just had the one and am BRAND NEW to this so it's just what I did. I didn't want the others coming and laying eggs in there with her and I didn't want her to go back to the wrong nest after she had eaten and drank for the day. So...I moved her to the other side of the hen house that is divided off by a door so she had that side to herself. I put her own feed and water supply in there with her. The door that divides the 2 sides is covered w/hardware cloth so they could all see each other.

I moved her BEFORE I got fertile eggs, in the dark of night. She had fake eggs under her. I wanted to be sure she was going to stick with it before I got eggs. And...before I moved her, for 3 days I physically picked her up and took her out in the yard to the farthest away area and deposited her on the ground. I did this to see if she was really determined to set. I did that at least 2X / day for 3 days. After that 3rd day, I made her a nest box from a "rubbermade" tub then, after dark I moved her into it. Then I observed her for 2 more days to be sure she was going to stick with it before I ordered the eggs!








I had EXCELLENT advice from the KING OF BROODY HATCHES - Stoneykill. Here's an article he wrote about broodies: http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2013/01/broody-hens-natures-incubators-your.html

The last picture up there is DAY 1 when the kiddos came out of the nest w/mom (That was NEW YEAR'S DAY - 15 DEGREES OUTSIDE IN THAT HEN HOUSE). I opened the door between the 2 sides at about 1 week. Mom immediately attacked anyone that came near and protected those kids...and the others learned really fast not to mess with her kiddos!

 

[lalaland]

I want to help lalaland I am at a loss though. You don't use and metal feeders or waters right. Are there any metal containers in there free range area they could be drinking from. Do you have any mouse/rat poison out anywhere. Have you noticed any mouse/rat droppings in the food or feeders or on the floor.
Just sorry to hear about it.

no, I haven't used any rat/mice poison. I do see mouse droppings in the coop, I use the tin rat (live trap). I don't use any metal feeders, just plastic for water and rubber bowls.

Wow, you guys.... That's interesting.

Along the lines of what PG is saying about the metal... there is this post about metal poisoning that's worth reading if it pertains.

wow! gonna go read that
thanks