The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Scott H]

Never done this before so if you guys would go to "My Coop page" and look it over and give any suggestions.....do I need to heat or will the broody Tina take care of that once they hatch?

By the way....snowing here today.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Scott - the main thing I did w/my broody was put her in an area to herself while she was setting to keep her from moving from nest to nest. They seem to have a tendency to go back to the wrong nest box and you can lose all your eggs that way. Also keeps others from putting more eggs in her box.

After they hatched I left them separated about 1 week. After that they and mamma joined the flock. There were initial brawls but mamma showed them not to mess with her or her babies.

How long will you keep the kiddos at your place?

Also...I had very poor luck with shipped eggs under the broody. Only 1 out of 7 eggs hatched. 100% of the non-shipped eggs hatched. My opinion is that shipped eggs do better in an incubator for various reasons.

 

[Scott H]

LM, she is tending 2 fake eggs right now an does not leave that nest for the other even when the other one gets layed in.
I've read all about the horrors of shipped eggs but am hoping being in the same state as the breeder will help.
Wyandottes seem to be a very gentle breed and I'm hoping that the other 2 girls will just go about their business which means leaving the coop as soon as the door opens.

They won't hatch until the middle of May so I'm also hoping the temps around here will be more moderate.

 

[Scott H]

Quote:

Probably til they're feathered out enough to sex them and be on their own. About 6 or 7 weeks for Wyandottes.

 

[armorfirelady]

LM, she is tending 2 fake eggs right now an does not leave that nest for the other even when the other one gets layed in.
I've read all about the horrors of shipped eggs but am hoping being in the same state as the breeder will help.
Wyandottes seem to be a very gentle breed and I'm hoping that the other 2 girls will just go about their business which means leaving the coop as soon as the door opens.

They won't hatch until the middle of May so I'm also hoping the temps around here will be more moderate.

Beautiful birds. I have never had a broody but I know of others here who have & some people move them to keep them safe & others just leave them be. Same for time of the year. some provide heat others let Broody Mama keep them warm.

My opinion is if I had a broody who could hatch eggs I would let them (Broody Mama) do it on her own. No heat & I would not move her. But that's just me. I would say it would be up to you what is best for your hen.

P.s. I hope you post pics of the chics

 

[sahmhomesteader]

Hello all! I am new to this thread, but have had 6 hens since November and purchased 12 pullets 7 weeks ago. I love my chickens! I strive to do everything as natural and organic as I can.

We moved to this property last October so this year is a first for my vegetable garden. Will be growing lots of things for the chickens

Anyhoo, this morning when I was letting the hens out, I noticed the farmer in the field next to our property was spraying Anhydrous Ammonia. Does anyone know if this could hurt my free ranging girls?

 

[Leahs Mom]

I let mamma do it on her own...except for keeping her in an area where she might go back to the wrong nest.

When I had my first broody (she's brooded 2 clutches now) I observed her for about a week before letting her have real eggs. Tested her to see if she'd give up, etc.

The only potential problem I noticed was that, since my nests are right next to each other, she'd often go back and get into a different nest after doing her duty and getting a bite to eat. Didn't matter to her which nest she was in...they all looked alike to her. I had also heard lots of folks having the same issue after they had set a nest for a week or 2 then returning back to the wrong nest and losing the whole clutch because they were cold for too long before the flockmaster saw it.

That's when I decided I'd move her to a nest area where there was no confusion as to which was hers and where she needed to return. Especially since I was paying for shipped eggs, I didn't want to take a chance.

Here are my regular nest boxes. You can see how she could easily return to the wrong one!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Hello all! I am new to this thread, but have had 6 hens since November and purchased 12 pullets 7 weeks ago. I love my chickens! I strive to do everything as natural and organic as I can.

We moved to this property last October so this year is a first for my vegetable garden. Will be growing lots of things for the chickens

Anyhoo, this morning when I was letting the hens out, I noticed the farmer in the field next to our property was spraying Anhydrous Ammonia. Does anyone know if this could hurt my free ranging girls?

It can. We have had a couple of folks that had their birds get onto other property when they were spraying for various things and lose a bird or 2.

I think I'd just keep them from wandering over that way for awhile. And definitely wouldn't let them out while they are spraying...paying particular attention to which way it's drifting.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@Scott H

The reason that I concluded that shipped eggs do better with an incubator is that they are mostly in an upright position and the turners only move them a bit...from side to side. If they have been detached during shipping and don't re-attach, they at least have a better chance than they would being on their side and moved naturally by a broody.

The first shipped eggs - 1 hatched out of 7 under the broody. Eggs were from 2 different sources.

The second shipped eggs - 0 hatch out of 5 shipped; 3 of 3 hatched of non-shipped.

Very frustrating.

 

[sahmhomesteader]

It can.  We have had a couple of folks that had their birds get onto other property when they were spraying for various things and lose a bird or 2. 

I think I'd just keep them from wandering over that way for awhile.  And definitely wouldn't let them out while they are spraying...paying particular attention to which way it's drifting.

Thank you!