Three Questions About Hens.

[IHC986]

I have three questions regarding hens that I would like for experienced chicken owners to help me with;

Question #1). I own no rooster. I own no broody hens. If I were to add a
rooster to my flock, once the eggs become fertile, would the
hen(s) become broody and hatch the fertile egg(s)?

Question #2). If my fertilized egg(s) were to hatch, will the hen care for the
new-born chick, or, is there something I need to do?

Question #3). Some of my hens are being pecked on their back near their
tail end. Blue Kote, Vicks Vapo Rub and Peck-Me-Not no
longer seem to be effective. If I add pine tar to the recipe, will
the pine tar hurt (cause pain) to my birds?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Question #1). I own no rooster. I own no broody hens. If I were to add a rooster to my flock, once the eggs become fertile, would the hen(s) become broody and hatch the fertile egg(s)?

A rooster has no effect on whether a hen goes broody or not.

Question #2). If my fertilized egg(s) were to hatch, will the hen care for the new-born chick, or, is there something I need to do?

The short answer is hens have been raising chicks with no or practically no human interference at all for thousands of years. They might need food and water from you, depending on what your set-up is like. Some people like to micromanage their broody hens but they normally do a much better job if they are left alone.

Question #3).

Don’t know.

 

[Percheron chick]

1. No
2. No. She needs to be broody first.
3. Pine tar will make a disgusting mess. If you have eliminated lice or mites, add some meat or worms to their diet for a week and see if they quit picking.

 

[IHC986]

Thank you! Regarding watering chicks....... should I put stones or marbles in the waterer to prevent drowning, or, leave it alone?

 

[IHC986]

Thank you! Regarding the meat/worms ....... I'll do it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I use a fairly shallow bowl for water and put rocks in it for them to walk on. I don’t worry about their feet getting wet or even some down getting wet, I just want them to be able to walk on and off that bowl without drowning. Some people buy marbles but around here rocks are free.

One problem you might have with water if it is set on the coop floor, chickens scratch a lot. It usually takes about no time at all for the water to get bedding scratched in it and get filthy, which is unhealthy. I use an old piece of carpet since I have that for free too but you can use plywood or something else, and set that on top of the bedding with the water bowl in the middle. I still have to clean that carpet off fairly regularly but the water lasts a lot longer.

I have water set up on a platform a bit off the coop floor, this photo shows the idea but this is in my brooder, to help keep it from getting stuff scratched in. It normally takes them less than a week to start using this.

 

[azygous]

Pinless peepers work a lot of the time when all else has failed.

 

[MeMaAndSamantha]

If you want a hen to hatch your fertile eggs I suggest you purchase a couple of Bantam hens who get broody at the sight of two eggs in a nest ! Allow the little mothers to take on the care of the chicks. My dad used to put duck-eggs under Bantams ... the only downside of hens raising ducks is how upset the hens get when the ducklings find the pond .. off the track

I also recommend that you either raise a young rooster or introduce a pet rooster someone is wanting to find a home for .. our rooster (Eddy) was given to us by another chicken raising friend. He enjoys being around humans, who pet and hold him. Eddy is very handsome, sends out an alarm call when he feels danger in the airways above such as hawks and eagles. ! AND he's a real gentleman around the ladies !