Wanting to let hen hatch her own eggs

[stephensc7146]

I would like to have my hens hatch their own eggs, but will be VERY new to this when the time comes, so I have a few questions.

Question 1: I am getting 27 standard sized chickens, I would like to allow one nesting box for 'hatching' only. Just leave any eggs laid in one particular box to be hatched naturally. That way I can have new babies, and still collect any eggs that the other 26 will be leaving in the other boxes. Is this a possibility?

Question 2: If question one IS possible, Do I have to watch for a hen to go broody before I stop collecting eggs from a box? Or just place some eggs under her and hope she stays put?

Question 3: again, if #1 is possible, should I separate the 'hatching' box away from the nesting boxes I plan to be collecting from?

Any information on natural hatching will be greatly appreciated! I have plenty of time for research but from all the good advice i've had in the past from BYC, I'm going to start with all of you

Thanks!

 

[Angiebubs]

I would like to have my hens hatch their own eggs, but will be VERY new to this when the time comes, so I have a few questions.

Question 1: I am getting 27 standard sized chickens, I would like to allow one nesting box for 'hatching' only. Just leave any eggs laid in one particular box to be hatched naturally. That way I can have new babies, and still collect any eggs that the other 26 will be leaving in the other boxes. Is this a possibility? Hens tend to choose which ever box they want to, to lay in, What I did when letting a broody sit on eggs is to mark the eggs she is sitting on so when I collected eggs I knew which to leave for her.

Question 2: If question one IS possible, Do I have to watch for a hen to go broody before I stop collecting eggs from a box? Or just place some eggs under her and hope she stays put? You will need to wait for a hen to go broody. Make sure she stays on the nest for more than a couple days. Leaving eggs in a nest won't work. I only collect eggs in the evening, and noone sits on them unless there is a broody hen.

Question 3: again, if #1 is possible, should I separate the 'hatching' box away from the nesting boxes I plan to be collecting from? After you have a broody hen, you can try moving her to a broody spot. I have never done that myself, however, once they have chicks, I have successfully relocated the hen and chicks to a private area so she was left undisturbed.

Any information on natural hatching will be greatly appreciated! I have plenty of time for research but from all the good advice i've had in the past from BYC, I'm going to start with all of you Letting a broody raise chicks is by far easier than trying to raise them in a brooder. I have done both and since I handled the chicks under the broody just as much as I did the chicks in the brooder...they were just as tame (and waaayyy easier!). I set up a sepereate area (Caged 4 x 4 x 4) with a nestbox, feeder, waterer and let them do what came naturally-easy peasy!!!

GOod luck!

Thanks!

 

[Becci]

I'm hoping I read all of that correctly.

If the hens have access to the 'hatching' box, they will lay eggs there whether they plan on hatching or not. You'll need to collect all eggs daily. If eggs are left to pile up, the hens will eventually end up accidentally breaking one, eating the contents and often times that is how egg-eaters get their awful habit. If you wanted to leave eggs in the nests to encourage broodiness, use fake eggs or golf balls, not real eggs.

If you see a hen showing signs of being broody, take any real eggs she may be sitting on, replace them with fake eggs/golf balls and wait a few days. If she continues to sit on the fake eggs over the next few days without constantly getting up or roosting with the other birds, you can replace the fake eggs with real eggs.

Not everyone separates their broodies from the flock, but I always do. I've never had a successful hatch when I leave the chicks and momma with the main flock.

The other hens end up laying eggs in the same nest box, the broody rolls them underneath her and this creates a staggered hatch, or, a disaster under a broody. (Sure, marking the hatching eggs will solve this problem.)

Or, the other hens fight over the nest boxes and the developing eggs end up cracked....

Or the chicks hatch, and end up being murdered by the other hens.

So we have a little 'hutch', with a nesting area and a small run that we relocate our broodies to. Something like a dog crate inside the coop works perfect for a 'hatching area'. That way you're not actually taking the hen out of the flock, and reintroducing her won't be a pain, considering she can still see and socialize with the other birds.

Good luck