Why incubate when broody hens will do it for you?

[karlamaria]

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See that's awesome! She is a good mama ! There adorable! I will leave her in her coop now,I'm having a new one built for the big girls. Mama and the babies can have the coop they will hatch in.

 

[karlamaria]

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I'd love some hardcore broodies...running the incubator and hatcher does eat up some electric. Maybe I'll have a few volunteer mommas this year, but I'll be using the 'bator as well!

The one I got is insane with broodiness. She is happy to sit on any egg that land
in her nest. I will be glad to move the big girls to a new coop come spring, so she can have the whole coop to her self and hatch what she wants! its a nice 5-7 bird sized coop I had made this last spring, she will be happy raising her family!

 

[RareBreedFancier]

Because my hens stubbornly refuse to go broody when required, I would much prefer to use broodies.

 

[kathyinmo]

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X2

 

[Pele]

I'm using an incubator because I have yet to find a hen with a window on her.

 

[SkyWarrior]

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I don't have broody hens. Somehow you got stuck with mine.

As for what I do with the chicks -- right now these are the pullets that will replace my chickens who are going to be 2 years old. Most of the roos will go into freezer camp, and there's always attrition due to all sorts of weird stuff. I also have a Brinsea Mini, so that's 7 (at most!) at a time.

To give you an idea:

I have 33 chickens.

3 adult roos
4 Barnevelder hens (laying)
5 EE hens (one laying; the rest in molt)
2 RIR hens (one laying; one in molt)
2 BR hens (both in molt)
1 BO (in molt)
----------------
17 adult birds

16 pullets and cockerels hatched (not laying) I have at least 5 cockerels in that group. So, that's only 11 layers. I need more just to replace what I have.

I'm maybe getting 2-4 eggs a day. Basically hatching is to keep the flock going. Those folks who hatch more sell, eat or restock their birds.

 

[karlamaria]

Quote:
I don't have broody hens. Somehow you got stuck with mine.

As for what I do with the chicks -- right now these are the pullets that will replace my chickens who are going to be 2 years old. Most of the roos will go into freezer camp, and there's always attrition due to all sorts of weird stuff. I also have a Brinsea Mini, so that's 7 (at most!) at a time.

To give you an idea:

I have 33 chickens.

3 adult roos
4 Barnevelder hens (laying)
5 EE hens (one laying; the rest in molt)
2 RIR hens (one laying; one in molt)
2 BR hens (both in molt)
1 BO (in molt)
----------------
17 adult birds

16 pullets and cockerels hatched (not laying) I have at least 5 cockerels in that group. So, that's only 11 layers. I need more just to replace what I have.

I'm maybe getting 2-4 eggs a day. Basically hatching is to keep the flock going. Those folks who hatch more sell, eat or restock their birds.

great info, Im happy I can put eggs under her soon, she is very broody so we have to take her off a nest non stop. but we will not be replacing these girls for another year as there only 9 months old so she will broody this years extra's and when everyone goes to freezer camp in the next year she will be sitting on the next set of chickens we will keep for the next 2 years.

 

[rmh0508]

I use the brooder because I don't have any broody hens and I wanted some specific breeds that are not common around here. I would love for one of the girls to go broody and let them sit though. I have only incubated a couple of times and I have been getting "mutt" eggs and playing with the bator. Whatever hatches I give to friends and family but they don't get a choice its straight run or nothing because I don't want a kazillion little roos around either