Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Celtic Chick]

I believe humans have been artificially incubating eggs at least since Egyptian times, if I'm not mistaken.

A hen will not "just set" on eggs unless she is broody. If she is broody, she should set til the eggs, or a majority of them hatch. But each hen is different. Some might set until a few hatch then leave the nest, while others may stay stuck to the nest determined to hatch each & every egg, usually resulting in the live chicks dying from mom not teaching them to eat & drink.

If she is not broody, she will lay her egg & then leave to do her many busy chicken things.

Right now I have about 4 ding dongs that are determined to hatch out golf balls.

 

[Firstchic]

Ok I got sidetraced from bed.....so if I wanted to hatch some babies, you are saying I would be better off with a brooder? cause my hens might not make a good mother? That is absolutely funny about your ding dongs.

 

[Celtic Chick]

A brooder is where you put chicks after they hatch. An incubator is what you put eggs into in order to get them to develop & hatch out.

It is hard to say if your hens will make good moms or not, or if they will ever go broody. Some breeds rarely go broody, like leghorns for instance.

I think you should wait until next spring & see how your girls do. You have a lot of young ones right now. By spring they should be laying like crazy. If you get one (or more) that seem glued to a nest & get puffy & mouthy every time anyone approaches, you'll know she is broody & it will be safe to shove some freshly laid eggs under her.

 

[Cindlady]

Hi All!

CC.... if you want to break broodiness, try shoving Ice packs under her. I had a stubborn one that wouldn't break, and that worked in 2 days!

Nothing else new... Night All!

 

[Kildare49]

Do your pullets stay active Jim?

Last time I had pullets it was very difficult to get them to work at all for their food.

The cockerels I have always been able to keep very active. I'm sure mine do not put the #'s on like they are supposed to...

 

[cuties]

Jim,I did wonder if you chose the name Zeek . I can see where I worded it confusingly. I like it.
BTW our kitten from him that had the surgery is doing great. And I am still able to be reminded of him each day. Also when I stop to visit the neighbors.
well,a lot of our running is done for now with the kiddos. However I will be on 12's for awhile :/

 

[Sclark73]

I lurk every single morning, just don't have alot to say that I think anyone would want to hear.. Since I started talking an update is in order.
All my Blue Laced Reds are broody which is fine as with the ban I'm not really selling many chicks anyhow. I have a Iowa Blue hen that is close to hatching her clutch, odd since they don't tend to be broody but I'm rolling with it. I have over 100 chicks from just hatching to 3 weeks in my chicken room as it sits. My first pure Salmon Faverolle egg was pipped lastnight, haven't checked yet this morning to see if it hatched. Have to get my butt in gear and get Tylers fair birds separated as we only have 3 weeks left to get them ready, he has 27 entries this year compared to our measly 6 last year.
Still no fertile Swedish Flower Hen eggs, what would you recommend? I'm pretty sure it's the boy not breeding the problem. He was raised with them since he was a wee lad. My thought is to take him out of the pen for a week or so and then bring him back to see if it lights a spark under him??
My pure Foley BLR cockerel should be ready to start breeding in another month, by that time the girls I hope are done being broody or I will have to just break them. Getting late in the year anyhow but plan on hatching and growing out those babies to test for next years stock.
My Cream Crested Legbars won't be ready for fair this year so didn't enter them, I was suppose to receive my chick order of them Jan/Feb but didn't get them until the late part of April.
Other than all this chicken business, the grand baby has been keeping me so busy. She's nearly 2 now and a spitfire, running all over the place. I am still amazed I was able to raise 5 kids at the same time.

This was a few weeks ago when she floated the Chippewa River 5 hour trip with us like a champ.

 

[Firstchic]

Yeah, I was just looking forward.....not jumping into anything this year.

I lurk every single morning, just don't have alot to say that I think anyone would want to hear.. Since I started talking an update is in order.
All my Blue Laced Reds are broody which is fine as with the ban I'm not really selling many chicks anyhow. I have a Iowa Blue hen that is close to hatching her clutch, odd since they don't tend to be broody but I'm rolling with it. I have over 100 chicks from just hatching to 3 weeks in my chicken room as it sits. My first pure Salmon Faverolle egg was pipped lastnight, haven't checked yet this morning to see if it hatched. Have to get my butt in gear and get Tylers fair birds separated as we only have 3 weeks left to get them ready, he has 27 entries this year compared to our measly 6 last year.
Still no fertile Swedish Flower Hen eggs, what would you recommend? I'm pretty sure it's the boy not breeding the problem. He was raised with them since he was a wee lad. My thought is to take him out of the pen for a week or so and then bring him back to see if it lights a spark under him??
My pure Foley BLR cockerel should be ready to start breeding in another month, by that time the girls I hope are done being broody or I will have to just break them. Getting late in the year anyhow but plan on hatching and growing out those babies to test for next years stock.
My Cream Crested Legbars won't be ready for fair this year so didn't enter them, I was suppose to receive my chick order of them Jan/Feb but didn't get them until the late part of April.
Other than all this chicken business, the grand baby has been keeping me so busy. She's nearly 2 now and a spitfire, running all over the place. I am still amazed I was able to raise 5 kids at the same time.

This was a few weeks ago when she floated the Chippewa River 5 hour trip with us like a champ.

I live with my son and his wife who have an almost 2 year old as well....That boy sure likes the outside, so most of the time, I am the one taking him out. Not much he can get in trouble with, but, still gotta watch him like a hawk.

 

[unkadan]

"I believe humans have been artificially incubating eggs at least since Egyptian times, if I'm not mistaken."

CC you could ask Jim about this, pretty sure he was around back then

 

[Celtic Chick]

"I believe humans have been artificially incubating eggs at least since Egyptian times, if I'm not mistaken."

CC you could ask Jim about this, pretty sure he was around back then

Missed ya!

Hi All!

CC.... if you want to break broodiness, try shoving Ice packs under her. I had a stubborn one that wouldn't break, and that worked in 2 days!

Nothing else new... Night All!

I will try that Cind. Thank you.