Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[RBerryChicks]

Hi All, hoping for some of that great chicken wisdom/advice. One of my two Delaware hens went broody on Mother’s Day (how fitting)! Hubby built her a broody box (including pics) and hung it in the mobile coop above the nesting boxes. The plan is to move the box into the permanent coop, which should be done before the eggs hatch.

OK my question/angst . . . do we move the broody box just before they hatch or after, if after, will mom and chicks be fine in the box for a couple of days. I’ve brooded two batches of meaties but this way different . . . help

Also - we put a small water and food dish in and it doesn't look like she has eating or drinking, is that normal??? Gosh I don't know if I'm cut out to be a chicken mom

 

[Celtic Chick]

RBC, do you have to move the broody box? I think I'd just leave it there. It looks plenty roomy enough for her & the chicks to be comfy in for at least a week. I'd shove the food & the water right up next to where she is setting, though. I doubt she'll leave the nest until all the eggs hatch, so having it within reach will allow her to teach the babies to eat & drink, and for her to also. HTH

Hey Jim, sweetie, you aren't too far from Casie, are ya? **Flutters eyelashes sweetly**

 

[CasieD]

RBC, do you have to move the broody box? I think I'd just leave it there. It looks plenty roomy enough for her & the chicks to be comfy in for at least a week. I'd shove the food & the water right up next to where she is setting, though. I doubt she'll leave the nest until all the eggs hatch, so having it within reach will allow her to teach the babies to eat & drink, and for her to also. HTH

Hey Jim, sweetie, you aren't too far from Casie, are ya? **Flutters eyelashes sweetly**

CC... sorry but the guy that was just here to get the Jaerhon's, Bresse and a couple of Orpingtons bought both of the incubators too once he saw them.

 

[cuties]

[SIZE=11pt]Hi All, hoping for some of that great chicken wisdom/advice. One of my two Delaware hens went broody on Mother’s Day (how fitting)! Hubby built her a broody box (including pics) and hung it in the mobile coop above the nesting boxes. The plan is to move the box into the permanent coop, which should be done before the eggs hatch.[/SIZE] [SIZE=11pt]OK my question/angst . . . do we move the broody box just before they hatch or after, if after, will mom and chicks be fine in the box for a couple of days. I’ve brooded two batches of meaties but this way different . . . help[/SIZE]:cd Also - we put a small water and food dish in and it doesn't look like she has eating or drinking, is that normal??? Gosh I don't know if I'm cut out to be a chicken mom

Congrats rberry! I moved ours while she was sitting on her eggs. Its ironic, because our chicks hatched on mothersday we did not have a moveable box. So I gently moved the new eggs (she had been sitting for a bit, and others were adding to her nest. I did not know which eggs were hers, so I chose new ones. I just put her on the new ones. She was just so happy to have any eggs! I was also worried, because she had new shavings, no poo. And I know she did not touch her food for 4 days after I moved her. I researched, and that is normal she would get off every about 4 days. Let out a huge poo and eat a very little bit. And drink. I moved her just before dark, hoping that would keep her on. It worked!

Good luck!

 

[cuties]

RBC, do you have to move the broody box? I think I'd just leave it there. It looks plenty roomy enough for her & the chicks to be comfy in for at least a week. I'd shove the food & the water right up next to where she is setting, though. I doubt she'll leave the nest until all the eggs hatch, so having it within reach will allow her to teach the babies to eat & drink, and for her to also. HTH

Hey Jim, sweetie, you aren't too far from Casie, are ya? **Flutters eyelashes sweetly**    

w



about you stick some eggs in my new bator!!

 

[Celtic Chick]

CC... sorry but the guy that was just here to get the Jaerhon's, Bresse and a couple of Orpingtons bought both of the incubators too once he saw them.

Noooooooooooo!

 

[Terri O]

Hi All, hoping for some of that great chicken wisdom/advice. One of my two Delaware hens went broody on Mother’s Day (how fitting)! Hubby built her a broody box (including pics) and hung it in the mobile coop above the nesting boxes. The plan is to move the box into the permanent coop, which should be done before the eggs hatch.

OK my question/angst . . . do we move the broody box just before they hatch or after, if after, will mom and chicks be fine in the box for a couple of days. I’ve brooded two batches of meaties but this way different . . . help

Also - we put a small water and food dish in and it doesn't look like she has eating or drinking, is that normal??? Gosh I don't know if I'm cut out to be a chicken mom

Hi there! THis looksl ike a great set up! If you are having her brood in the box and she ends up hatching the eggs they can stay in there for a while. I would leave them for a week or a bit longer and then move them into your new coop. You can probably leave that box right where it is for the next one and give the new family a new box to snuggle in.

I went for a haircut this morning. I guess I like it. I wanted something a little different that I have been getting...
Hey, the sun is coming out! This morning it was 40 and I have SHORTS on. I had to turn the heat on in the car. Carol and I were suposed to get together today but she has a job interview today! Yeah for her!

I hope she gets it. She was going to horseback ride with me and check out my chore routine for the bash weekend. We are shooting for Saturday now.

Amy--I answered that I dont have buttons any more. I was never able to hatch any new ones and they died out eventually so I wont be able to help Julie!
Somebody wanted Bobwhites...who was it? I dont know how many or in what form. I will go back into my PMs and see if there is a clue.

So I saw one baby goose this morning; I am headed out to see if there are ay more...I hope so!
Later! TerriO

 

[RBerryChicks]

RBC, do you have to move the broody box? I think I'd just leave it there. It looks plenty roomy enough for her & the chicks to be comfy in for at least a week. I'd shove the food & the water right up next to where she is setting, though. I doubt she'll leave the nest until all the eggs hatch, so having it within reach will allow her to teach the babies to eat & drink, and for her to also. HTH

Hey Jim, sweetie, you aren't too far from Casie, are ya? **Flutters eyelashes sweetly**

Oh no we can leave the box for a bit. I'm aiming to have the mobile coop moved to the pasture by the 22nd (having 25-30 people over and need the space). That would also give my hubby a bit longer to complete the coop . . . although I may not want tell him that

so he stays on task. I will move the dishes closer to her. Thanks for your help!

Congrats rberry!
I moved ours while she was sitting on her eggs. Its ironic, because our chicks hatched on mothersday we did not have a moveable box. So I gently moved the new eggs (she had been sitting for a bit, and others were adding to her nest. I did not know which eggs were hers, so I chose new ones. I just put her on the new ones. She was just so happy to have any eggs! I was also worried, because she had new shavings, no poo. And I know she did not touch her food for 4 days after I moved her. I researched, and that is normal she would get off every about 4 days. Let out a huge poo and eat a very little bit. And drink. I moved her just before dark, hoping that would keep her on. It worked!


Good luck!

We put fake eggs and a couple of golf balls under her the first few days while we made arrangements to get the fertile Delaware eggs. Last Thursday night we place the dozen eggs in the box and moved her. But earlier (after we had hung the brooder box) she jumped out of the nesting box she had been in since Sunday and ran full force out of the coop (past the water) and towards our pond. We quickly filled a bowl with water and I have never seen a bird drink so much for so long. She then took a major dust bath in the garden (glad I hadn't planted yet) and did a lot of scratching. Our fear was that she would not go back to being broody, but she did. Now after reading your post - I'm concerned that it has been a week and it doesn't look like she has had any water or food. More concerned about the water. She is taking care of her eggs because the bedding has been rounded into a neat bowl type nest. As I posted to CC, I will call hubby right now to move her water closer. Boy if I survive this . . . maybe this is why we never had kids

Hope my nest of eggs look like yours did real soon - thanks for the "good luck" !

 

[delisha]

Cindy: Sorry to hear about your chick!!! And the one with the funny feathers? I would call it "Mariposa" (Spanish for butterfly) as it looks just like a butterfly !!

Amyable: I have noticed a major drop in eggs the past few weeks too! Instead of 17-18 I am getting 12-13. I guess it may have some to do with the additional 2 or 3 broodys.. DYI I now have 5 or 6 "broodmares" (kinda like nightmare) hogging up all the nestboxes!! ARGH!

Delish: Do you have any splash english orp young pullets?

I have one splash left..I am bringing it..I have no idea the sex yet..It is a huge chick..I will post pictures..

Hi All, hoping for some of that great chicken wisdom/advice. One of my two Delaware hens went broody on Mother’s Day (how fitting)! Hubby built her a broody box (including pics) and hung it in the mobile coop above the nesting boxes. The plan is to move the box into the permanent coop, which should be done before the eggs hatch.

OK my question/angst . . . do we move the broody box just before they hatch or after, if after, will mom and chicks be fine in the box for a couple of days. I’ve brooded two batches of meaties but this way different . . . help

Also - we put a small water and food dish in and it doesn't look like she has eating or drinking, is that normal??? Gosh I don't know if I'm cut out to be a chicken mom

The new coop looks beautiful.

This is just my opinion..Moving birds during broody periods can be good and bad. Some just abandon the nest, most do not and settle right in if done at night. If you choose to move her and the eggs, it is good for mom and chicks to be with the general population. That way there is no integration period for growing chicks. She is used to the other chicken sounds and will be comforted by them if you move her soon after you move your general flock over. Try to take as much of her original bedding as you can with the eggs if you do make that decision. If you decide to leave her where she is at, I would not move her into the new coop till the chicks are hatched and she is ready to take them off the nest.I would probably choose the latter decision myself.

I have a broody who gets off just at night or early morning. I never see her off the nest. I have some who take three hour breaks during the day. I just watch comb color. If it gets pale I take them off and put them in the yard so they have to move a pretty far distance to get back to the nest. I have two broody's in the same box now. I will have to move someone eventually. One is a chick stealer and it might not turn out well. The other one is setting on duck eggs.

My duck is not too happy, but she is looking for another nest sight.

Your chicken sounds pretty normal..

 

[PsycoPeep]

Button Quail? I didn't know anyone had those. I had some for the girls but when we lost our power for a day (-ish) they died w/o the heat lamp and we've been searching for them ever since. Talked to people who refered me to people who said they no longer raise them and to check w/someone else who then ends up not raising them, etc... If you know of anyone, LMK!