Natural Egg Hatching

[Mini Horses]

50? June? Geesh it's 88 here, big sun, no breeze and humid from previous rains. Yeah, everyone is "shading" around here. .

 

[The Porch]

50? June? Geesh it's 88 here, big sun, no breeze and humid from previous rains. Yeah, everyone is "shading" around here. .

ya,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and its 49 right now,,,,,,, i pray i get enough veg to can from the garden

 

[The Porch]

The chicks are 7 days old tomorrow,
I took the brooder cage away today and set them up under the nesting box. I gave them a roost so mamma can teach them how to roost.

 

[Mini Horses]

I would have left their nest box under there. They still want to cuddle under mom. My hen had her 3 out in the grass today, again...back to nest at night. Thinking one hen has gone back broody, again!

 

[CLSranch]

Thinking one hen has gone back broody, again!

Grrr??? I love it when I get another broody. The wife said today she thinks we have one more hen going broody. I've thought about switching to all old english game chickens for their broodiness, mothering and excellent predator awareness/ ability to survive. They also have bigger egg than my larger dark cornish.

 

[The Porch]

I would have left their nest box under there. They still want to cuddle under mom. My hen had her 3 out in the grass today, again...back to nest at night. Thinking one hen has gone back broody, again!

You and I think alike
I took some of the nesting and made a nice thick pad just behind the roost, and they are all tucked in for the night

 

[The Porch]

Grrr??? I love it when I get another broody. The wife said today she thinks we have one more hen going broody. I've thought about switching to all old english game chickens for their broodiness, mothering and excellent predator awareness/ ability to survive. They also have bigger egg than my larger dark cornish.

I am with ya on that,, I am still on the fence with broody #3 , #2 has 4 eggs due to hatch on Friday / Saturday, and I am thinking ,,, should I give #3 an egg or 2 tomorrow ????? Where would I put her?? I don’t know??

 

[Mini Horses]

This hen Sat broody for full time...then broke. Never gave eggs. Good about 2 weeks, now back at it again. Oh, I've got plenty of eggs!! Just have other things to tend and not sure I want to mess with more chicks right now. Love my broody hens, usually set 3 a year. This yr didn't give eggs. More concentrated on fence. Overload

 

[flowerbug]

i love the details and care you all exhibit and write up. so at least now i know a rough idea of what is involved and how much time and attention i'd have to give to this to ever do it or even to talk about it with someone else who might be attempting it on a first try.

i don't have any plans for this sort of thing here as there are so many raccoons and other predators about - i think it would be a major struggle, plus i like snakes and would not want to ever have to kill or remove them.

 

[The Porch]

Mamma#1 hatch date June 13th did great over night with being under the nesting box with nesting sutff/fake straw stuff and a roots board. the test will be come flock egg laying time.
Will they the layers stick to the task at hand or hen peck Mamma #1.
They all left the chicks alone yesterday and didn't try and mess with Mamma. Integrating in a small area I feel takes supervision/watchful eye from the human , letting Rooster do his job, let the pecking order take place as long as there is no blood drawn by over aggression, we are the ones that put them in this not natural environment. I try to make them as happy and comfortable as I can and let them work out the politics, but I dont put up with mean birds.

Broody #2 has 3 to 4 days of setting to go Hatch Date 30th/July1st

Broody#3,, I decided it would create a fight if I took 2 of B#2's eggs and gave them to #3--so, I gave #3 3 of the darkest best looking shells. 1 was laid on the 25th and 2 from yesterday the 26th. If I get another very dark hard shelled one today I will give it to her. so she can have 4 eggs. That puts a Hatch date about July 18th I think.

On Sunday my granddaughter 11yr old spent some time in grandmas coop. she has coops at home and DDIL incubated some chicks last month. Anyway she had fun talking to all the hens and, she was so proud of herself, she picked up Mr. Cornelius rooster!! he was very good and just let her hold him and talk to him.
[ did you know they are considered pullets up until they are 1 year old]