Chicken/egg question

[user 7704]

Okay. I have a broody hen. I left her in the nesting box with her 4 eggs. Today I go look and the other ladies have been giving her eggs and now she has 12.

I'm sure its an instinctive, save the species thing.

Question for chicken people. Should I have separated her and her eggs from the other hens when she first went broody or leave her in the nesting box?

I don't need 12+ baby chicks every time a lady goes broody. I was hoping to get 4 babies to replace the ones the fox ate.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Remember that not all eggs will hatch, nor will all the chicks survive. Either way you'll have a few spares, or you can eat any extras that you don't want.

 

[user 7704]

Some will be roos too. Just checked and one has 15 eggs and one has 7. Looks like 2 of the eggs have pipped, but I coyldnt take time to see if they were alive.

I moved the one with 15 eggs down to a less popular nesting box.

 

[Psalm7]

A good broody hen will stay on the nest a extra day to hatch as many as possible . But that 2nd day she will come off so her chicks can eat snd drink . A dozen eggs is a good nest full . I don't let hens keep laying with a setting hen .

 

[user 7704]

A good broody hen will stay on the nest a extra day to hatch as many as possible . But that 2nd day she will come off so her chicks can eat snd drink . A dozen eggs is a good nest full . I don't let hens keep laying with a setting hen .

Do you move the setting hen to an apartment or keep in same coop?

 

[user 7704]

I put food for mom in nest so I can give chick some starter too. I have the apartment ready for when they hatch. I saw two that had cracked but couldn't wait to see if they moved.

The one that has a chick has 7 eggs under her. It's another that has the 15 (just counted). She isn't due for about 15 more days.

 

[Dani]

I mark the original eggs that momma is sitting on and take out any added eggs. After the hatching is when they get separated out.

 

[user 7704]

Yeah, I marked mine last year. This year I wasn't too smart.

After I moved her to a new box, she moved back so I had to put the eggs back. I have appointments in the morning and will try to come up with some idea when I get home.

 

[Psalm7]

Do you move the setting hen to an apartment or keep in same coop?

I have put a small pen over the nest box and give her a water cup also have moved nest box to another stall . Just depends on how much room i have at the time .

 

[user 7704]

I separated them today.

The hen with the chick is not sitting on her remaining 5 eggs. No big loss.

The hen with the 14 eggs is sitting on her eggs so that is good. None of them are going to be ready for a few days.

 

[Psalm7]

My Daughter has Her new chicken house nearly finished . We have been baby sitting Her Americanas and Golden Commits .

 

[user 7704]

My Daughter has Her new chicken house nearly finished . We have been baby sitting Her Americanas and Golden Commits .

Is she building an apartment to acclimate new members to the family? I had to do mine later. It's the best thing I have done.

 

[Psalm7]

Is she building an apartment to acclimate new members to the family? I had to do mine later. It's the best thing I have done.

They are building some kind of luxury resort for them .

 

[user 7704]

Cool. Chicken swing, dirt bath spa, etc.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Cool. Chicken swing, dirt bath spa, etc.

That's exactly what my wife has planned for me to build; chicken swings! She already has special dirt baths for them. And here I thought my wife was the only chicken nut around.

 

[user 7704]

That's exactly what my wife has planned for me to build; chicken swings! She already has special dirt baths for them. And here I thought my wife was the only chicken nut around.

I have never purchased a chicken swing. Lol. I see them for sale in the books.

Mine just dig out holes sin the sad and make a dirt bath. MIT keeps off bugs.

 

[user 7704]

My hen is walking around in the apartment with the chick on her back. So cute. Of course, I didn't have a camera.

 

[user 7704]

So far I have 3 chicks. One hen had 1 live and 3 die after they pipped. (Looks like that would be a lung thing) and the other has hatched 2 that I've seen and 1 died after pipping.

They are all grey so I'll name them all "Grey". 11 more eggs to go.

 

[user 7704]

All of the storms and fireworks have cut my egg production. I dont get many, but I can tell a difference.

I let the "other" mom and her 2 checka out today for the first time. Good grief, one would get seperated and start yelling then the other.

The mom that has the elder chick tried to kidnap the babies. It was a cluster..... . . I'll try again tomorrow.

 

[user 7704]

First day free rangung for the 2 new chicks. One got wrapped in nylon fencing and I had to cut her out while the elders tried to kill me. The baby is safe and so am I.

I had a picture to share but it isn't allowing me. Your loss.

 

[Dani]

I an ou

First day free rangung for the 2 new chicks. One got wrapped in nylon fencing and I had to cut her out while the elders tried to kill me. The baby is safe and so am I.

I had a picture to share but it isn't allowing me. Your loss.

I nnderstand. . . But you do made me lsugh! My baby goat that get their heads stuck in the fence think I am trying to kill them getting them out.

 

[user 7704]

Heard the chickens going crazy and ran outside and there were 2 red foxes. I ran in and grabbed by gun, but they were gone.
One of the babies was missing, but later showed up hiding under the coop. Everyone is accounted for.
I will have to keep them in the run now. I hate that.

 

[Dani]

Heard the chickens going crazy and ran outside and there were 2 red foxes. I ran in and grabbed by gun, but they were gone.
One of the babies was missing, but later showed up hiding under the coop. Everyone is accounted for.
I will have to keep them in the run now. I hate that.

Better to be safe than sorry, hun. . . .

 

[user 7704]

I've kept them locked in run today. Not very happy. The roosters yell at anyone that walks outside.

 

[Psalm7]

Fox are fairly skiddish and very smart . If they think you are after them they should stay away .

 

[user 7704]

Fox are fairly skiddish and very smart . If they think you are after them they should stay away .

I fire a shot into the woods just to let them know I'm in charge

 

[Proud Prepper]

I was taking a walk in the woods and someone shot me. This was in Tennessee, beware

 

[tmttactical]

@Rellgar

I hope that was a long time ago event and not recent.

 

[user 7704]

@Rellgar

I hope that was a long time ago event and not recent.

My shot hit the dirt. I'll testify to that.

Did you really get shot or just messing with me?

 

[Proud Prepper]

My shot hit the dirt. I'll testify to that.

Did you really get shot or just messing with me?

Lol, that's from Robin, shooting in the woods