Thanks for the reassurance! We're going to rig up a "roof" for her pen as we think she flew out.
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1. A few more would be better since you would have a better chance of having 2 or more chicks hatch. It is easier for them to adjust to their mom leaving them in the future when they have a buddy. If she's already been sitting on the eggs for a few days it is too late to add more.I’ve only had chickens since June and am relatively new to all this. One of my hens has become broody. She’s a year old Black Copper Maran Mix. I gave her 3 eggs and separated her from the rest of the flock. She’s still in the coop, but in a large dog crate.
Anyway, I have some questions, I’m hoping some of you experts can help me with.
1) Is 3 eggs too few? Should I have given her more eggs? I suppose it’s too late now anyway.
2) I gave her food and water in her pen and she promptly spilled everything. I’m thinking of maybe using the little dish waterers and feeders that I used with my chicks in their brooder box. Any suggestions on setting up her food and water so she doesn’t trash everything?
3) When is the best time to candle? Is it Days 10 and 17? Do I really need a special light, or can I use a flashlight?
4) When and if the eggs hatch, the dog crate bars are such that the chicks will be able to go through the bars, but the hen cannot. Should I cover the bars or will they stay with her?
5) When is it OK to let everyone out of the pen and be with the rest of the flock?
6) If the eggs are not viable and don’t hatch, can I replace them with live chicks? I’ve heard of people doing this, but would like to know how successful this is.
Thanks!
I’ve only had chickens since June and am relatively new to all this. One of my hens has become broody. She’s a year old Black Copper Maran Mix. I gave her 3 eggs and separated her from the rest of the flock. She’s still in the coop, but in a large dog crate.
Anyway, I have some questions, I’m hoping some of you experts can help me with.
1) Is 3 eggs too few? Should I have given her more eggs? I suppose it’s too late now anyway.
2) I gave her food and water in her pen and she promptly spilled everything. I’m thinking of maybe using the little dish waterers and feeders that I used with my chicks in their brooder box. Any suggestions on setting up her food and water so she doesn’t trash everything?
3) When is the best time to candle? Is it Days 10 and 17? Do I really need a special light, or can I use a flashlight?
4) When and if the eggs hatch, the dog crate bars are such that the chicks will be able to go through the bars, but the hen cannot. Should I cover the bars or will they stay with her?
5) When is it OK to let everyone out of the pen and be with the rest of the flock?
6) If the eggs are not viable and don’t hatch, can I replace them with live chicks? I’ve heard of people doing this, but would like to know how successful this is.
Thanks!
Good advice already from the others.I’ve only had chickens since June and am relatively new to all this. One of my hens has become broody. She’s a year old Black Copper Maran Mix. I gave her 3 eggs and separated her from the rest of the flock. She’s still in the coop, but in a large dog crate.
Anyway, I have some questions, I’m hoping some of you experts can help me with.
1) Is 3 eggs too few? Should I have given her more eggs? I suppose it’s too late now anyway.
2) I gave her food and water in her pen and she promptly spilled everything. I’m thinking of maybe using the little dish waterers and feeders that I used with my chicks in their brooder box. Any suggestions on setting up her food and water so she doesn’t trash everything?
3) When is the best time to candle? Is it Days 10 and 17? Do I really need a special light, or can I use a flashlight?
4) When and if the eggs hatch, the dog crate bars are such that the chicks will be able to go through the bars, but the hen cannot. Should I cover the bars or will they stay with her?
5) When is it OK to let everyone out of the pen and be with the rest of the flock?
6) If the eggs are not viable and don’t hatch, can I replace them with live chicks? I’ve heard of people doing this, but would like to know how successful this is.
Thanks!
Good advice already from the others.
Food & water: I like to hang a nipple drinker & add a second, lower one when the chicks arrive. (Don't try if your broody doesn't know how to use one) These waterers are very inexpensive, simple to make, & keep the water clean / bedding free. Likewise I've made my own feeders. I just use smaller pieces. The hen can use it while brooding & the chicks learn to use it in their second week. (I deal with the chick feeder or bowl in the very beginning until the chicks are big enough to reach their heads inside. At that point, everything's easy again.
To make a waterer, simply buy a chicken nipple & grabd something from the recycle bin. Drill hole. Screw in. There must be a small air hole at top for the pressure to work. My young chicks prefer the vertical nipples. I like the horizontal ones (last pic) for the rest of the flock.
The feeder is a 90' pvc elbow with the ends sawed off. Front end must have a lip so it can be glued to the flat face of the container. Chicks must be big enough to reach their heads inside. The work well for travel feeders & a wire hanger can be added.
If you have an old infant play yard, travel dog fence, or "Peck N Play" (yes that's what it's called & it's made for chickens) you can put mom & chicks in the grass right away. The walls keep them safe from the rest of the flock & allows the other hens to "Look but no touch." Make sure top is covered if you have hawks. (They'll take a chick right in front of you!) I mention the "Peck N Play" because I have used it often to brood chicks as well as a travel cage when I bring chickens to schools, girl scouts, 4H events, etc. It provides more space for the birds to run around while they're safe from little poking fingers. Folds up small & light for the car rides.
This is what I mean by a play yard. We just tie a large piece of cardboard across the top. Chicks go back inside the garage for safety at night.
Last year I set eggs under a broody & in an incubator on the same day. I slipped the day old incubator chicks under mom & she simply adopted them. I don't think it would have worked if there was more than a few day age difference.
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You've gotten great advice. I'll just add to #4 and #5 suggestions by saying I have used cardboard zip-tied to a wire dog crate with great success. The chicks will get out and not always get back in if the wire is left plain. I am posting a picture of how I did one of mine. I used high cardboard in the back to give "privacy" and lower cardboard in the front half and on the door side so I could see in, the flock could see in and the mama and chicks got some ventilation. Be sure there are no gaps where the cardboard meets or they will find a way to get stuck there.I’ve only had chickens since June and am relatively new to all this. One of my hens has become broody. She’s a year old Black Copper Maran Mix. I gave her 3 eggs and separated her from the rest of the flock. She’s still in the coop, but in a large dog crate.
Anyway, I have some questions, I’m hoping some of you experts can help me with.
1) Is 3 eggs too few? Should I have given her more eggs? I suppose it’s too late now anyway.
2) I gave her food and water in her pen and she promptly spilled everything. I’m thinking of maybe using the little dish waterers and feeders that I used with my chicks in their brooder box. Any suggestions on setting up her food and water so she doesn’t trash everything?
3) When is the best time to candle? Is it Days 10 and 17? Do I really need a special light, or can I use a flashlight?
4) When and if the eggs hatch, the dog crate bars are such that the chicks will be able to go through the bars, but the hen cannot. Should I cover the bars or will they stay with her?
5) When is it OK to let everyone out of the pen and be with the rest of the flock?
6) If the eggs are not viable and don’t hatch, can I replace them with live chicks? I’ve heard of people doing this, but would like to know how successful this is.
Thanks!
That is too cute.You've gotten great advice. I'll just add to #4 and #5 suggestions by saying I have used cardboard zip-tied to a wire dog crate with great success. The chicks will get out and not always get back in if the wire is left plain. I am posting a picture of how I did one of mine. I used high cardboard in the back to give "privacy" and lower cardboard in the front half and on the door side so I could see in, the flock could see in and the mama and chicks got some ventilation. Be sure there are no gaps where the cardboard meets or they will find a way to get stuck there. I move mine out during the day (weather permitting) into a chicken tractor on grass when they are 2 or 3 days old. Once the rest of the flock has gone to roost in the evening. I open the tractor door and shoo the mama and chicks out. She takes then to the coop (mine has ground level access), often stopping and scratching and showing them goodies, and into the broody box. I close them up and repeat for the next week or so. By that time, the chicks know mama and the flock knows they are "members". I let them out of the tractor earlier, when the flock is still out but starting to think about going to roost. The mamas will eventually stop taking them to the crate and use one of the lower nest boxes. At that point, I'll remove the crate......or clean it and get it ready for the next one!![]()
Same hen and her brood at 4 weeks old on a low ladder perch that is resting on the abandoned crate.
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