4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[catherinej]

Hi,

 

My Pekin has been broody for some time so i have decided to get some fertilised eggs for her to hatch.

 

I understand from what i have read that she will do all the work - turning the eggs etc, but I am wondering what happends once they hatch. Do I still need a brooder? Will she be ok in my eglu with the chicks or do i need to move her? I know i have to keep them appart from my big chickens until they are about 18 weeks, so I was going to keep them in the eglu and run. Do I need to get her off the nest to feed and drink?

 

Any advice welcome. Thanks

[teri]

hi

i would keep her seperate while she is sitting and leave her with the chicks after they hatch. she will teach them everything they need to know about being a chicken and keep them warm so no need for a brooder! some people seperate the chicks from mum after they are about a week old as they think it makes them easier to handle, i prefer to leave them where they are!

as far as lifting her of the nest to feed and poo, some girls will do this for themselves, mine did. keep an eye on her and note down what time and how long she is off, you will probably find she keeps to a similar pattern each day. that way you will know if she needs lifting off. she will be most likley to stay stuck after day eighteen as she knows they are close to hatching. as long as she poos once a day she will be fine. I offered mine food and drink by hand towards the end because as soon as she pooed she was back on the nest!

hope this helps good luck with the

[catherinej]

Thanks. What do you think about using the eglu? I was going to get a cube for my other hens and let broody hen have the eglu but other people seem to be suggesting a large box for the broody hen. I don't know if new chicks would fall though the roosting bars!?

[atsw]

A separate box is best. Some (me!) use a sturdy cardboard box, some use a cat box, some a rabbit hutch - depends on the size of your chook. If you use an Eglu, then remove the nesting bars and fill the area around the next box with a filler, such as Auboise or Easibed. Once hatched the chicks will run around quite happily and can get back under Mum in the nest box very easily.

 

Lots of folks here have hatched recently, take some time to look at all their pictures to get an idea of what other have done.

 

Andrew

[teri]

Thanks. What do you think about using the eglu? I was going to get a cube for my other hens and let broody hen have the eglu but other people seem to be suggesting a large box for the broody hen. I don't know if new chicks would fall though the roosting bars!?

 

I managed to get a small rabbit hutch of freecycle!

i attached a run i already had but the chicks escaped through the bars on day two!!! so i had to put some smaller mesh around. i leave the hutch door open during the day and the chicks come in and out as they please, usually under strict instructions from mum!!! i shut the hutch door at night just so i know they are all together.

 

 

 

 

I dont have an egloo for my bigger girls either, just a three tier rabbit hutch and a home built pen! it does the trick, the girls love sliding down the ramps between each tier!

 

I have put my chicks and mum next door to my bigger girls and they are already getting aquainted, quite safely through the bars, i'm hoping this will make things easier when introducing them properly!!?? you never know

Edited June 24, 2009 by Guest

[Egluntyne]

If you use the Eglu.....remove the roosting bars. You are right, the chicks will fall through them.

 

The poo tray will need to have something non slip covering it , and a little step or ramp up into the Eglu will be useful at first.

[catherinej]

Very cute chicks. Can anyone tell me where I can get Auboise or Easibed from? I've never heard of them! Also, any suggestions on what i could use as a non-slip base for the eglu? Thanks

[The Dogmother]

You should be able to get it from any equine or feed supplier. If they don't stock it, most will happily order it.

 

I have used a rablu with great success - ideal for the job.

[atsw]

Also, any suggestions on what i could use as a non-slip base for the eglu? Thanks

Just fill the whole lot up with Abuiose or Easibed, hey presto, you have a non-slip surface.

 

Andrew

[The Dogmother]

I made a nest out of Aubiose in the lid from a photocopying paper box (one side cut out) and then used that rubberised webbing they sell in hardware stores for invalids to use on trays etc. It's washable and non-slip.

[Phosphorus]

I used the eglu for my broody and eggs. Took out roosting bars and filled up with aubiose (can get from horse suppliers try any in your area or farm equipment suppliers which sell feed etc). Once chicks had hatched, well a day or so before, I put kitchen cloths over the aubiose to give the chicks something to grip on and help them not eat the aubiose. Took it out after a few days. I didn't need a ramp up to the eglu - the chicks seemed to jump up in quite easily. Fill the surround around the nesting box quite high though as there is quite a drop without roosting bars.

 

My broody got off the nest every 2 to 3 days, I started lifting her every day but then it got embarrassing when I automatically lifted her off and found she had already been out and done the business (broody poos really whiff!).

 

I also put corn in a pot and water in a drinker for her inside the eglu so that she could eat and drink easily. Corn keeps the poos firmer - she doesn't need the layers pellets when being broody.

 

Oh and dust well for red mite before leaving her as they are really suceptible when broody. Mite can kill chicks and a persistent broody hen

 

Best of luck.