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

[angel 0406]

hi all

here is my story i got my 5 girls last year in august 3 black silkies, 1 maran and 1 black rock they have settled in well there home is my garden shed then there in the garden all day ,eggs are good but only the 2 large hens and 1 silkie is laying the other 2 silkies are to younge yet bless.

 

so we made it throught the cold weather had a few coughts and sneezes but with extra hay ,treats to keep them warm and a few days in there home out of the snow sorted them right out there all in good health now.

 

then last thursday the silkie that was the one laying (her name is pinky, my daughter wanted a pink hen she is 3 and as we no pink hens are very rare indeed so we settled for the name pinky lol) started sitting on some eggs when i went to move her well lets say she was like a mad man pecking and shouting at me so i took a guess she is broody same thing happend in the night when i got the eggs and swapped them for golf balls she has been on them ever since 4 days now i did some research so i have moved her to a safe place and sectioned off some of there home for her made sure she has been off for food and water ect but shes sitting tight.

 

so i decided i wanted to hatch some babies ive ordered eggs off ebay light sussex as we dont have a cock and they should be here tomorrow or wed so i hope its not to late as i dont no how long she will sit on them, if they hatch what do i do then? i no about the food and water with stones so they dont get hurt but im scared its to cold for them i dont have a lamp and the shed dosnt have eletric so do i bring them in or will she just do what come natural and i should leave her alone if i take them in will she except them back? im have no idea!

 

i need some support and a helping hand along the way to make sure my hen and her chicks are ok

 

i dont no how many eggs to put under her either i no not all hatch so what to do we dont want to many chickens and im trying to find a good home for my other 2 silkies as we want hens that lay bigger eggs even thought the silkie eggs are so sweet to eat

 

please help nervous first time mum (chick mum )

[Griffin]

If you can keep her sectioned off in the shed she should be fine, she'll be able to keep her chicks warm if they have shelter. If she's a good broody she'll sit tight on the Sussex eggs for as long as it takes, thankfully chickens can't count so she doesn't know she will have sat for longer than 21 days in total.

 

As for how many eggs to use, it depends on her size and how many she can comfortably cover. One of my Silkies can cover 6 LF or 9 bantam eggs but my other Silkie is tiny and would only fit 4 LF I guess. However many you give her you could candle after a week and remove the infertile ones to make things easier for her.

 

Sussex chicks are easy to sex after a few days so if you're not able to keep a cockerel and don't want to raise the boys for the table it's easier to cull when they're little and you haven't had the chance to get to know them.

 

Pinky is a fab name My three year old named her Salmon Faverolle chick Sausage We now have a bit of a food theme running when naming our chooks, at least we'll never run out of names

[angel 0406]

hi

thanks griffin so she will keep them safe and warm herself great

pinky has a section in the shed closed off from the others with some chicken wire and ive but cardboard around the bottom half to stop drafts and to make her feel safe, she got plenty of hay on the floor and in her nest so heres to wating on the eggs what shall i do with them ive read to let them stand for about 10/12 hrs befor e placing them is that right?.should i place them under her in the night is that the best time?

 

how do you sex light sussexs i thought there all white im not sure what to look for

 

my girls names are

black rock is rocky

2 silkies pinky and perky

bolt is the last silkie (my stepson likes bolt the move lol)

and unfortunatly maran is maran couldnt find a name for her any ideas

 

thanks againim excited for my eggs now

[Griffin]

I usually leave eggs to stand for 24 hours, make sure you turn them a few times though just as you would if you were incubating them. Definitely put them under her when she's asleep. I've hatched quite a few Sussex chicks, both light and my favourite speckled. The boys comb starts growing after a few days, at that age there is a noticeable difference between the girls and boys combs. Definitely by a week old you can see a difference. As they approack the teenage weeks it sometimes becomes less obvious for a while.

[angel 0406]

HI

how do you sex them i thought they would all look the same till older or will there be a noticable difference in colour size .

 

just had an email off the ladie with the eggs and they were posted this morning hope they all arrive safe

[Egluntyne]

The boys will stand upright and the girls will have a lower posture in general.

 

Also the boys will have a slightly more obvious comb, although it takes a practiced eye, and mistakes can be made.

 

Girls tend to feather up quicker than boys.

 

Are you raising the boys for the table?

[craftyhunnypie]

Just a quick thought - Are you able to keep any boys, have plans to eat them or able to rehome them with someone you know?

I have only ever rehomed 2 cockerels, one because he was agressive & the other because I knew very early on that he was a boy & I couldn't keep any more at that time. - so he went to a friend. All the others I have kept. I am very very lucky to be able to do this.

 

I don't want to be a kill joy - far from it. I would encourage anyone to hatch eggs if they are able to & know how. But I presume you have thought about any boys? Also you should know about having a brooder ready, incase mummy hen rejects any chicks - or some need special care (splayed legd etc).

 

Using a broody is fabulous, as the hen does everything. Beautiful to watch. Your broody should eat & drink a few times a day & will leave the nest for about 10 - 15minutes a day. Don't worry this is normal, she needs to stretch her legs & will also do a humungous poo. Try & keep her broody coop as clean as possible, without disturbing the eggs. I also used to sprinkle red mite powder onto my broody, to discourage any red mites whilst she was broody. Mites love warm broody hens!

 

Good luck & I hope I haven't come across as a kill joy. I just want the best for your hen & any chicks ..& for you to enjoy the experience!

 

Emma.x

[angel 0406]

hi thanks for that i think i will set 5 eggs and see what happens i hope to have some girls but boys seem to over rule for some reason hope the one i dont pick is a boy lol i will not be keeping the boys

[angel 0406]

well pinky is still trying hard to hatch her golf balls and today is egg delivery day im sitting in waiting for mr post man to hury up i hope they dont get delivered while im out getting my daughter from nursery i will be very upset

 

im so excited

 

one thing pinky gets off the eggs in the morning when i open there house and has her food and drink and a walk around her own pen but hasnt really had a poo for a few days i then have to get her off for tea time but still hasnt been there is nothing in her nest either is this normal for broodys

 

thanks AMIE

[The Dogmother]

Broodies wil usually only do one enormous, smelly poo per day. Do makes sure that she gets off the nest and has something to eat and drink though.

[angel 0406]

thanks will keep an eye on her she gets off for breakfast on her own but i get her off for tea to have a run around the garden but havent seen her poo is usualy has a scratch in the grass and runs straight back

 

oh well she looks happy enought and i have seen her eat drink so now im waiting for this poo im finding it all exciting that she wants to be a mammy love her

 

amie

[The Dogmother]

I wouldn't worry too much if she seems happy enough. Just make sure that she stretches her legs twice a day until the last 4 days when she will want to sit non-stop.

[angel 0406]

hi well my next door neighbour just give me my eggs and said they were delivered yesturday morning and he forgot to give them to me i asked where had he kept them he in his kitchen

 

so what do i do now they have been standing all day yesturday and all night till now when ive got them ive opened them all are fine and ive turned them have they rested enought from the travel so i can set them tonight under pinky while she sleeps

 

what would you do ?

 

im just so excited to get started and hope she sits the duration

amie

[Egluntyne]

I'd put them in the nest box when she goes for her comfort break.

[angel 0406]

ok thanks for that i think they will be safer under her now im furious my naughty cat has just broken one he is not getting any love tonight off me mammy is cross with him now ive sent him to bed he is a bengal cat and all ways up to no good

 

there going under so day 0 on the calander yeah

 

amie