Wanted - Eglu Cube Mk1 Roosting Bars

[gizmo_geezers]

Hi,

 

I desperately need some advice on natural hatching of eggs for a first timer. I have an Eglu Classic and two hens, a Gingernut Ranger (Molly) and a Miss Pepperpot (Polly). A couple of weeks ago my Gingernut Ranger (Molly) became broody, so I purchased some fertile eggs from a reputable breeder on the 30th May and thankfully she has stayed on them since.

 

Based on my calculations they should be due any time after Friday 17th, as they are Bantum eggs.

 

I desperately need some advice on what to do when the chicks are born. There is lots of good advice around using incubators and brooders but not much about what needs to be done to the existing pen if going down the natural route.

 

I have a chick proof water dish, some chick crumb on stand by already.

 

I have not separated my hens, will the Miss Pepperpot (Polly) be ok with the chicks? I don't have another run that I can use, although I do have a dog cage if that would be of use, but it won't have a nice little hutch for her!

 

What do I need to do the Eglu, I looked at the small bird set but the reviews do not seem that good.

 

I was thinking about taking out the runners and putting down some rubber (non slip) in the poo tray, but then MIss Pepperpot (Polly) won't have any where to sit at night.

 

I know I will need to put something around the base of the run, I can sort that out.

 

If the chicks hatch in the nest area, will they be able to get out of it when they need to?

 

I am so eggcieted, I know that a lot is down to nature but I really want to do the best for my Gingernut Ranger (Molly) to give her the best chance I can to bring them up herself.

 

ANY HELP OR ADVICE PLEASE.................

[Redwing]

Sadly the Pepperpot is almost certainly a threat to the chicks, she will harm them or even kill them I'm afraid

 

You could move her out but she'll need a run bigger than the crate, she could sleep in the crate in a garage or shed though. If you choose to let the broody have the Eglu take out the bars and put bedding in the tray, one evening move the hen and eggs to the tray and shut the door for the night so she settles back on the eggs, that takes away the problem of the nest box, wood planks tent pegged around the bottom of the run will be ok

 

The other option would be to let teh Pepperpot have the Eglu and run as she will be more active and move the broody hen to the crate in a shed or garage to continue to sit, for the first week after hatch her and the chicks will be ok in the crate but you'll have to put some cardboard around the lower part so the chicks dont get their heads stuck through the wire. the time remaining till hatch plus that first week will give youu time to make, borrow or buy another house and run - a rabbit hutch and run would be ok for the hen and chicks until they get a bit older

 

At six weeks old or so the mother can be split from the chicks, they'll need to stay separate till about 18 weeks old at which point you'll need to decide whether to keep the girls and how to accomodate those as adults as the Eglu run wont be big enough

 

Dont forget the boys will need to be dealt with somehow

 

Good luck with the hatch

[laurmurf]

i've hatched using a broody so am happy to offer advice.

the first bit is that you've got to separate the broody and her eggs from your other hen, who could injure or kill the chicks... time to get out that dog crate!

 

You need to make sure the bars of the crate aren't so wide that the chicks could get through (you'd be surprised how little a gap they could get through) If you have the chicks in the run you need to put something around the run so they can't get out through the bars, or anything get in to them.

 

If you keep the broody in the eglu and move out the other hen then you need to take the roosting bars out of the eglu and fill the base with bedding material, don't try to keep the chicks in the nest box of the eglu, it isn't enough room for them.

 

Chicks grow really REALLY quickly, so will need some run space. You haven't mentioned how many you are hatching - i had a surprising 11 out of 12 hatch recently and am glad i've got the extra run space for them!

 

Have you thought how you'll deal with the boys? Have you got homes for any and all cockerels or are you prepared to cull them yourself or have someone who can cull them for you?

 

You need to think how you are going to keep chicks for 18 weeks before they can live with your older hen. You'll be aware that lots of farms had chooks wandering around and hatching themselves in spare corners but the reason this works is that there is lots of space for the broody to get away from other hens, 2 in an eglu won't allow for that I'm afraid.

[fluffy chick]

It's a bit late in the day but my friend often uses broodies to hatch eggs. She has lots of chickens in sheds and is very 'old school' about it and won't spend much money for such a short period. She takes the broody and puts (often them) in rabbit hutches, sheds, even a greenhouse once (wouldn't recommend!) until the eggs hatch and chicks start to wander about. Then she has a large cardboard box in a shed with the top cut off for the chicks to grow up in. You can use J cloths / newspapers and change every day. Once they are almost adult size she puts them in with the rest of her flock. She has remarkable success considering how laid back her arrangements are. Also she has been lucky so far that she hasn't ended up with so many cockerels she's had to kill any.

 

However your eglu will probably be too small to reintroduce the chicks. What do you intend to do with these chicks? Also as young bantams I wouldn't recommend mixing them with your big girls (jmo) but they may have a horrible time. If you put the broody back in before you put the chicks in don't expect her to protect them either. In your situation I would be looking at getting another eglu / coop.

[gizmo_geezers]

Wow, thank you for your quick responses. I need to get my act together!

 

I should have explained that we are in the process of building a very large run, incorporating the eglu as the nesting box/house. We have 8 eggs and we are hoping to keep 2 of the hens, we have had lots of interest with regard to re-homeing the others, including any cockerels, so no problems there.

 

Listening to the advice from you both, I think I will move the broody hen to the dog cage to hopefully hatch the eggs and will either buy or make a separate run and hutch for them to grow in for the first 18 weeks. This will allow me to carry on building and then move the eglu to the new run.

 

If I set up the dog box with some sort of protection to the lower part of the mesh, what would be the best thing to put on the floor? Also do I create a nest of straw to place the eggs in or should I put it in a shallow box?

 

I understand that the night time would be the best time of day to move her but should I move her now or nearer the time the eggs are due to hatch?

 

Thank you for your help with this I am not feeling so bewildered by it all, but still so eggcited!

[Egluntyne]

You need a separate Eglu and run or similar, sooner rather than later. Keeping the broody confined to a dog crate isn't going to be easy to manage. She will need to get up and stretch her legs a couple of times a day in the early stages of sitting, reducing to once a day later on.....and moving her to new accommodation when she is sitting may cause her to snap out of it and even eat the eggs. I'd suggest that you nip out and buy a cheap ark now, and have her established in it from the off.

 

As has been said, you need to give some consideration to what you will do with any cockerels ... unless you intend to raise them for the table.

[fluffy chick]

I'm wondering......thinking long term, would it make sense to keep your eglu and run for the bantams (when they've grown up a bit) and get a new runless coop to put in your walk in run for the big girls?

[gizmo_geezers]

Thank you to everyone that has responded, I am pleased to say that I have successfully moved Molly to the (very large) dog cage this evening. She is now sitting on the eggs in the safety of the garage.

 

I have taken a photo but don't seem to be able to load it, but she has settled in ok and is back on the eggs.

 

After the advice given, I have decided to get a cube for the big chickens to go in to the new run and then put the bantams in the eglu when they are old enough. Then when they are grown they can join the others.

 

Now I have a week to wait, it will be 18 days on Friday and 21 days on Monday. I just hope that after all Molly's hard work she gets at least one reward!

[fluffy chick]

Good plan.

 

Be prepared though, bantams are hard to introduce to an established group of big girls

[atsw]

I have taken a photo but don't seem to be able to load it.

Not your fault, one of the forum rules prevents 'newbies' from posting pictures. Once you have contributed a few more questions/replies to the forum, you'll be allowed to post pictures too.

 

Andrew

[cathybf]

Good Luck !

We have seven eggs due to hatch on Monday too. Look forward to hearing how it goes !

[gizmo_geezers]

We didn't think that we would be posting this so soon but we are VERY pleased to announce the arrival of our first chick.

 

We came home from work and one of our eight eggs has hatched and there was a little chirping noise coming from underneath Molly. When we eventually saw it, it was already walking around all nice and dry, a lovely yellow chick.

 

Wow, this is so exciting!

[atsw]

Fantastic , take some pictures when you get a chance. I think you can upload them to the forum once you have accumulated 5 posts, so you're almost there.

 

Andrew

[fluffy chick]

would love to see them!

[gizmo_geezers]

A quick update, day 17 and we have another chick, this time a black one! Hopefully I will be able to post a picture of them soon. We took a picture of the new chick and didn't realise at the time but the photo has another egg pipping, how many will we have when we get home? This is so eggciting.