Eglu Go With 2m Run For Sale

[dance in the dark]

I have just ordered some hatching eggs for large fowl silver laced wyandottes. My plan is to hatch them under a hen, but my orpington has already been broody a couple of days, if I get the eggs next week will that still be fine? Do you need to wait for a hen to go broody to incubate the eggs, or do you just put the eggs in the nest, and hope she takes the hint?

 

Also, I cannot seem to find an answer to this anywhere, if I have her hatch the eggs in a house with a ramp (I mean a wooden ramp, not a cube ladder) is that a problem once the chicks come outside? Or will they be able to manage the ladder ok?

 

If anyone has any general advice on things to watch out for with a broody hen that would be amazing! Most advice I seem to find is about raising using an incubator and a broody box.....Help!!!

[Egluntyne]

You have to wait for the hen to go broody. Hopefully your hen will be well established in her broodiness by the time the eggs arrive.

 

Re the ramp, it depends on how steep it is, but I would suggest that it is probably not a good idea at first.

 

I suggest you get hold of a copy of A Guide to Hatching and Rearing by Katie Thear click as it is full of useful advice for anyone embarking on hatching.

[sjp]

I moved this years brood into a raised coop at about 2 weeks old but I replaced the ramp with stairs made from concrete blocks and they coped fine the coop in about 500mm off the ground and each step is 100mm high and about 200mm x 200m about half a block square

you'll need to keep your broody on a couple of pot eggs or golfballs untill you get your eggs to keep her broody