Omlet cube and run

[cluckingmad]

So soooooo excited - Hubby has relented and allowed me to hatch eggs under our broody, Nutmeg Shes a buff sussex and in great condition, she frequently goes broody so as we want to increase our flock it seems now is the time to let nature take its course

 

So... Plan is to move her into the eglu classic on her own (the other hens are getting mauled by her when they try to get in to the cube to lay ) but not sure whether to leave the classic in the run with the cube? The girls have a 3m x 3m WIR with a long strip on the garden fenced off as an outdoor run which they go out in daily. Have heard some folk keep the broody in with the existing flock and she raises the chicks and deals with integration issues. However, equal number of folk have looked at me in horror at the very suggestion, and recommend keeping the broody separate in the classic with its attached run NEXT to the established outdoor run so everyone can see, hear and smell each other but not physically interact. Is either method better than the other?

 

We're picking up hatching eggs at the weekend, so Nutmeg is being gently moved to her new accomodation with a clutch of eggs (infertile) this evening. Assuming she's still sitting happily on Saturday, new fertile eggs will be substituted for the infertile ones on Sunday after the eggs have been left to settle overnight in the kitchen (is that right?!), and she's turfed off the next to poo/eat/drink/etc. Then its a waiting game. Will make sure she gets off daily for lifes essentials, but don't plan on interfering at all unless she decides to cease to be broody in which case we'll step in and incubate the eggs.

 

Have I missed anything? xxx

[sjp]

broody and chicks need their own run as the chicks need chick crumb up to 6 weeks old the growers until at least 18 weeks old or the first egg I do let mine out to free range with the mob from about 4 days old but I now my 2 broodies can look after the chicks plus my mob are used to having chicks out and about as most of mine have been with the mob since they were a few days old