heth1986 Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 As above! I've been trying to 'break' my very persistent broodies for the past couple of weeks, completely unsuccessfully, and they now seem to be sat on a dozen (hopefully) fertilized eggs... oops I very much doubt that they will all hatch but I'm going to wait and see what happens, I'm hatching them for a friend who has a small holding up the road from me so at least I know that they will all have a lovely free range home to go to! I do, however, have 2 questions as I've never hatched before... 1) My girls are currently sat in their usual house, which is raised a couple of feet up off he floor. They don't have a ramp and have to jump up to get in there. Obviously I can't leave the chicks in there because they'll drop out like lemmings. I have a temporary ground level house for when they are hatched but should I move the broodies and the eggs now or should I wait until they have hatched? 2) Will my girls fall out over the chicks?! Will they need separate accommodation etc once the chicks are hatched or will they be okay left together? I'm very excited but also a little nervous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 If it was me I'd move them now and if you're in this country I think they will need to be inside soon. We'll soon be getting frosts and very short days so if they stop sitting it'll probably be a good thing and you can let them sit in the spring. I'm so jealous I'd love to hatch next year but am a wuss when it comes to the boys. I'll have to just keep fighting the broody girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Yes I would move them now best in the dark and then leave them to it i still have broody s Sat on eggs I've had broody s in December they are fine mum knows what she's doing good luck leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 To be honest I hope for your sake they don't hatch Heth1986. It is getting cold and the hens will be struggling to keep the eggs warm. They can just 'burn out' in an attempt to keep the temperature up, so you will need to keep a very careful eye on them and make sure they are eating and drinking enough. A couple of months ago we did the same thing. She became ill and we pulled her off the nest. She only had one egg left because she had thrown the rest out, which had broken. She still hasn't recovered properly due to going into a moult immediately afterwards. Ours go immediately into separate ground level (and very secure) rearing units. There is a small coop attached to a run and the whole unit can be lifted and moved in one piece. The hen's poos are going to be very stinky and you don't want chicks running through it. You may need to provide additional heat at night, so you need to think about collecting heat lamps and cabling. I would candle the eggs at day 10 and remove duds. The fewer eggs they have the greater the hatch success rate. We gave ours just 6, which a large fowl hen can cover easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 I've had 2 or clutches hatch in January/February under a broody the last time 2 winters before last the temp dropped to -10 the night before the chicks hatched all but one of the eggs hatched the one that failed to hatch was one I'd given the benefit of doubt to on day 18 all chicks grew up well. personally I do a lot better hatch wise with early and later in the year hatches than spring ones to the point that I'm not going to hatch between April and June no matter how determined the broodies are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heth1986 Posted September 21, 2014 Author Share Posted September 21, 2014 Thanks for the replies, i shall get them shifted. I must say they seem pretty toasty enough as they are at the moment but if the weather does turn then they can move into my shed/kennel/thing that is attached to my garage, i have power and lighting in there. I bought my last lot of chicks up in there (november onwards last year) so we should be okay. im just panicking a little because ive never actually hatched before, nor used a broody... i guess they know best at the end of the day so i shall see what happens... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Shed kennel sounds great if it gets to cold ive had 25 broodys this year been doing it now nearly 10 years never lost a broody yet goodluck leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Good luck from me too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heth1986 Posted September 26, 2014 Author Share Posted September 26, 2014 just to clarify... should i separate the 2 broodies? at the moment they are both snuggled up on the same clutch of eggs so i can either kick one of them out and just have the one broody, split the eggs and seperate the eggs and hens onto different nests or just leave them together??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Hi you can do either I know loads of people who have had 2 broodies rear one batch of eggs ive tried once but one broody was trying to mother chicks and one was trying to kill them so had to split now I always split mine but its upto you really leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxigirl Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 I gave into the very (year long) persistent Dolly and bought her some (well 18 + 3 of Sushi's girls) for her 2nd go this year. Half went in the incubator and half under her and 8 hatched, she squashed one 2nd night (great ham footed oaf), but the others are now a week old and coming along very well. They're ensconced in the greenhouse with her run. She's a great big fluffy Orpington. They'll be fine with just a little assistance accomodation wise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
