Storms and chickens

[mullethunter]

Definitely decided I'm not going to try to add hybrids to my bantams, but am going to hatch some pure breed bantam eggs in the spring.

 

I don't really want to go down the incubator route, but would prefer to use my top chicken Wyandotte bantam Penny when she goes broody. She seems pretty persistent without eggs so hopefully she'll sit well.

 

So, questions...

 

1) Does buying eggs from eBay work, and are there any specific sellers anyone would recommend, or suggest I avoid (please DM me with the latter).

 

2) Is it OK to just rely on the broody or do I need to have incubator / brooder standing by? That's a lot of expense to go to if they're not needed.

 

3) When do I move the broody from the shared nest box into the broody coop?

 

4) In an Eglu Go (not a question for you DM ) would I use just the poo tray and not the bars?

 

5) Would I continue to feed the broody on layers pellets until the chicks were born and then let her share the chick crumb (with cocci?)

 

6) Apologies if this offends - has anyone eaten a bantam cockerel?

 

Thanks all.

[Minnie&Moose]

Yes, we've eaten several bantam cockerels - they were about 5 months old at the time and there was enough on each of them (Scots Dumpy bantams) for 4 moderate helpings of a very nice chicken curry.

 

I can't answer anything re the Go - I don't have one - but I've always removed the broody to her own house and run and let her sit on a fake egg for several days after the move before giving her the fertile ones - just to make sure the move hadn't upset her. I've also always introduced the eggs at night as suggested in several of the books I've got - and I've not had any problems with broodies giving up/changing their minds.

[Cat tails]

Think you would need to build them a little ramp getting over the threshold so to speak. Also you mind need to put something in the poop tray that makes it less slippery. I think a layer of aubiose would still slide around.