What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[gardengirl+]

Hi I have two broody bantams and going to get some hatching eggs for them

thinking of going to get 2 one for each

but how many of your eggs have come out as hens

 

Is it good just to go for 2 eggs and hope they are both going to be hens or get more eggs?

 and how many

help any advice needed first time doing this

[The Dogmother]

Depends on what size bantams, but if you get just 2 eggs, you are likely to get no chicks at all - I would set 4-6 under each bird and see what happens.

The sex ratio is anyone's guess, so you'll need to plan homes for any cockerels, or be happy to grow them on for the table yourself.

Don't forget to have a separate broody set-up away from the rest of the flock; this will need to be big enough for both hens (if you plan to let them hatch together - see the thread on a bullying broody) and enough room in the run for them as they get bigger before they are able to integrate with the rest of the flock.. Get it cleaned, sprayed and powdered before you set the hens on eggs. In the meantime, pop a pot egg under each to keep them on the boil.

You'll need to keep it all scrupulously clean with Viratec-P (see thread on Coccidiosis) and have chick crumbs ready fro them to eat until they are 6 weeks old and big enough for growers.

[gardengirl+]

Will the other bantams not be able to be in the house with them I have 4 bantams all together in one house with run then free to run around plot when we are there

Do not all eggs hatch out then I thought they would, any males will go to another house rehome them if I can

[Cat tails]

Not all eggs will hatch as you can’t see if they are fertile before they start developing. 
You really need to separate them from at least the others. I know some here have had a tandem hatch with two broodies together, but there is no way of knowing if that is going to work.

Do think about the number of chickens you’ll end up with and if you can house them. If not, start looking for homes BEFORE you start hatching. If you can’t find suitable homes, you should rethink. Same goes for number of cockerels. In the worst case scenario you’ll end up with just cockerels and no hens, there is no way of knowing this before they hatch.

[mullethunter]

In total over the last 2 years I have incubated (some under a broody some in an incubator) 29 eggs. Six were not fertile as was suspected as the cockerel had a gammy leg (!) so call it 23 eggs. Most of those (all but 6) were eBay eggs so had come through the post which I don’t think helps, but in total out of those I’ve hatched 9 chicks of which 2 were hens. I think that is especially poor / unlucky, but just an illustration of what can happen.

Edited August 11, 2020 by mullethunter

[gardengirl+]

Hello all

I went and managed to get 3 eggs for a white silky chicken and have now put them under the 2 broody hens

I gave the coop and run a good clean out first

It was just after 12 lunch time yesterday -  so I guess today counts as day one?

[mullethunter]

Yep. Good luck.

[gardengirl+]

Can I ask what food do you give mums and chicks?

[mullethunter]

Chick crumb. It’s food formulated for the chicks but the mum will be fine eating it too.

[gardengirl+]

Thank you want to be prepared for the eggs to hatch - that is good I guess that means that mummy teaches the chicks to eat

[Egluntyne]

I would start doing some  research now into what to do with any cockerels that hatch, and how to identify them. 
 

I only once manage to hatch an all girl set of hens. 

[gardengirl+]

Well so far none of the eggs hatched, Me really upset light crack on one from me by mistake day 13 then I managed to put tape and candle wax on it to seal it then back under the girls about a week just under it had got more cracked by girls as they seemed to like to eat the wax  - smelt bad so had to remove the egg thought I would look in the egg and a cute little chick was forming so upsetting my fault for that egg

so am down to the two eggs,  tried to candle eggs not so easy in day managed to do later bit darker candled eggs and can see chicks in there

but now day 35 so late not sure they are going to hatch at all so upsetting stress full,    I have got the chick food

not sure whether to get some more chicken eggs try again?   any thoughts   with the girls so want the eggs to hatch

I know the girls got up once or twice a day for food and drink, poop and a dust bathe - would it be something they done or me to why they haven't hatched

[mullethunter]

I’m sorry to say but they won’t hatch now. That’s 2 weeks too long.

If I were you I’d wait until next year now otherwise you’re going to have young chicks when they weather is getting cold and the days short. 

Next time, I’d suggest more eggs to give yourself a better chance.

Sorry it didn’t work out - I know it is upsetting. It’s impossible to say why they didn’t hatch - you could crack them open to see what stage of development they got to which might give you a clue, but as you have already found, that could upset you even more.