[rosie14]

Hello all, so glad I've found this forum it looks fab. 

I'm Rosie and a newby here (my first chicken post ever lol!!) We are an animal loving family of 5 (3 children 2-7) plus a hamster, rabbit, dog and 3 glorious hens. All our pets are from rescue apart from a Gold Laced Orpington (who is my broody!) and a Wellsummer. We also have a black rescue/rehomed hen who is about 6 now and looking old but who oddly laid all over winter and spring but given up now and her cone is no longer bright red! We have in the past had ex. barn hybrid hens and light Sussex too.

The 2 young hens are not yet a year old and the Orpington has been broody for about 5 days now. I went 5 mins up the road and collected 5 fertile Cream Legbar eggs yesterday morning and slipped them under her yesterday evening no problem and she is happilly sitting still now.

Now I wasn't really 'prepared' for this and thought I'd put them under and see what happens, we're all for as natural as possible and would like the hen to do the care from start to finnish, she should be capable after all right? Since reading up on the internet it seems there are different methods and opinions on what to do not to do etc plus I have realised she should probably not be witht he other hens in such close proximity-more when/if the chicks appear.

We are detatched in a semi urban location and have a 30 foot by 5 foot run against the wall of our house and next doors 6 foot fencing (same fencing accross rear) the rest is completely enclosed with strong mesh but partially covered at both ends. At the far end we have the 4 very large, deep nesting boxes (would easily take 8 hens but we only ever have 3 or 4 hens due to 'living' space). The broody would always share with the Welsummer but since broody the Welsummer is in with the Black hen next door lol! So no probs. there. The nesting boxes are off the floor by 1/2 a foot and are partially covered with light towelling so they are never shut up and can rise as early as the sun rises!

OK so a few q's now you know our set up! What do I do re turning eggs most people seem to say turn but it seems most also incubate artificially. I have not turned them (didn't think I had to) and am reluctant to keep disturbing her to do so.

I'm not sure if she's been getting off to eat and have food even before setting the eggs but don't think so now as when I read that broody hens had indeed starved themselves before I got the eggs I offered her water and it was clear she was really thirsty and then offered some corn and grated veg. she wolfed it down (I then felt really awful)  so I have now placed a small dish for food and a small pot for fresh water. Should I get her up to clean her droppings from under her then as I haven't seen her off the nest for days this is her 5th day broody now? Also if she's not getting up to see to herself (I assume this is happening) then I assume the eggs aren't getting turned so what do I do...anything or nothing?

The nest boxes are off the floor with a significant lip of wood to the front and they get into them by a ridged plank of wood and kind of drop in but not a big drop if you know what I mean? I have given no thought into how to keep the chicks (if we get them)
with the other hens as I didn't realise they could potentially kill them. Although we have a really good size moveable (tiny galvanized meshed) rabbit run would it be best to move them when they hatch out or before hatching assuming we get that far?
 
So sorry for such a long winded first post hopefully you more experienced hatchers can help us  thanks for reading

[Casey76]

OK... first of all you should move the broody hen to a secure location where she wont be bothered by the other hens.

Do you have a secure coop for your hens?  Nesting boxes are for laying in, not for sleeping in.

The broody hen will turn the eggs herself.  You must lift her off the nest twice a day so she can stretch her legs, eat, drink and toilet.

You will need to get in a supply of chick crumbs, and a chick waterer (which are specifically made so the chicks can't fall in and drown).

As you have cream legbars, they are sexable at a day old, once they have fluffed up.  I strongly recommend you cull the boys immediately.

Good luck

[rosie14]

OK... first of all you should move the broody hen to a secure location where she wont be bothered by the other hens.

Hi thanks so much for your reply, she isn't being bothered ow but should I move her now? Could this potentially put her off sitting?

Do you have a secure coop for your hens?  Nesting boxes are for laying in, not for sleeping in.

Sorry a bit confused by coop,do you mean hen house sort of thing? If so no. They are completely enclosed and very sheltered and protected. The nesting boxes are up one end off the floor but covered both sides and over the top is covered by 6 foot I guess so it's like an open fronted shed if you like there are roosting perchesbut they always go into the large nesting boxes. My dad has over 30 hens and we used to count them every night and they didn't all roost on perches they too used the boxes or the floor even if there was room on the perches, I thought our set up was ok - i'm not saying this in a funny way at all 



The broody hen will turn the eggs herself.  You must lift her off the nest twice a day so she can stretch her legs, eat, drink and toilet.

OK will do that I was just worried if I disturbed her she might not sit again you see!

You will need to get in a supply of chick crumbs, and a chick waterer (which are specifically made so the chicks can't fall in and drown).

Check 

As you have cream legbars, they are sexable at a day old, once they have fluffed up.  I strongly recommend you cull the boys immediately.

I will be doing the above one reason why I wanted cream  legbars! They are also beautifull have such lovely coloured eggs  I cannot believe I used to ring the necks of my dad's hens as a young girl but don't think I could do a fully grown one these days! Maybe it's because these are my own hens and I really know them where as my dad had so many I never rally got attatched
 who knows?!
Good luck thankyou once again for your advice

[ANHBUC]

Advice as Casey said but make sure your broody house is not off the floor as the chicks can easily die if they fall from a normal coop ramp.

Found this article which may answer most of your questions
http://poultrykeeper.com/chickens/incubation-and-hatching/incubation-using-a-broody-hen.html  

Good luck.  

[rosie14]

Thanks so much for your replies. I have seen that link already and it's very helpfull, however I do not have a seperate coop waiting for my hen bad on my part I didn't realise I'd have to seperate her from the others 

I lifted her off at lunch time (she wasn't happy lol!) and she is indeed bald underneath which is a good sign I believe. I have now removed her food nd water dishes from inside the nesting box and plan to lift her morning and evening like advised. After 15 minutes off of the nest and a spot of lunch however she hadn't gone back on her nest I didn't know what to do so picked her up and put her at the bottom of the ramp and she then took herself in and settled back on her eggs phew!

Should I have left her off longer and not interfered? How long can they stay off of their eggs? Sorry for lots of Q's folks

[joyfull]

Hi Rosie - do you have what is called a fresh air house? Popular in the U.S.A. I do believe.

One of the main problems with keeping a broody in the same nest boxes as the chicks is that the other hens will also want her to hatch their eggs and so will force her out so they can lay there. Mark the ones you want her to hatch and remove the others every day. Chicks are also fed on different food until they reach about 18 weeks - they start on chick crumb and then at 6 weeks start to go over onto rearers (also known as growers and finishers), now the other hens may well be partial to these other feeds but it doesn't contain everything they need for laying so this is another reason to keep the chicks and broody separate. The broody can eat their feed until she decides to go back to the other hens and start laying again.
A broody is fine being off her eggs for a few hours (one of mine was off for half a day and they still hatched ok).

[rosie14]

Hi thanks for reply, I'm probably being thick but are you meaning my set up is called a fresh air house for my chickens? Or do I have one? <<<<not sure what one is lol!!

I copied our set up from the breeder where we got our light sussex and a regular hybrid from. I like the idea of them going to bed and getting up when they want not when the coop gets open in the morning. We've used this system for about 4 years. We're in Kent and suffered heavy snow last year and the 3 chickens we had thento our amazement still laid 3 a day most days!!!!

Anyway I digress lol! I understand the need to move her and realise I HAVE to for her chicks' sake but right now the other 2 hens are not bothering her at all and are quite happy in the other large nest box together and laying and roosting in there. But appreciate she will need moving soon. I did another post re my options and value others' words of wisdom 

Thanks so much for letting me know it's ok for her to be off the eggs for some time I don't want to interfere with her really so going back in her own time works for me, it seems she will not leave the nest box to have food and water unless I lift her mind! Like having a firstborn all these daft questions!!   

[joyfull]

this is what I meant by fresh air housing:-

http://www.nortoncreekpress.com/fresh-air-poultry-houses2.html

[rosie14]

Hello, the ethos is the same I guess but ours doesn't look like the ones on the pictures lol!

If you imagine the wall of the side of our house (almost 30 foot long) and a 6 foot solid wooden panelled fence parallel the other side (about 4/5 foot measurement accross in diameter) with also the same fencing to the rear of the run and a wire mesh door and roof. It's a south facing garden so a very light spot that gets the shade in the afternoons but that said the nesting boxes and perches are covered on the top of the rrofing mesh att he far end with clear wriggly plastic iykwim? and the food and water are near the gate to the opposite end had sheets of wood so the middle section is open to the elements, very airy indeed! It's a mud floor (was grass once lol!!) which we rake and shovel up.

Because of it's long narrow shape it's not easy to divide and seperate mum to be although I wonder if we can do something about that with some extra wire and a box or the rabbit hutch in there along the long side.....need to think! Although I'd prefer her to be out on the lawn with the youngsters in the big rabbit run ideally. Depending on what people write on my other post when and where to move her I prob. wont bother until after the eggs are candled so I can be sure not to waste efforts and move her unnecessarily.

thanks

[joyfull]

what sort of roofing mesh have you got? and also what do they have to protect them from rain, wind and snow?

[rosie14]

Hi, I thought I had already explained their protection from the elementsetc. but here goes with a little more explanation.

We have a close to 30 foot run. One side is provided by the wall of our house the other side by a 6 foot high solid panelled fence (also to rear behind the nesting boxes). The mesh which I think is chicken wire but?? covers the entire top over a timber frame which at intervals has extra supports as we have 2 clear wriggly plastic sheets over the far end (where nesting boxes are) and the entrance which is tiny square galvanised mesh gate is covered with a length of wood covering their food, water and dust bath thus leaving several foot open to the elements in between. We have 4 very large and solid nesting boxes off the floor at the far end with a significant lip of wood to the front of them as they are deeply bedded with straw. The front of the nesting boxes are 2/3 covered with double layer toweling but in the winter they have a carpet doing the same job but because it's in roughly 2 inch sections it covers the entrance completely as they can go inbetween it to get in and out iyswim? Their perches are under the wriggly plastic roofing but I have never seen them use them at night only in the day 

Does that sound ok to you?

[joyfull]

chicken wire is not fox proof you really should use something like welded wire mesh 

[rosie14]

Ok so all sounds good apart from the section in the roof that's chicken wire (the small round type holes is it?) is that right? The entire entrance is a door and it's 1cm x 1cm galvanises aviary typw wire (left over from the rabbit run!) Well at least the middle section is easy to remedy as it's already battoned across so we could just put it over the top and staple in. Thanks for your advice

Any ideas why they don't roost on perches though? Like I said before my dad's didn't always even if there was space! Odd!

[joyfull]

this is the stuff:-

http://www.hillsofdevon.co.uk/aviary-mesh.html

choose small holed and as thick as you can afford.

Often chickens need teaching to perch - this will mean you going into their bed area and lifting them up every night. Sometimes it can be sorted after a couple of nights but stubborn hens can take many weeks. It is worth persevering though 

[rosie14]

thanks for that

is it bad for them not to roost on a perch/a problem that they roost in their nest boxes? They rarely poop in there. Do you think they do it to keep warmer as the perches despite being covered etc will obv. be a cooler option! thanks