Broody?

[Guest]

I was happy to discover my RI White acting distintively broody last week.  She was setting on a nest in the community box and irritable.  I left her there for three days before deciding to try to use her to brood a clutch.  I made a nice clean dry nest in a seperate hutch within the community pen and put 3 fake eggs in the nest until I collected enough Marans eggs for her to brood.  In the \"nursery\" I set up, she refuses to set the nest, but still walks around with her hackles up talking to herself.  When I turn her back out in the community pen, the others pick at her, and she is left to stand in the corner with her hackles up still talking to herself.  Could the change in environment caused her to refuse to set the nest?  I left her in the community pen to see if she will claim another spot in the community box, but wouldn\'t it be best to get her to set eggs in the \"nursery\" I set up seperately?  Could the fake eggs be different enough from the real thing that she just isn\'t interested in setting them?

[Guest]

As long as she is acting boody, I would leave her in the separate area. Try moving her at night. Let her go back to sitting on some seregate eggs in the communal area and then when it is good and dark move her to the place you want her to brood. I have done this in the past and it worked.

Tim

[Guest]

Thanks so much!  I\'ll have to wait until Monday to move her, but hopefully it will work.

[Guest]

Well, no such luck.  The hen wants no part of brooding now.  I have collected my Marans eggs for a week, and I have ordered some Ameraucana eggs that are arriving tomorrow... so now, it\'s plan B.

Is anyone familiar with this set up?

http://tractorsupply.com/detail.asp?pcID=8&paID=1039&sonID=218&page=1&productID=9324

[bantamhill]

I have three and they worked fine for me once I installed the circulation fan . . . the egg turner may not be worth it if you are only doing chicken eggs and can hand turn twice a day.

Michael

[Guest]

I\'ve had another reply on another site that recommended the Hovabator.  There just seems such a jump from the $41 listed on the Little Giant to the $112 listed for the Hovabator, plus shipping.  As far as I know, the Little Giant is the only one I have access to locally without paying for and waiting on shipping.  (The waiting being worse than the paying.)

[bantamhill]

I have used the Little Giant\'s successfully after I learned how to incubate in them. I found the circulation fan to essential in my area. In Central Missouri I have found that I do not need to use any additonal moisture until the last 3 days of incubation. The circulation fan is $25.00 well spent. I think the Hovabator may have it built in?

Michael

[greeneggsandham]

Hi, new to forum and new to hatching chicks also.  Just thought I would let you know JP that I have a Little Giant also with the air circulator and egg turner.  I have hatched eggs twice with it.  My first time I set a dozen eggs and did everything wrong that you could possibly do wrong and still got 6 to hatch.  The second time I set 26 eggs with the egg turner and got 25 hatched.  I live in NW AR and kept all the trays filled with water, which I checked once daily, then added a wet sponge for the last three days and tried to keep it wet without raising the lid.  I like the egg turner because I only have to lift the lid very briefly once daily to add water and that is it.  Oh, and don\'t forget to open one air hole!

[Blue Egg Acres]

I think the Hovabator may have it built in?

Michael

The HovaBator comes with or without. I have the newest model #1588 with the preset thermostat, picture window and circulated air. I love it! Oh, and the turner is well worth the money.

[Guest]

Thanks for all the feedback.  I ended up ordering a Brower Top Hatch with express delivery which should arrive tomorrow.  I figured, by the time I got all the add-ons to the Little Giant, I might was well up the ante a bit and get something a little more durable.  The hen never did get broody again, but the humidity here has been so high with all the rain, it\'s probably for the best, anyway.  Now, for \"brown\" to come through tomorrow and the dad-gum eggs to show up at the airport, and we\'ll be cookin\' babies come Easter Sunday!  Thanks again for the feedback; this seems like such a friendly, helpful group.  I\'m sure I\'ll be back with 17 more questions in a couple of days.

[Guest]

Well, the incubator set up fairly easily and has hummed along without a hitch and little need for questions.  I set 10 Ameraucana eggs that I bought off eggbid and 12 of my own Marans eggs.  I accidentally broke two of the Ameraucana eggs the first day when I opened the lid to the incubator to add the hygrometer...  so, I have 8 Ameraucana eggs and 12 Marans eggs ready to hatch this Sunday.  The broody hen that started this hoo-ha seems to go \"semi-broody\" for a couple days every couple of weeks.  Oh, well... what ever floats her boat.  

So, I have the brooder ready and another pen to move them to when they are ready to gradually move them in with the older birds.  The questions I have as I await hatching:

What percentage of males and females can be expected?

Can the blue and black Ameraucanas be sexed as chicks?

Assuming I will have around 50% +/- males, I\'m looking at needing to do something with 6 Marans and 4 Ameraucana cockrels.  I don\'t know exactly how to \"market\" them, or even if it is worth trying to for a couple of bucks here and there.  Does anyone here caponize their own cockrels?  Is it acceptable to keep siblings for breeding?  

I have seen that green jell-O stuff sold at online hatchery sites.  They say it is good for hatching chicks.  Does anyone have any experience with this?

[bantamhill]

50/50 chance of male or female. That being said I have had hatches that have gone to either extreme - almost all male or all female.

If you know how to sex day-old chicks then one could, but blue and black ameraucana cannot be sexed by down color.

You just have to look a little, post an ad at the feed store, here, or in the newspaper . . . there are always folks looking for chickens.

I generally keep siblings as breeders to begin a line when I am starting out with a variety.

Michael