Considering hatching this year

[polo]

I'm thinking of hatching this year for friends who want hens again on their smallholding.

I offered the use of my two hens that tend to go broody every year but obviously this is the first time I have done this so want to check I have the right facilities etc. And you never know, they may not even go broody this year!!

Anyway, i have a small ark that I can place either on grass or the patio. I was planning to start it first on the patio with shavings underneath then move onto the grass when the chicks are older. Once the chicks are a reasonable size, they will go in an existing pen which has had light use this year but its certainly not completely fresh ground. As we are on clay round here it is generally alternates between soaked and bone dry depending on the weather. What are your thoughts on medicated feed because of this?

Back to the ark - would you just put one hen in here or could you put both in to raise a 'clutch' each as long as they are getting on ok? The ark is easily big enough for 2 hens and chicks.

Another thing I'm not sure of is what is the best age for taking the chicks away from mum? This is the critical bit because of space and I don't want to hatch if it isn't feasible.

Hopefully I'm right in thinking they need chick crumb for around 2 months then switch to a grower food for another 2 months, and then onto a layers feed for the layers. Whats the best food for the boys as all of them will go in the pot?

Sorry for all the questions but I really want to think this through beforehand!

Any other tips or comments would be great!

thanks Polo

[petal]

you won't need to use medicated food if a broody hatches and raises them(slow exposure to coccidiosis helps build their immunity- which is what the food is doing anyway!!)- we leave ours with mum until 8 weeks old then they are raised as a group away from other chickens until full grown.
They get chick crumb to about 6 weeks then slowly switch to growers over a week.
Glad to see you are being realistic about the boys, makes a refreshing change! ours get growers, corn,household scraps...

[RichmondHens]

Put only one broody in the ark, even if it's big enough for two. Even if two hens get on while sitting, things can easily change once the eggs hatch and one broody may damage the other's chicks.

Site the ark on grass from the start. This way the broody hen can get out and have a scratch about, and she and the chicks will be happier on grass. It's amazing what they find rootling around at the base of the grass stems. Also this helps towards building immunity to cocci and other bugs. I would think it would also be quite messy to have shavings all over your patio, especially if it's very windy!

I take my cue from the hen for taking them away from the chicks. My bantam broodies tend to come into lay early, sometimes when chicks are only 4 -5 weeks old, others take much longer. I go by several things, whether the hen is starting to reject the chicks, ie feed herself and stop calling them over, also sometimes driving them away from the food. Also when the chicks are fully feathered and no longer underneath the hen at night (usually about the 6 week mark), although this is often dependent on the size of hen and chick - a bantam brooding seven whopping LF chicks won't be able to cover them for very long anyway as they outgrow her. Even if the mother is still very protective of the chicks they will be able to do without her from 6 weeks old. The only exception I would make is if you find you only hatch two or three chicks. Then they may need mum for a little longer as their communal body heat may not be enough. A bunch of say 10 chicks keep warm snuggled together quite happily, but only two may struggle.

Feedwise I change from crumb to grower at about 3 - 4 weeks, mixing in gradually like Petal says. I find there is a lot of waste with crumb, the hens tend to chuck it around a lot so the sooner the chicks can manage pellets the better. There is no need to feed medicated crumb or grower pellet if the chicks are on clean grass/ground, and this way if the hen comes back into lay before she has left the chicks then there will be no need to withdraw the eggs.

Pullets can move onto layers pellet at 18 weeks, irrespective of whether they are in lay (unlikely) or not. Cockerels can stay on grower right through to slaughter, for most pure breeds this is about 6 months.

[polo]

Thanks for the comprehensive replies! I will go with the broody who is sitting best and if its anything last last year it will be Penny who barely budged for the whole of the summer.

I reckon, based on what youve said, its feasible so will get set up and see what happens when it warms up (all reliant on broodies though!)

x

[polo]

Just thought of another question - Do you think light sussex would be a good breed to go for if you consider the girls will be kpet for laying and the boys the pot?

[petal]

Only if you have a light sussex from a utility line- - not a show line. I like light sussex, they have such pleasant personalities.
ooh RH- 4 weeks old can go onto growers?- is that large fowl or can bantam too- I always worry the little pekins will choke on pellets at that age?

[RichmondHens]

Polo - Yes LS is a good one to go for but as Petal says it does depend on the type. Go for a good heavy traditional looking type, solid and matronly. Some of the so called LS sold are actually a hybridised version - they lay ++ but are much finer and lighter in shape and the cocks will not grow on to be that heavy. Marans are another pure breed that also make good eating and the eggs are a gorgeous colour too.

Petal, don't know about your pekin chicks and the pellet. My bantams are larger than pekins and they switch to growers happily at 4 weeks. And the size of pellet depends on the brand. Smallholder Range growers pellet is quite small, smaller than Marriages for example. I would think the pekins would cope with that ok but I think you would just have to try it and see.

[polo]

Thanks, will have a discussion with the friends about breeds. If they were going to be my hens I would try marans first - I love the dark eggs. It might come down to availability of eggs locally unless we decide to go online.