clocking hen

lucky-colm

i have a few hens and now one of them has been siting on a clutch of eggs for 10 days or there abouts i think it takes 3 weeks for them to hatch will the chicks die now that the weather is getting colder i have no electric nearby to put in a infared lamp also what will i need to feed them for the first few weeks and how will i stop the mother hen sitting on the next clutch of eggs once these are hatched.

and before ye start
yes i do have a rooster a pure breed light sussex even thou the hens are most likely bitsa's

kodak

I would say its best to stop that right away!
Its far too cold out. It will save you the heart ache. If you want to continue you should candle the eggs very quickly.
To make a home made one, use an energy efficient buld in a lamp. Pierce a hole in a tin can. Use a tea towel to prevent light leaking out as you hold it. (will only do light coloured eggs)
If they are fertile you will see veins under the shell. Be quick and take out any that are clear.
The hen might be wasting her time and wont be long losing condition herself.

You really are best to wait till spring!!

bertie1

lucky-colm wrote: »

i have a few hens and now one of them has been siting on a clutch of eggs for 10 days or there abouts i think it takes 3 weeks for them to hatch will the chicks die now that the weather is getting colder i have no electric nearby to put in a infared lamp also what will i need to feed them for the first few weeks and how will i stop the mother hen sitting on the next clutch of eggs once these are hatched.

and before ye start
yes i do have a rooster a pure breed light sussex even thou the hens are most likely bitsa's

It will take 21- 25 days for the chicks to hatch. I wouldn't worry about looking after them you will find that the hen will do that very well if you let her. I had a hen hatch a clutch in Early April when it was still very frosty , the chicks just climb in between her wing feathers for warmth. They are warmer there than you are in bed in there. Get a bag of Chick crumb about day 19 just to have it on hand ( local farmers co-op should have it or they may have to order it in , they will eat that , the hen will too it will help rebuild her condition after she hatches them. She will stay with them & teach them how to forage , look after them etc for approx 8 weeks sometimes 10 , before she more or less abandons them . At 3 weeks they will be getting hardy & have a coat of feathers ( not like the fluff when they were born.)

You will find that she will not start to lay again until about 3 months after she laid her last egg. By that time we are into the shortest days of the year so she may not lay again until mid February , she could be slow to start sitting again , but then again it will be spring so you never know.

old boy

take bertys advice, it is hard to beat nature, sure some are not going to hatch out, enjoy the experience.

bertie1

How did you get on , how many did she hatch?