Improving chicken hatch rates with broody hens and incubators (part 2)

[@Susie_Floozie]

Marshmallow is an excellent mother, and what a bustling brood she has! My Buff Orp Goldie went broody and was acting maddened and miserable, so I bought her four chicks from a breeder--and now she's thrilled with her little monsters swarming all over her. I especially love that cute, bubbly little sound she makes to signify "Oh, my! Little ones, check out this yummy food!"

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It really is wonderful how a good broody behaves 🙂. We have two more hens hatching today (Frankie & Chocolate). Fingers crossed!

[@Susie_Floozie]

@@EnglishCountryLife I have confidence that your stellar flock of fine, fine birds are more than up to the task! May you be greeted today by the shimmering sounds of peeping chicks. What a delight!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@Susie_Floozie There's definitely new life - but how many we will have to be patient to find out!

[@bgtrev]

Enjoyable Part 2. We hatched our first turkey poults via an incubator this year and our first Toulouse goslings under Mrs Goose after three years of waiting and a failure using an incubator late last year. Much easier having Mum do all the work. Thanks for two videos full of tips and useful information. Keep well over there.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

You too Trev - super exciting with the goslings!

[@cherylbeswick7327]

I absolutely love your videos 🧡 you both have such soothing and calming voices I could listen to you both all day! Thank you for taking the time to make such superb content for us all 😃

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you do much Cheryl - that's so kind of you!

[@francineclave2207]

I would NOT raise another batch of chicks without an incubator for back up. This was Nuggets second brood. We did 5 the first time and all hatched. We did 8 this time and three didn’t make it because just like Hugh said our broody left the nest! I tried several things to save the two last hatching chicks but without a electric brooder I lost them both. Had I had an electric incubator I think the result would have been much better. Live and learn but It was a very hard lesson! Thank you English Country Living again for more wise lessons❤️❤️

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I suppose its nature that not every chick survives - but its so rewarding to give them a chance!

[@alancross2826]

Very informative again, well worth a thumbs up! Well done you 2. Regards Alan

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks Alan - we have two broodies hatching simultaneously today 😲

[@alancross2826]

@@EnglishCountryLife You will be busy, good luck. A.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@alancross2826 Thanks Alan - they have 10 each - and the next hatches on Friday!

[@jinga2535]

This was some timely information for me, thank you! I recently had a repeat broody for the year and her second clutch had a very poor hatch rate, actually zero. I had to take some eggs from another broody and that left them both with only 2 chicks. I should have had some eggs in the incubator running concurrently. I am giving another broody hen eggs tonight and I will make sure to have a number of eggs in the incubator also. 👍

[@EnglishCountryLife]

We all learn through experience - good luck with the new broody!

[@AnaAndreaXoxo]

I am loving all your chicken videos, I am going to put eggs into my incubator tonight in a few hours. 🤞

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Fingers crossed 🤞 What are you hatching?

[@AnaAndreaXoxo]

@@EnglishCountryLifeI got a mixed pack of colorful eggs from our local farm. Easter Eggers, olive Eggers, black copper Maran, buff orpington. ♥️

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@AnaAndreaXoxo Oh fun! Love Marans and Orps and coloured eggs are great - good luck 👍

[@LeoTheYuty]

Great video!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks!

[@kathyarnold9163]

I would like to see a video on cleaning the incubator on this video. I have one too. :-)

[@EnglishCountryLife]

That's a great idea Kathy, I'll add it to the list

[@kathyarnold9163]

@@EnglishCountryLife You guys do a wonderful job. :-)

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@kathyarnold9163 Thank you 🙂

[@emmagriffiths1874]

Great 2 videos on hatching! Can’t wait to start this myself. Having a camera in the coop is a brilliant way of monitoring Marshmallow and her chicks hatching. Is there a coop camera setup you’d recommend please?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Emma, We've used many types, from old mobile phones onwards. Are are currently experimenting with a coop camera from Nestera which both records based on motion but also allows remote live viewing over Wifi nestera.co.uk/collections/coop-accessories/products/wifi-camera-for-chicken-coop Its awfully useful for "checking up" on hatch day. If you think its right for you, our code of ECL gets you 10% off their whole site (we are huge fans of tgeir maintenance free coops!)

[@daz196749]

Great clips as always but can i as do you get problems with rats if so what do you use.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Very rarely Darren as we keep on top of any that we see. Occasionally some move out of fields after harvest but No. IV Fenn traps in purpose built artificial tunnels that birds cannot access takes care of that very fast.

[@lizkellett6700]

You said you stop the turning on day 19, then increase humidity,i have always stopped turning at day 18, do you find you get a better hatch rate?. I use a M S Broed cabinet incubator, as you truly said never buy a cheap incubator, its true they are rubbish. I get very good results with this machine, it was expensive but hatch rates are brilliant. I must say your birds are so so nice superb breed never considered them till now. great video full of great information. thanks guys

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Liz. I'm really glad you like our videos. We stop turning on day 19 as that's the day that Brinsea and our incubation reference books have told us to stop turning them. In all honesty I can' say if we get a better hatch rate as we've never stopped turning them on a different date so we don't have a comparison but I can say we do get a good hatch rate.

[@lizkellett6700]

@@EnglishCountryLife some times you use an electric hen to keep the chicks warm until you take them to the broody hen,my question is how much room do you allow in height between the electric hen and the chick's it's a while since I have used mine memory needs a jolt!!. Regards Liz

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@lizkellett6700 Hi Liz, we set two legs low and the other two higher causing the brood plate to be on an angle. The chicks can move underneath it until they find a heat they like. Roughly the plate should be the height of a chick standing

[@lizkellett6700]

@@EnglishCountryLife Thank you very much. Regards Liz

[@lizkellett6700]

@@EnglishCountryLife good morning As a long term keeper of chickens both breeding,hatching and meat birds 30+ years,I have been watching your beginner video's,I have learnt more tips and tricks,as they say never to old to learn pride can get in the way!. Keep the brilliant video's going. Big thank you Liz

[@aymanthebestgamer995]

I am watching from Bangladesh. ❤️ Your videos. Are these buff Orpington breeds? Could you please tell if they are fit to survive a rather hot climate like Bangladesh? We don't have these breeds here. Would you suggest any good sources to collect their eggs? Thank you

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi, they are Buff Orpingtons. I don't know how well they would do there as I really don't know the climate in Bangladesh - they are a heavy feathered breed so don't like very hot weather

[@aymanthebestgamer995]

@@EnglishCountryLife They are very beautiful. Are they English native breeds? The temperature is average 35 degrees here for 7 months and 15-25 the rest of the months. I would like to give it a try hatching 🐣 some of their eggs but don't know where could I find them. Thank you.

[@Louise-xr5ok]

What food does she give to the chicks please?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

The food in the green feeder is Marriages medicated chick crumb

[@AnaAndreaXoxo]

Hello, what is your starting humidity at with the incubator?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Ana, We start at 50% humidity days 1 to 19, then 65-70% days 20 & 21

[@AnaAndreaXoxo]

@@EnglishCountryLife Thank you so much!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@AnaAndreaXoxo We're here to help!

[@CR10.07]

Do you tend to have a high cockerel rate sometimes… and less hens? What do you do with your roosters? I ordered 3 australorp and the hatchery gave me one extra… a rooster…. This is my first year of chickens…. I have to deal with a rooster, who has chased 4 of us, I did not want a rooster… so for a first time chicken person, I’m faced with culling…. I don’t kill animals..,. Anyway… that’s my story… so that’s why I ask about how many rooster out of the those hatched and what to do with the males, Thanks

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Cockerels do vary - it averages out to 50% but an individual brood can be far more or less than that. We do some males to other breeders or as part of starter flocks, but by no means all. The rest we grow to maturity and process as table birds.

[@CR10.07]

@@EnglishCountryLife thank you… I’ve never culled a chicken before… I should have considered that…lol…. But yes thank you for your response