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Bringing food production home

We have the loan of a rooster ('white' - not sure of his brand) which we've put with one of our Isa Brown hens who was not clucky at the time. So, as we've never played cuipid before:http://backyardfarming.com.au/phpbbb/posting.php?mode=post&f=7#

1. How long should we leave them together?

2. How long before her eggs are fertile?

3. How do we know when to expect chicks?

4. Is there a good website about these things?

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Granny Smith

Hi Gran,

I have kept Isa Browns before and had a rooster with them, the eggs will be fertile when you see the rooster start to force himself apon your poor little chook, they never seem to enjoy this part but it is over so quick I guess they don't complain.

I hatched some Isa Brown Rhode Island Red crosses but I needed to use a surrogate chook to hatch them, as far as I know the Isa Brown will never go clucky and will never sit. I think this trait is bred out of them because they are designed to be battery egg chickens but they make up for it by laying huge eggs often and are freindly and easy to handle.

Most bantums and old/rare breeds will go clucky and may be able to hatch you eggs for you look in the quokka or on http://www.chooknet.com.au. This is why I am using Australorps so I don't need an incubator, infact two are sitting right now but I think the rooster is a bit young to be fertilising eggs I will let you know how they go.

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Why did the chicken cross the road? ... To have her motives questioned.

it the boy is on the job, the eggs should be fertilised now ;)
do you know any one with an incubator?
chook eggs take 21 days to hatch
www.backyardpoultry.com is a good forum for birds

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contentment

I agree with Simo that the Isa Brown chooks won't sit on eggs or go clucky. We have a bantam that makes the best mother, she survived a fox attack some years ago by hiding somewhere???
We thought we had lost her but found her scratching in the garden one day and traced her back to a cane basket at the back of the shed where she had been sitting on a dozen eggs.
I have also found that Columbian Buff Wyandots are good breeders, so if you would like a pair let me know.- I know people

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< if you would like a pair let me know.>

Thanks for the offer, Faye. The whole loan of a rooster thingy was an opportunity that I jumped at, but on reflection I don't really want to get into the chicken-rearing business at this stage. I think I'll stick with the POL pullets. Nice offer, tho'.

Robin the Rooster has left the building.

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Granny Smith

When we bought our property 7 years ago the previous owners had arranged one of the clucky hens to be sitting on fertilised eggs. Within a couple of weeks we had babies- chickens. So yellow and cute and fluffy, we used to bring them inside as it was winter and wet. They used to jump/ hop over the children as they lay on the carpet, they were named and maintained pet status. We lost the last one last year. The children have kind of outgrown them now, replaced by parties, friends etc

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One of the white rocks gone broody on me, I was able to steal the eggs day before yesterday but I'm not sure she moved in the last two days. Pecked at me when I tried to reach under. It's all good as long as the other 10 hens don't get that way. They have a dozen nest boxes but only lay in 3. She probably has a nice clutch under there.

She is definitely setting, she must get up occasionally because I have been getting between 8 and 11 eggs per day and there were only three other eggs in the other nests. She may have 15 eggs under there!

Omelette Party

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My Websites: http://www.chillies-down-under.com
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Well she was setting a nest box 2 slots over this evening, she did have a dozen under there. I got them and the ones from a couple other slots, I going to venture to guess that she got up and another hen set in her nest to lay an egg so she just set a different nest

Well three of the white rocks are setting now. I believe this cold snap slowed the egg production. I guess I need to get prepared for a whole bunch of chicks.

Nice, you might be able to start a bit of a business if they all hatch...

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Bringing Food Production Home

So, no omelette party then ....

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My Websites: http://www.chillies-down-under.com
http://www.bbq-down-under.com

I guess no omlet party but do get to practice making improvements to my fried chicken receipe. Unless of course...I'm counting my chickens before they hatch

You'll have to share some of your fried chicken tips/recipes at some stage BRB....

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Bringing Food Production Home