A Guide to Practical Breeding A Guide to Practical Breeding First edition, 2012 | Page 39

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are hen brood.
Once a hen gets broody and set to start setting eggs, we put back
some of the stored eggs on the nest for the hen to set. At the same time,
we also place a number of eggs in the artificial incubator, whether hers or
from other hens. The naturally set eggs and those in the incubator will
hatch at about the same time. At night we put in the nest the artificially
hatched chicks along with the hen hatched. The following morning, the
hen will be misled into believing all the chicks are hers and will take care
of all of them. However, care should be taken that the chicks are of similar color as some hens kill different-looking chicks. Of course,
blakliz chicks would be of the same dark looks.
This method will save time for some hens. Some of
Brooding is both
the hens will not have to sit on their own eggs as the eggs
by natural—hen
are artifically incubated, thus they can be prepared immedibrooding, or artificial. In
ately for the next clutch of eggs and insemination. These
hens are also spared from brooding chicks, a process that
this respect, we find
will take at least a month of their time.
natural hen brooding as
In the first two weeks, hen and chicks are kept in
the better method. Thus,
enclosures that will protect the chicks from rain and bad
blakliz chicks are hen
weather. These little houses are floorless and movable. The
brood.
hen is tethered so it cannot partake on the feed for the
chicks.