Broody hen experiment 2

Even though a hatch rate of 9% is nothing to cheer about, I'm content with our broody hen experiment.  This is only our second attempt, and each time we're learning something new and important.  Hopefully our third try will result in numerous chicks.

What did we learn this time around?  We'll be building a new brood coop where the nest box is on or close to the ground.  We nearly lost our chick on Sunday due to a sudden deluge which sent the hen fleeing for cover into her nest box and the chick stranded on the ground --- it had followed its mother out of the nest to forage but couldn't figure out how to hop back in.  Hopefully the new brood coop will also be in a location that's not directly under the runoff from the barn roof --- oops.

I also plan to start giving the hen food and water within the nest box itself.  She is a very good brooder, which means she only hops off the nest once a day to feed and hydrate herself.  When the chick hatched, I moved the waterer up into the nest box, and our hen was so thirsty that she drank over a cup in one sitting!  Why have a spill-proof chicken waterer if we're not going to put it to the perfect use, placing it directly in the brood box so the hen can drink without getting her eggs wet?

Finally, I'll plan my next brood experiment further in advance.  We clearly lost the majority of our eggs because it took too long for the hen to decide to sit on them.  Next time, I'll put the cochin in the brood coop with a nest full of golf balls and get her settled a day or two before I introduce the fertilized eggs.  I suspect the result will be a much better hatch rate.

We're going to let our hen raise her lone chick, but once it's "weaned", we'll start broody hen experiment number 3.  Stay tuned!