Question about broody hatching

[stacy55]

So we are new to broody hatching. We've had chickens for a year and a half. Never had one to sit. Finally had one. She had 7 eggs under her. Two hatched on day 20. A yellow and a black one. None hatched on day 21. Then on day 22 our yellow we found dead Beside the hen. Thinking it got squished. Then on same day 22 another black one hatched. By end of day 22 momma hen is off her other 4 eggs. And the black baby that hatched day 22 was in the corner. But it had just hatched just a couple hours before that. Any advice on what we should do? Is all this normal? We didn't candle the eggs so not sure if they were all fertile. We should have researched more before we started to hatch them. I am afraid she won't sit on the remaining eggs. We do have another hen going broody. We have to take her off the nest boxes every day and she gets so mad. I thought about putting remaining eggs under her. But I didn't know what would happen. Or if they would hatch since it's already day 22. Any advice ?

 

[FarmerMac]

Candlenthe eggs to see if there are any chicks inside. If they are not fertile may as well toss them out or they may explode in the nest. I had this happened to me and by the time I check the nest had maggots eating the egg leftovers. Not a pretty sight if you never seen maggots before.

 

[sumi]

Candle the unhatched eggs and see if they developed. I have had stragglers hatch after day 22, one memorable chick on day 25, so there is a possibility that you may get another chick or two. If the eggs look viable, you can let the new broody hatch them for you, since she's convenient and available, but she may, or may not take to the chicks, after sitting for such a short period only.

As for normal, in my years of hatching with hens I have no idea what "normal" is any more! lol Anything can and will happen

Really, I've had experiences like yours, hens eating their chicks, abandoning their chicks, taking care of their chicks for 4 months and everything else in-between.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi

Were all the eggs set at the same time or did other eggs get added to the nest after your hen started setting... perhaps by other hens laying in her nest?
I would confine the hen and chicks to a small area.... a rabbit hutch or dog crate or even a large cardboard box, so that the newest chick doesn't get left behind until it is strong enough to keep up with the others. Obviously you need to put chick crumb and water in there for them. If the eggs that are left are viable, then I would put them under the other broody hen to hatch but transfer them to their real mother once they are dry, being careful to put them under her at night and monitor to ensure she accepts them. You also need to keep a close eye on the surrogate broody as she may not be ready to accept chicks hatching after such a short time of being broody. You could of course allow the surrogate to raise them if she does accept them and shows signs of being a good mother.

Every broody is different, so it's very hard to predict what will happen with any individual. First time broodies are always an unknown quantity anyway. I was lucky and got a real pro first time around....poor soul, she had her work cut out with me fussing and interfering all the time.... thankfully she has now, after numerous broods over the last few years, trained me to a reasonable standard as to my limited role in proceedings

I currently have 6 broody hens with chicks running around and 45 live chicks so far this season. It is the best entertainment! Good luck with yours.

Regards

Barbara

 

[stacy55]

Thank you. I will bechecking them tomorrow. Which i know is too late cause she still isnt sitting on the eggs

 

[stacy55]

Thank you for the advice. I was told that day 1 isnt until 24 hours after they were layed? Is that the way you count days. Cause i counted the day they were layed as day 1

 

[stacy55]

All the eggs were layed the same day. We have 20 hens. We got the eggs out the day before. So we removed the hen and the eggs the next morning and put her and eggs on the other side of the fence. We also have feed for both the babies and the hen. Thank you for the advice