My first Broody is about to have a chick hatch!!!!

I've been through many ups and downs learned a lot of the ins and outs of the incubator. The temp spikes, drops, poor ventilation, too much humidity in this humid climate!!!!But, I've yet to have a broody hen. Finally one of my older girls, laid her last two eggs in her clutch and plopped down on them. I can't get over how well she sets!!!! I have to make her get off the nest for food and water. Anyway, it's nerve racking. I keep wondering if I've got the right temp lol guess I don't need to worry...this time!

Congrats! Its always a lot easier to let a hen do the work - not only in terms of hatching, but also in integrating the chicks. Not sure theres a need to remove a hen from the nest. My broody will sometimes sit for 2 days continuously, then she'll get off the nest every day for whatever periods suit her and the outside temperatures. I'd suggest letting her decide what and when to do - its all part of the free service of a mother hen!

All the best
CT

Isn't it amazing that a little hen can regulate all those things to perfection even when local conditions are quite extreme, yet despite all our knowledge and technology, we struggle to achieve the same results. Good luck with your hatch. Broody hens are the best. So pleased you are going to experience it.... ultimate entertainment chicken tv. Keep a close eye out for dust bath lessons.... they are the funniest.... chicks get too close to mam's demonstration and get scratched up and flung with the dirt..... thankfully they are amazingly robust and don't seem to suffer any for it.

Try not to worry or interfere too much and trust your broody.

Only thing I would say is to make sure that chicks can't fall out of the nest during the first couple of days and not get back. It's heart breaking to find one lying cold below the nest when you go in on a morning. They climb on broodies back and can then fall off out of the nest and not get back, so make sure there is a no chance that can happen. Otherwise, enjoy the entertainment.

I just kept an eye on her to see if she'd get up to eat/drink. She won't. I have to physically move her. We're on day 21!

rebrascora said:

Isn't it amazing that a little hen can regulate all those things to perfection even when local conditions are quite extreme, yet despite all our knowledge and technology, we struggle to achieve the same results. Good luck with your hatch. Broody hens are the best. So pleased you are going to experience it.... ultimate entertainment chicken tv. Keep a close eye out for dust bath lessons.... they are the funniest.... chicks get too close to mam's demonstration and get scratched up and flung with the dirt..... thankfully they are amazingly robust and don't seem to suffer any for it.

Try not to worry or interfere too much and trust your broody.

Only thing I would say is to make sure that chicks can't fall out of the nest during the first couple of days and not get back. It's heart breaking to find one lying cold below the nest when you go in on a morning. They climb on broodies back and can then fall off out of the nest and not get back, so make sure there is a no chance that can happen. Otherwise, enjoy the entertainment.  

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Thanks for your advice! She's in a huge nesting box on the floor. As soon as baby is hatched, I have to move them into my brooder coop that I had specially made for my broody hens and their chicks. I would've already put her in there, but I didn't want to disturb her nest.

I am worried the copper Marans egg hasn't lost enough weight, and it has pipped internally. We will see I guess. I had to peek when she got up to eat the last Maran egg I tried to incubate died before hatching. It had severe cross beak and was soaked even though I don't add any water due to our humid house/weather this winter. I just got this hen this past fall. I was told she was a year and 3 months. I'm worried I'll have to hatch this one as well and my plans to see a mama and her chicks will have to wait.

Once it gets to the last couple of days, I wouldn't get her off the nest if she doesn't want to. Think of it like lock down on your incubator. The conditions at hatch need to be pretty consistent and her getting off will change that, so best to leave her to decide. I always put food and water next to the nest for her if she needs it. I've had a broody poop in the nest and all 14 eggs still hatched and the chicks were healthy so I don't worry if they don't get off anymore as long as they have the chance and it's up to them... they know better than me what's required.

Is she just on one egg? Keeping fingers crossed for the hatch.

She's a terrible broody. Never again! She sits very well. In fact, she won't move at all. It's obvious if she does because of the horrible poo! I have a huge nesting box. The bottom two boxes can fit three hens a piece. Then the top has three smaller, but good size boxes attached. She made her nest in a bottom box. She had 5 eggs under her to start. She wouldn't move them at all. When I picked her up to make her eat and drink, I found them on the floor of the box more than once. She'd get back in her nest and sit right next to the eggs. She wouldn't put them under her, I'd have to every time. Needless to say, only one survived. I'm not sure how because she would get out at night and jump into a different box. I found that last egg three times, alone in the nest. It was ready so I brought it in to the incubator. It pipped internally but couldn't get out. It was shrink wrapped. I think it has a dislocated hip. One leg is way out in front and the knee is bends a little different. After I hatched it, we tried to put it under her wing at night, she was going to kill it. Thank you for your advice.