Just found this thread! We've hatched eggs successfully under broody hens twice. First time was with a group of three hens, two new hampshire reds and a light sussex. The sussex was broody so we got some eggs and put four under her and four in an incubator. We did have an incident involving our dogs where two incubator chicks died. But the sussex (Snowy) hatched two of her eggs; two barred bantams, which we kept. One was female (Emma) and is still in the flock today, and the other was a weird mix between male and female (Scruffy), but he broke his leg and died. The incubator chicks turned into a female indian game (Dinosaur) which we still have in our flock, and a silkie (named Silkie lol). We were delighted with the silkie, but unfortunately it died caught in some wire (now fixed). We bought another silkie chick and called it Silkie (again) and she's still with us today. While the sussex was sitting on the eggs and raising the chicks, she was in a pen, inside the run- away from the other two.
This group lived happily together, one of the new hampshire reds died of old age or sickness or something, I don't remember. So our flock was: a silkie, a new hampton red, a light sussex, an indian game, and a barred bantam. Passing a chicken breeder farm, we picked up a gorgeous black rock, named Roc (after the giant bird monster). That was all about 1-2 years ago. Our silkie was broody so we jumped in and got six or so fertile eggs of random breeds. And today, the first chick hatched! We had some issues with the silkie leaving them (she had been broody before we put them in), the eggs being left cold for a day, but then the indian game stepped in and sat on them. The first chick is in the picture below, along with my (most of the chickens are my sister's) beautiful black rock.
Oh and we did leave the hen in with the others this time. Other chickens did shove the silkie around a bit while laying their eggs, but we took them out. The fertile eggs were marked with a dot of nail varnish (I think?).
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And the proud mom all fluffed up defensively, she pecks anyone who comes near her >>>
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Anyone know what breed of chicken the chick is? It had a pale blue-green eggs, quite small egg, and its body was pale yellow, with brown/black freckles on the neck and a bright yellow head.
Edit: I don't think the pics worked... Check out this thread for chick pictures
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/640411/first-chickEdited by SnowytheNinja - 3/19/12 at 5:30am
My Barred Old English Game Bantam Spice is broody for her first time ever! She is setting on 5 eggs and her sister Sugar is setting on 2 eggs. I don't think Sugar is broody, she is just keeping Spice company! She bit at my hand today when I checked on her. She gave me a look like she would like to poke out my eyes for bothering her! She doesn't make a peep but if looks could kill--I would have been a goner yesterday! This is the only picture I have been able to get of her so far. She started yesterday so 19 more to go!
we'll be here for you all the way, and pictures speak a thousand words.. LOL
