Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread - Page 779

Okay my broody hen has been sitting on her eggs since Sunday now and she seems to get out of the nest to poop and eat etc, at least once a day. Today I let all my chickens out of the run to free range around our property. I have her in her own pen/cage in the coop but  today when all the girls were out ranging I could tell she wanted out of her cage she was off her nest for half an hour and I could tell she just really wanted out so I opened the cage. she went for a quick stroll but was back on her nest in a few minutes. While she was off of her eggs I thought I would take a look to see in any were broken etc.  they are all in tact but I noticed she must have pooped the nest a bit because two or three of the eggs have quite a bit of poop on them. Is this okay? I here that the eggs a porous and I know you don't want to leave and exploded egg in the nest but should I clean these eggs off or just let them be? this whole experience is very nerve racking and exciting at the same time  I just want it to be three weeks from now already lol.

Ok everyone. I am trying to get this stray rooster in my pen! I finally broke down! The thing that made me crack was the fertile eggs! I want babies!!!  So hopefully he will find his way into the pen I locked the girls up and opened to run door..... maybe he will be smart enough to find his way in. 

I know this isnt broody hen related but you guys seem like experts will that rooster terrify my hens? They have never had an roo make "contact" with them.  Will he be over the top? I dont want to hurt/scare them.... 

Thanks! OH and congrats to all the new babies!! I have been enjoying the pictures/videos!

So sorry about the chick, and hope the rest of your hatch goes good, keep us updated...
 

 I'd sure like an opinion on how many day olds the "BYC experts on broodys" think would be reasonable under a Silkie. The day old  breeds will be RedCap, Spitzhauben, Dominique... all rather small LF.  Doms are definately the largest. They should arrive the second week of April. When the calendar turns to May they should be @ 3 weeks old... not fully feathered yet but getting big. I'm thinking 3-5 but maybe that is too many?

Well as posted earlier, day 18 a dead chick arrived/exploded outside the nestbox with Mama looking on - I'm not sure what happened exactly?  Then day 19 the same thing happened only this time the chick was in the nestbox.  Excuse my ignorance and graphic question, but I'm trying to understand this.  Can anyone tell me what an exploded egg should look like?  Both of these chicks were fully formed, maybe a little smaller than expected but not by very much.  Both eggs had mostly been cracked into little pieces (which is why I'm thinking exploded egg??), both chicks had pieces of egg still stuck to them.  Both had egg yolks visible.  There was some blood in both cases.  Anyone help me understand what's going wrong here please?  Exploded eggs or just simply died hatching?  Or is my broody standing on them and crushing them perhaps?

Now, she's nearing the end of day 20 and there is absolutely NOTHING happening.  No pipping or anything else.  It seems odd doesn't it that two chicks would hatch in this way and then nothing?

The temperatures here are soaring and it's stinking hot.  I've got SIX fans on in the barn to try to keep everyone cool and keep the air moving.  The humidity is shocking.

Thanks everyone