Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread - Page 849

There is a way to tell if they are boys or girls at a young age. They do this at commercial hatcheries, take one in your hand carefully, and outstretch one of its wings. Look at the feathers towards the tip. If it seems as if there are two rows, one long and one short, then it is a pullet. If they are both equal length, then it's a cockeral. I use this method and am almost always correct. This is because females grow their long feathers faster than males. 

As for bedding, I use straw. After one hatch in shavings, where there were some small shavings mixed in with large, I was looking at the chicks, and noticed they had shavings up under their eyelid. I had to use blunt tweezers to remove them, and set them on straw after that. I really is healthier for the chicks, because they don't try to eat straw as much as shavings, and shavings can hurt them when they are young.

Feather sexing works best with certain breeds with this particular trait.  It's used for identification in the egg industry with their White Leghorns because it's essential for them to separate their pullets from the useless cockerels.  It doesn't work with many other breeds, most hatcheries instead use vent sexing to identify those. 

Yeah! Adorable chicks!  And pretty momma!

Quote:

Originally Posted by meowmmy65 

So, after hatching last night and this morning, we have 3 healthy little fuzzy butts. I've moved Mamma and brood into an old dog crate because our nesting boxes are up a little high, and the other hens kept joining her in the box to lay their eggs. This made Mamma crazy.  When we first moved her over, she was frantic. Fortunately, it didn't take long for her to settle down and relax. 

The babies are one Maran, and two Easter Egger/Maran mixes. 

 

 

This picture is a little fuzzy, but I was not able to get all three babies in one shot.  

I just love this picture with baby peeking out.  Those two eggs in the front did end up being duds. The other shells are just broken pieces.  

 

 

This was our first baby - and wow is (s)he a little stinker. This baby keeps pecking Mamma's comb, as if it were a worm. She is driving Lucy crazy.  

 

So - our hens are almost one year old, and this is our first experience having hens, and thus, our first broody and first experience with hatching eggs. Amazing!  We are thrilled with 3 healthy babies,and now are crossing our fingers, hoping they are all girls. (Unlikely, I know.)  But we can't have roosters in they city. :( 

  "Mama" is about to bring her fuzzy butts out for their debut, and we have to make a delivery to Manhattan. PPPPPPPHHHHTTTTTTTTTTTT on manhattan. How I loathe thee . ohh well, there is always tomorrow to see fuzzy butts!

Quote:

Originally Posted by vmdanielsen 

Maybe if she is happy and sitting when I get home on Tuesday, maybe I will slip a few under her!

Give that girl some eggs you'll be glad you did!! 

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonykill 

  "Mama" is about to bring her fuzzy butts out for their debut, and we have to make a delivery to Manhattan. PPPPPPPHHHHTTTTTTTTTTTT on manhattan. How I loathe thee . ohh well, there is always tomorrow to see fuzzy butts!

Be safe going to that huge city... scary just looking at pictures. and as for mama sounds like she'll have everything in control till you get back. Looking forward to pics.. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbieschicks 

Yeah! Adorable chicks!  And pretty momma!

 

 

X2 I never get tired of seeing mama and chicks. so precious!  
 

I had put the broody hen by herself last night.  She did not like the nest provided and made her own.  I put one wooden egg under her and one in the box.  My husband checked on her first thing and she was on the roost.  But after he opened the windows, she went to her nest.  When I went out about 20 min later, she was still on "her" nest.  When I put the other wooden egg under her, she promptly rolled it under her.  I opened up the coop and she made no effort to leave.  So my thought is that she got on the roost while there was enough light to see and then couldn't see to come down.  There was 3 poops under her so she was up there for a while.  If she remains on the nest tonight I may stick the eggs under her tomorrow AM.  They are due to hatch Tue/Wed.  Any ideas?  Words of caution/advice?Any and all thoughts welcome!!Thanks, Ginny

Gotta' go to work, will check back late...............work so gets in the way of my life!  Have fun in Manhattan, Stony!!(better you than me!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonykill 

  "Mama" is about to bring her fuzzy butts out for their debut, and we have to make a delivery to Manhattan. PPPPPPPHHHHTTTTTTTTTTTT on manhattan. How I loathe thee . ohh well, there is always tomorrow to see fuzzy butts!

Show us some pics tomorrow!  Manhatten is not such a bad place.  I have two daughters who live there and love it.  Have fun!
 

That's a good plan - you want to make sure she'll stay on the nest - so a couple of days worth of staying at night on the nest is a good test for that.  My Smokey spent most of her days on the nest, but went to the roost at night for about two nights.  Then the 3rd night she stayed in the nest and wouldn't leave except to poop/eat/drink.  I moved her to a new area and she promptly sat back down again on her eggs.  However she did have trouble finding her nest because I moved her.  So I just picked her up and put her on the eggs myself.  Of course when I moved her again she wasn't able to find that nest either.  LOL!  So again I picked her up and put her on her nest.  She finally figured out where the nest was by about Day 14 or so. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by vmdanielsen 

I had put the broody hen by herself last night.  She did not like the nest provided and made her own.  I put one wooden egg under her and one in the box.  My husband checked on her first thing and she was on the roost.  But after he opened the windows, she went to her nest.  When I went out about 20 min later, she was still on "her" nest.  When I put the other wooden egg under her, she promptly rolled it under her.  I opened up the coop and she made no effort to leave.  So my thought is that she got on the roost while there was enough light to see and then couldn't see to come down.  There was 3 poops under her so she was up there for a while.  If she remains on the nest tonight I may stick the eggs under her tomorrow AM.  They are due to hatch Tue/Wed.  Any ideas?  Words of caution/advice?Any and all thoughts welcome!!Thanks, Ginny

Gotta' go to work, will check back late...............work so gets in the way of my life!  Have fun in Manhattan, Stony!!(better you than me!)