Broody Hen Thread!

[StarMeKritten]

You must post pictures ! What breeds are you hatching out ?

Both hens are random mixed breeds. I gave them eggs from my easter eggers and blue laced red wyandottes to hatch. What are you hatching?

I have some more rather mean looking hens in nest boxes today. We may have more broodies soon... Speaking of which, I picked up 2 blue silkie pullets yesterday. Hooray for more future broodies!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Hello! Recently my aunt found what we think might be a swan egg at our local park, so she brought it to my silkie hen, Valerie, to hatch. She is LOVING IT. This is her first time being broody. She is about a year old, and has spring fever! Her rooster, Cottonball, is less than happy to be in the coop all the time, but he doesn't want to leave her alone (Also he's not too popular with our older birds.)

We hope it hatches, wish her luck!

Don't be disappointed if it doesn't hatch because many Mute Swan eggs especially in parks etc are addled or sprayed with a petroleum product like mineral oil to prevent them from developing. Mute Swans are an introduced invasive species and they vigorously drive native waterfowl off breeding and rearing grounds.

 

[chickbrad24]

Both hens are random mixed breeds. I gave them eggs from my easter eggers and blue laced red wyandottes to hatch. What are you hatching?

I have some more rather mean looking hens in nest boxes today. We may have more broodies soon... Speaking of which, I picked up 2 blue silkie pullets yesterday. Hooray for more future broodies!

I am hatching EE's and EE mixes that could possibly be mixed with Gold Laced Wyandotte, Silver Laced Wyandotte, Blue Laced Red Wyandotte, Buff Orp, Buff Brahma and Jersey Giant, I have 3 broodies right now. I'm going to be over run with chicks. I have 4 porcelain silkies and 2 black also my future brooders.

 

[aart]

Quote: It's actually a sub-forum under the Chicken Breeds section, start a new thread there.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/15/what-breed-or-gender-is-this

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Ok thank you so much. Could you perhaps copy the link to the thread?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/15/what-breed-or-gender-is-this

LofMc

 

[Timily Farms]

Two babies so far from my silkie cross mom beautiful little black fuzz balls will try to get pics if momma will let me

 

[PD-Riverman]

Two babies so far from my silkie cross mom beautiful little black fuzz balls will try to get pics if momma will let me

Hey Timily Farms-----Glad you got you 2 babies----I do not know your experience in having a broody so I am Only telling you what I would Not do in My area---"I" would Never tilt or lift my hen to look under her during the hatch-----it causes the moisture to escape that is needed for the hatch-----I just Leave my hens alone during that time. Your Mileage May Vary!! Good Luck

 

[aart]

Quote: Ditto Dat^^^

Just wait a day or two, they'll be peeking out from underneath mama in no time..I know, I know, it's hard to wait!

 

[down-home Dave]

Okay, so I came home to find my hen had hatched out one of her eggs. She ended up leaving the other 3 eggs and took her baby out to forage for food. The baby was able to get down from the coop no problems. The other adults in the flock were curious, but the mom did a good job protecting her baby. I candeled the other 3 eggs and they were definately not developed right, and all obviously died during the incubation process. I came outside after dark, and I heard the baby going crazy. Apparently mom went back into the raised coop, and the baby couldn't make it back in. So I grabbed the little one and put her in with my week old chicks. Was this a bad move? The chicks seem like they are getting along together, and the day old is starting to eat and drink. I have a better way of ensuring that the baby is fed now without the adults knocking over the little feeders and such, too. I tried to move the mom into my grow out pen, but she went crazy. I am just playing it by ear and hoping for the best.

 

[holm25]

I would have left the baby with her and just take care of some of the problems. Speckled hen told me that she once took a hens chicks at 1 day old and sold them and that hen spent a month looking every day for those chicks.