Broody Hen Thread!

[yochickiemomma]

The hens usually know before we do that something 'ain't right' about an egg. I know it sounds gross and really it is but have you considered necropsy on your unhatched eggs? I do all unhatched eggs that are not viable after candling and it does help you figure out what may of happened, when it happened and if there is anything you can do to keep it from happening again.

Good luck on your hatch. Sounds like you have a good broody hen.

I thought about opening it but didn't have time this morning I'll have to do it when I get home and before my hubby comes home from work. I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to see what's inside. Lol

Shot story. My older sis brought home partly developed eggs from bio class several years ago ( about 20 yrs ago) and she had to open them and write a report. As the curios little sis I watched her open them up outside. I quit eating eggs after that day up until 2 years ago when I started keeping chickens of my own. Now my morbid curiosity is back and I want to crack that egg open and see what went wrong.

 

[thunderbird]

3 of the five hatched so far and the last two eggs have pipped.
Here are some pics from earlier today

 

[microchick]

Thunderbird, congratulations on the new chicks and pips.

A word of advice, resist the urge to lift mama off the nest while the eggs are hatching. She is working hard to keep the humidity up under her so the babies don't shrink wrap and die while they are breaking out of their shells.

I know, we all peek, just don't lift.

 

[bobbi-j]

I just set my second broody of the year. I set the first one last Monday. The first one to go broody is a grey, feather-footed easter egger. This is her third year to brood, and she has 10 eggs. Today's broody is a 1-year old Dark Brahma. This is her first clutch, so I only gave her 5 eggs. Hoping those two girls hatch a bunch of cockerels for my freezer!

 

[jnckids]

My micro broody is now sitting. Eggs set today!

Sitting on one of hers while we waited for shipped eggs.

Sitting on 3 Belgian D'Anver eggs, 3 Crele EGH eggs, a Speckled and Mottled "surprise" Bantam.

 

[katatonic123]

Since my broody wouldn't take the incubator chicks I brought home I guess I'll let her do the work herself. Have a friend who lost 11 chickens in the flood we just had so I'm helping her up her flock and my brother is wanting some specific offspring and none of those hatched in the incubator. Here's to the next 21 days!

 

[microchick]

Since my broody wouldn't take the incubator chicks I brought home I guess I'll let her do the work herself. Have a friend who lost 11 chickens in the flood we just had so I'm helping her up her flock and my brother is wanting some specific offspring and none of those hatched in the incubator. Here's to the next 21 days!

 

[Fowl lover]

Hello.....I brought a hen from my uncle's home about 1.5 week ago.It is a new hampshire hen.She was acting broody over there fluffed up and sitting on the eggs laid by the other hen.I brought the hen to my house and the very next day she was fluffed up and was fighting with my rooster and other hen and i placed some egg in my coop but she didn't sat on the eggs and then after a day or two she was back to normal but my question is that when will she start laying again??

 

[ebarnes]

Hey guys. My broody hen has been sitting in her lone egg since the 18th. I'm guessing that my hatch day should be around the 9th. I've been reading up on the hatching proccess but most of it is about incubation not natural hatching. Just wondering since I'm getting a little close to hatch time is there a type of lockdown period for my egg? If so what does it entail? I candled the egg earlier today and it seems to be thriving. I'm no expert but it's actively moving and has a nice size air pocket. Soo do I just let nature take its course? Is there anything I can do to help with the proccess? Is there a day I should stop handling the egg all together? With mama sitting on the egg is there a way to tell if it's pipped? Also do I need to remove my rooster? Sorry so many questions!! First chicken and first egg!

 

[jnckids]

Hey guys. My broody hen has been sitting in her lone egg since the 18th. I'm guessing that my hatch day should be around the 9th. I've been reading up on the hatching proccess but most of it is about incubation not natural hatching. Just wondering since I'm getting a little close to hatch time is there a type of lockdown period for my egg? If so what does it entail? I candled the egg earlier today and it seems to be thriving. I'm no expert but it's actively moving and has a nice size air pocket. Soo do I just let nature take its course? Is there anything I can do to help with the proccess? Is there a day I should stop handling the egg all together? With mama sitting on the egg is there a way to tell if it's pipped? Also do I need to remove my rooster? Sorry so many questions!! First chicken and first egg!

I just tried to make sure she ate and drank because I'm not positive she moved those last few days. I actually brought the food and water to her. Then easily for the peeps and cheeps! Lol