First time Broody BO Sitting on Nest of 14 Eggs - 1 Week to go!

[KayTee]

That's a real shame, but I agree that it may well have simply been too hot for them. At least you know that the eggs you got were fertile. If you have a similar situation again it may be worth considering moving the broody to a cooler place (garage, outhouse, spare bedroom...) where she won't get too overheated for the eggs.
Thank you for sharing your experience - especially the eggtopsy. Information like that can only serve to help others in the future.

We have been experiencing similar temperatures here for the last month - fortunately my two broodies had already hatched their chicks before it started, but if they had still been sitting on eggs I don't know if I would have thought about moving them out of the coop - your experience has made me much more aware of how important external temperatures are to a broody. They can regulate the nest temperature to a certain degree, but obviously not that much when there is a heat wave.

 

[BoiseChik]

Can you tell from the pictures about how far along the eggs were? They were tiny, but had feathers and I could clearly see their various colors. I was looking at the calendar and the heat wave actually started just a few days into the 21 days and then proceeded off and on for the first two weeks. I guess it doesn't matter too much at this point, but I wonder what kind of 'event' would cause 11 eggs to stop developing at the same time.
Beatrice is doing so well with her chicks. She has already taught them to scratch and look for food in the straw. At what point should I allow her out of the coop to free range in the yard? I'm especially wondering how long I should keep her seperate from the other hens in the flock. They have seperate sections of the coop and a large grassy yard to free range. So far, the mama hen and babies are "cooped up."

 

[GitaBooks]

Can you tell from the pictures about how far along the eggs were? They were tiny, but had feathers and I could clearly see their various colors. I was looking at the calendar and the heat wave actually started just a few days into the 21 days and then proceeded off and on for the first two weeks. I guess it doesn't matter too much at this point, but I wonder what kind of 'event' would cause 11 eggs to stop developing at the same time.
Beatrice is doing so well with her chicks. She has already taught them to scratch and look for food in the straw. At what point should I allow her out of the coop to free range in the yard? I'm especially wondering how long I should keep her seperate from the other hens in the flock. They have seperate sections of the coop and a large grassy yard to free range. So far, the mama hen and babies are "cooped up."

Some people let momma and chicks out from day one. However, I have some aggressive hens and water dishes they can drown in, so I wait a few weeks.

As for the developing eggs, we had some that did the same thing as yours. However, our hen got trapped off her eggs for a few hours, and those that did hatch, hatched late. The few that didn't were nearly formed, or so I hear, I didn't do the opening myself (I don't trust myself not to hurt a chick). We also had a bantam covering some standard eggs, and wondered if she might have had trouble turning them or something, and that is why they never made it to hatch.

 

[KayTee]

I let my broodies out 24 hours after the last chick has hatched. The earlier the chicks are exposed to the soil the better, especially in terms of developing resistance to cocci. I also have some deep water dishes, so for the first few weeks I just put some stones in the bottom, so that if a chick falls in it isn't too deep for them. It all depends on your situation and any possible risks in the environment. I wouldn't worry too much about the other hens - they mostly ignore chicks, and if they do peck at one for getting in the way your broody will have something to say about it!
I don't have a chart to hand to identify you unhatched chick ages, but you should be able to find one online. It must have been a one-off incident if they are all at the same stage, but it's frustrating if you don't know what it was.

 

[BoiseChik]

Well, I got greedy getting more chicks for the hen, I guess. I tried to add two more chicks to her group yesterday, so that was five days after her eggs hatched. I was so surprised--her behavior was so different than the first two times we added chicks. The first two times she wanted those chicks so badly...tried to climb into the box, immediately got them under her etc. This time she pecked and chased the one chick that was 3 days old, but let the 1 day old chick be. Then this morning I went out to observe her and she was pecking and chasing the 1 day old chick too. Acckk! I guess I'm hand raising chicks again. :-} Is that big change in her behavior because it had been five days after hatching, and I had waited too long? Also, is there anyway to get her to accept and raise them, or have we missed the window?
I'm sure you're both shaking your heads at the greedy newby. ;-D

 

[GitaBooks]

Well, I got greedy getting more chicks for the hen, I guess. I tried to add two more chicks to her group yesterday, so that was five days after her eggs hatched. I was so surprised--her behavior was so different than the first two times we added chicks. The first two times she wanted those chicks so badly...tried to climb into the box, immediately got them under her etc. This time she pecked and chased the one chick that was 3 days old, but let the 1 day old chick be. Then this morning I went out to observe her and she was pecking and chasing the 1 day old chick too. Acckk! I guess I'm hand raising chicks again. :-} Is that big change in her behavior because it had been five days after hatching, and I had waited too long? Also, is there anyway to get her to accept and raise them, or have we missed the window?
I'm sure you're both shaking your heads at the greedy newby. ;-D

After a certain window of time the mommas have imprinted on there babies and will generally not except new ones. You could try housing the new chicks near to her (with a heat light) and see what she thinks. She may eventually let them follow her around, though doubtfully will fully except them.

Best of luck!

 

[KayTee]

You're right, there's only a window of a few days when a hen is looking for her new chicks and will accept new 'cheeping' voices. Once that period is over, any other chicks she encounters won't be accepted as hers. It looks like you've got yourself a couple of chicks to hand rear!

I made a similar mistake this year, but from the other direction. I didn't have any fertile eggs for my broody, and I was going to be away for a week for work, leaving my husband to look after the hens, so I tried to introduce new chicks to a broody that had only been on the nest a week. The chicks were a bit too old, and she wasn't broody enough. Result - three hand reared chicks!

Never mind - if you're used to raising chicks yourself it's not so bad. And don't think you're alone. Every chicken keeper has made mistakes in keeping and raising their flocks, even if they aren't always prepared to admit it!

Enjoy the new additions to your flock

 

[BoiseChik]

Hello Again, I have a few fun pictures to share. The mama hen, Beatrice, and her chicks are doing great. It is 10 days after her eggs hatched. I have been letting the little family out of the coop to free range the yard. I was so pleased to observe the other 6 grown hens have been great around the family and largely left them alone. They have all been very curious, but there haven't been any problems. I'm only letting the family free range when I am home, to help keep them a little safer. There have been a few times a chick had got seperated and they weren't able to reunite without my help, etc. The Mama hen is protective of her babies when another hen approaches, and mainly keeps them under cover, like bushes etc. She seems to be a wise Mama. My Rhode Island Red, Wendy, actually seemed genuinly motherly with the chicks...she roosted near them, allowing the chicks to surround and approach her and touch her face. Amazing to see! I think she'd make a wonderful mother! I hope she goes broody at some time in her life.
You might recall, that only two eggs hatched and then I went on a buying spree aquiring 1-3 day old chicks to add to the group. The number of chicks topped out at 10, but has settled at 7. I had purchased three blue/lavendar orpingtons from a breeder and DANG IT, two of them died. She also strangely rejected a little brown speckled chick that came to her on day 5 after her eggs had hatched, so we are raising her by hand and named her Clara. (Clara from the story "Heidi" had dark brown hair.) Side note; I have four sons, so you'll just have to excuse all the girly chicken names. ;-]
So, poor little Clara has been terribly lonely and the desperate and shrill peeping from her brooder box was almost deafening! My boys and I carried her around as much as possible, but she couldn't stand to be alone in the box. Soooooooo, my very sweet and indulgent husband allowed even more baby chick indulgence, and took me out to a charming farm in the country yesterday and we picked out three GORGEOUS Americana pullets, and one blue laced red wynadotte pullet. The four new girls are going to be raised with Clara and be her sisters. Even though they are a bit older, about 3 weeks old, the five chicks immediately took to each other and the desperate peeping from the brooder box stopped. Now there is just contented cuddling. I've taken the group of sisters outside a few times to free range with everyone and they stick close to me and eachother. I dont't think I have questions at this point, but feel free to offer advice. ;-]
Pictures to follow.

 

[BoiseChik]

Baby Chick Rainbow

Little Clara, "Nobody wants me, everybody hates me, I guess I'll go eat worms."

(any guesses on her breed?)

 

[BoiseChik]

New sisters coming home! Three Americana pullets, 3 weeks old and a blue laced red Wynadotte pullet! (Bella, Flora, Rosa, Annabelle) Yes, really!

"Getting to know you, getting to know all about you!"