first time with a broody hen

[stumpfme]

I am so excited I have 5 hens and 2 roosters i got my hens last summer and finally one of my barred rocks went broody her first day of sitting was Feb 3rd. She had 12 eggs under her from the other hen laying in the same box I had to move her to the brooder with her eggs. I candled them this Sunday all but 3 were good i don't know what happened to the 3 that were bad but the boys and I are so excited for the hatch which should be Feb 24. Does it always take 21 days? or could it be shorter or longer we cant wait too much longer lol.

I think another one is going broody she sat in a nest box all day long on 4 eggs and when I went to close up my coop she was roosting with the others. this is exactly how the first one done and after doing this for a few days here and there the last time she wouldn't budge not even for treats so I thought i would leave the eggs and see if she would sit on them and she has done a great job so far. I absolutely love my chickens so the more the merrier

 

[Paganrose]

Woo Hoo! broody hens are so exciting! Sometimes with a hen the hatch may vary a day or two. It all depends on if she started to brood all the eggs at the same time, or if some were laid after. Sometimes if the hatch is too staggard the broody will leave the nest to take care of the chicks that have already hatched. Some take chicks away until they are sure they have all hatched, others will finish the eggs in an incubator, and give them back to momma afterwards.

Good luck!

 

[Pork Pie]

Congrats! I prefer to move and store eggs until i am sure that a hen is 100% committed to sitting and then i put eggs under her all the same time - in my experience, they all (the viable ones) hatch within 24 hours of each other, which makes subsequent management easier.

All the best
CT

 

[stumpfme]

Thank you for the information. I'm going out tonight to candle the eggs and see the where they are at. I cant wait lol

 

[stumpfme]

I read that golf balls are great to put in the nest to help them go broody and when they have sat for awhile put eggs under them has anyone tried this and does it work? Thanks Elizabeth

 

[stumpfme]

I am so excited I have 5 hens and 2 roosters i got my hens last summer and finally one of my barred rocks went broody her first day of sitting was Feb 3rd. She had 12 eggs under her from the other hen laying in the same box I had to move her to the brooder with her eggs. I candled them this Sunday all but 3 were good i don't know what happened to the 3 that were bad but the boys and I are so excited for the hatch which should be Feb 24. Does it always take 21 days? or could it be shorter or longer we cant wait too much longer lol.

I think another one is going broody she sat in a nest box all day long on 4 eggs and when I went to close up my coop she was roosting with the others. this is exactly how the first one done and after doing this for a few days here and there the last time she wouldn't budge not even for treats so I thought i would leave the eggs and see if she would sit on them and she has done a great job so far. I absolutely love my chickens so the more the merrier

I went out to the coop today and theres 2 new baby chicks. There are 8 left one of the big brown eggs had all the brown on one end off but there is a something white on it. is this normal? it has been like this all day.how long should i leave it this way or should i let nature take its place?
Thanks elizabeth

 

[stumpfme]

my broody hen now has 5 baby chicks hatched and 5 to go we are so excited there are black ones which i'm sure are hers shes a barred rock and there's some yellow ones which came from my ISA brown hen they are so small and fluff ywe love them thanks for all the info
Elizabeth