Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
I would deffinately take out the clear ones: Mamma hen will be more comfortable id she doesn't have to be quite such a pancake.

Also, and more importantly, they can explode if they go off!!!!

You really don't want your healthy babies absorbing dead smelly stuff !!!

Good luck!

X2

 

[heatherkh]

I'll post a couple pics from yesterday when I'm not on my phone, but I checked in wih momma this morning and right now we have five fully hatched and fluffed and one wet just out of the shell. I didn't get a good look at the remaining 5 eggs to see if they'd pipped - blinded by the cute!!

Congrats to all who are hatching!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
I would deffinately take out the clear ones: Mamma hen will be more comfortable id she doesn't have to be quite such a pancake.

Also, and more importantly, they can explode if they go off!!!!

You really don't want your healthy babies absorbing dead smelly stuff !!!

Good luck!

X2

I didn't take out the clear ones but my girl was only sitting on 5 eggs and I wasn't confident about my candling abilities. In the end, 2 were clear but I waited until the bitter, bitter end to face that fact!

(Luckily, nothing exploded.)

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:

Woo hoo! Congratulations!! Can't wait for those pictures!!!!

 

[heatherkh]

Just a couple from yesterday - first one is the first hatch, second one I thought I was taking a pic of two, but it turned out there was three! Can't wait to get a pic of all six!!

 

[bobcart]

I checked the nest on Saturday (day 5). I immediately found two new eggs and realized it was time to listen to all the advice and get her her own space. I built a make shift pen 2' wide by 4' long and 2' tall and put a nice cardboard box nest in there for the eggs and also food and water. I can lock her in there if I want. Good set up. So, when I actually moved her and the eggs, there were a total of 4 new eggs. I moved her and all is well. I candled the eggs and then broke them open to confirm what I saw. Sure enough, two of the eggs were very fresh, one was runny and old and clearly not fertile and then one showed what appeared to be a 5 day embryo complete with eye and lots of veins. Sorry to lose that one, but it was very encouraging that at least some of the remaining 18 could be viable.

 

[chickencrazymamahen]

OM!!!!!!

Went down this morning and my broody wasn't her sweet self when I gave her her morning petting, she growled! Then, I heard a peep!!!!! She wasn't due to hatch until tomorrow! Left her alone and at lunch went down and when I stepped in her side of the pen she immediately went into full fluff, growl and cluck!! While she was doing that two of the CUTEST little things poked their heads out from under her back feathers and looked at me!!!! WOOOHOOO!!!!! So excited, now I just have to leave her alone

Wasn't even sure the eggs were fertile since papa roo was only 17 weeks when I put him with the old gals. First broody hatch in over 20 years for me....so sweet!! No pics yet, leaving her alone till she "tells" me she's done hatching.

So happy for everybody on here that has new chicks; great pictures, can't wait to show some of my own!!!!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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Congratulations!!!! Looking forward to pictures!!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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So cute!!!!! Congratulations!!!! And thanks for sharing

 

[artsyrobin]

Hi guys- broody fever hit my other silkie hen, so i have had her sitting on 5 guinea eggs and 2 EE's, i thought i timed it right but i am still waiting on the guineas to hatch, i think they are close, as the air sack on 4 of them are now at a slant- my problem is she keeps getting off the nest, will they still hatch?