Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[jc12551]

Hi everyone! Long time no see!

The four pullets that hatched in early September from my first successful broody bantam mom all went broody on the same day in a huge communal nest with about 30 eggs. One week to go I think. They are sitting on their own eggs plus some eggs from two of my EE hens and eggs from their mom. They constantly switch positions and switch eggs so this should be interesting. I wonder how it will work out when the hatching starts?

I haven't successfully candled so I don't even know what is going on. I tried to candle them, but having four broody hens come after me made it a bit hard.

Their mom is a red cochin, the broodies are red x partridge cochin, the bantam roos are a partridge cochin, a red x partridge mix, a silkie, and a silkie x partridge cochin mix.
The EE eggs could be fertilized by two EE roosters, a cuckoo maran rooster, a cuckoo maran x dominique rooster, a cuckoo maran x EE rooster (his is cuckoo with red accents and a muff, beautiful!).

I can't wait to see what actually hatches out!

 

[Crazy4mypeeps]

Here is another pic of my babies

Awwwwwwww Thanks for sharing. I'm still waiting for mine to hatch. I honestly think that only one will make it. It will be and EE.

Glad that your girl did such a good job.

 

[Johnn]

One of the other hens were in the Orpington's nest box eating her food so I kicked her out and took the food bowl out. She has been off her nest because she left a big poop which my dog ate -__-. But one of the eggs were not under her, I think its maybe's because when she got off the nest another hen got in so she couldn't sort them out. It was warmish so I hope it can still hatch because it's day 1 today. She got off the nest again for some reason and the other eggs were not that warm so I hope that was just because she had just got back on the eggs when I arrived.

 

[MuckyPuppy]

I think at least one of the eggs I put under my broody hatched sometimes this morning. I couldn't see a chick but I did hear peeping and I found the top of a zipped egg. I know I should have candled earlier but I didn't and I am now planning to candle any unhatched eggs very early Sunday morning, maybe around one or two-ish our time GMT, about eight or nine-ish EST, to check if any of the unhatched eggs are still viable. Is this a good idea when there are hatched chicks under her and if I pull out a pipped/starting to zip egg out from under her will I compromise it's ability to hatch?

 

[karlamaria]

Has anyone tried to use a stethoscope on the eggs to hear a heart beat? Wouldn't this be a good indication the eggs are living and growing and of course alive?

 

[karlamaria]

I think at least one of the eggs I put under my broody hatched sometimes this morning. I couldn't see a chick but I did hear peeping and I found the top of a zipped egg. I know I should have candled earlier but I didn't and I am now planning to candle any unhatched eggs very early Sunday morning, maybe around one or two-ish our time GMT, about eight or nine-ish EST, to check if any of the unhatched eggs are still viable. Is this a good idea when there are hatched chicks under her and if I pull out a pipped/starting to zip egg out from under her will I compromise it's ability to hatch?  

I would leave them alone and wait a few days and then see if they all hatch out.

 

[MuckyPuppy]

I would leave them alone and wait a few days and then see if they all hatch out.

Thank you very much for your advice. I will try and sit on my hands.

 

[karlamaria]

Thank you very much for your advice. I will try and sit on my hands.

it's hard I know lol, a few times I wish I had waited to allow all to hatch, throwing out eggs that I found out to late would have hatched if I had waited a few extra days. I'm concerned as my girl was off her nest and on a new nest when I got home from work, sad part is the eggs were cold . I pray by her getting back on them they are ok. There suposed to hatch next weekend.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Still nothing. Bunny not budging either. Hopefully she will give up tomorrow.

 

[EggieRowe]

First chick hatched! My scrawny broody did it!