Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Johnn]

Donna Lynn don't worry if they don't hatch on day 21! Mine hatched about five days late!!! It was scary! But the chicks that hatched are nice and healthy!

I have a question for you guys though, I have to sell my chicks eventually but I don't want to take them away from mom until she's done raising them so how long does that usually take? And what are some signs that I could tell she's done raising them? It's hard because they're all separated from the main coop so I'm not really sure.

My hen last year didn't until 22 weeks, but this year it was 7 weeks and if they want to be with her, they have to follow her. You will just know when she is not interested. Like if they get seperated from her and start calling for her and she just ignores it, then she doesn't care.

 

[twinkletoes]

Broody #1 has ended up back on her own nest(after switching nests a gazillion times with the other broodies). It was day 21 for her yesterday and 2 out of the 3 left have pipped! I can't wait to watch momma hen take care of her babies!

 

[Crafty chick]

my broody hatched one yesterday and is still sitting...how long should i leave her on the nest? hoping more hatch!

 

[Nike]

My hen last year didn't until 22 weeks, but this year it was 7 weeks and if they want to be with her, they have to follow her. You will just know when she is not interested. Like if they get seperated from her and start calling for her and she just ignores it, then she doesn't care.

Okay I will have to watch for signs of that. My family is getting antsy about selling them lol. But I won't until she's done raising them! Yesterday her chicks got separated but she went back and found it after awhile so she still wants them!

 

[RoxyBird]

Quick question: My broody now has chicks. Her upper beak is somewhat overgrown from lack of normal wear. It doesn't look critical yet but it's definitely noticeable. She still eating just fine, but if it gets much longer it will probably be a hinderance. Do I need to worry about this or is it just a typical broody thing?

 

[RoxyBird]

my broody hatched one yesterday and is still sitting...how long should i leave her on the nest? hoping more hatch!

I'd give her at minimum another 24 hours. If you've been having record heat there like we've had here you might bring some water by periodically for her (supervised only, so the chicks don't fall in).

 

[RoxyBird]

Broody #1 has ended up back on her own nest(after switching nests a gazillion times with the other broodies). It was day 21 for her yesterday and 2 out of the 3 left have pipped! I can't wait to watch momma hen take care of her babies!

Lol... I had to shade the entrance to the box with newspaper for mine while she hatched her chicks out. The other hens really wanted to lay eggs in there.

 

[twinkletoes]

I just ran out to check on mom and the eggs. She was off her nest eating in the coop. There wa a chick just coming out of the shell. I stayed back and just watched. When she returned to the nest she started attacking the chick. Picked it up and shook it. I got the chick away from her and no obvious damage was done thankfully. Since I had the bator running anyways in case anyone decided to abandon their nests, I put the chick in there. I went back out and momma had decided to go outside. Should I bring the other egg that has pipped inside to the bator too? I'm thinking I might try giving the chicks to her tonight after dark. But that makes me nervous considering how mean she got with this chick. I'm pretty sure she would have killed it if I wasn't there to save it.

 

[Johnn]

I just ran out to check on mom and the eggs. She was off her nest eating in the coop. There wa a chick just coming out of the shell. I stayed back and just watched. When she returned to the nest she started attacking the chick. Picked it up and shook it. I got the chick away from her and no obvious damage was done thankfully. Since I had the bator running anyways in case anyone decided to abandon their nests, I put the chick in there. I went back out and momma had decided to go outside. Should I bring the other egg that has pipped inside to the bator too? I'm thinking I might try giving the chicks to her tonight after dark. But that makes me nervous considering how mean she got with this chick. I'm pretty sure she would have killed it if I wasn't there to save it.

You could try it. If you are a morning person, get up when the sun is coming out. She wont attack it in the dark.

 

[CarolinaHen]

They're hatching!!! We went to move Agnes to a lower nest box so the chicks wouldn't be so high up, and when we picked her up there were already two chicks under her!