Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[jyurina]

So my last broody adventure was a bust but we are back at it and there are 1,000 more posts since the last time my girl sat on a nest, WOW! SO she laid 6 of her own and sat on them-well she actually hid them in under a bush and refused to let me move them. I knew they were not fertile cause the roos been moulting and not doing his "job". So I got 5 fertile eggs from my sister and gave those to her. It took a week before I could remove the infertile eggs and when I did two of the fertile ones had broken. So she is on three eggs with beautiful embryos in two and possibly in three. The third has a side air sac so it's hard to see.

 

[Viollettt]

I'm sorry if this has been covered over and over but I have tried to search and come up with zero. Not sure if I'm not searching for the correct terms or what but I don't want to wait as I only have so much time.

My last hatch and this newest hatch from this summer I have had some chicks not make it out of the egg. I notice that the eggs look not so much crushed as all the hard shell is broken into small pieces and fallen off and the albumen is tight when I find the chick dead or in a couple of cases I was able to carefully snip it and the chick was able to get out and survived. It only happened with the last hatch on a few eggs and now it has happened again with one chick. The other eggs in the nest have not even started to zip. The chick I am talking about had zipped all the way around and I could see it's beak but it's not moving. My question is why is this happening. I had a few hatches last summer and did not have this problem. It is a regular summer with high humidity. I am using cedar bedding this year. Last year I used wheat straw. Is it the bedding? I have 3 broody and this one set to hatch hers today. The other two next Monday. Anyone know what I can do to make this better? Thanks.

 

[sharol]

I'm sorry if this has been covered over and over but I have tried to search and come up with zero. Not sure if I'm not searching for the correct terms or what but I don't want to wait as I only have so much time.

My last hatch and this newest hatch from this summer I have had some chicks not make it out of the egg. I notice that the eggs look not so much crushed as all the hard shell is broken into small pieces and fallen off and the albumen is tight when I find the chick dead or in a couple of cases I was able to carefully snip it and the chick was able to get out and survived. It only happened with the last hatch on a few eggs and now it has happened again with one chick. The other eggs in the nest have not even started to zip. The chick I am talking about had zipped all the way around and I could see it's beak but it's not moving. My question is why is this happening. I had a few hatches last summer and did not have this problem. It is a regular summer with high humidity. I am using cedar bedding this year. Last year I used wheat straw. Is it the bedding? I have 3 broody and this one set to hatch hers today. The other two next Monday. Anyone know what I can do to make this better? Thanks.

 

[Viollettt]

Great. I had no idea. I do everything possible to keep them healthy and happy and then I do this. I will change it out today. Thanks so much, Sharol.

 

[emmapal]

I have 3 hens all hatched on the same day. Chicks are 3 weeks old but not fully feathered. It is hot here, 100 degrees most days. They are all confined separately in broody boxes.

Since the mothers cannot escape and abandon the chicks, how can I tell when to let each out when she is "done" with them? Is it the chicks being feathered fully, or her behavior toward them, her comb reddening??? I dont want her stuck with them and pecking or dominating the food once she is done mothering. Thanks!

 

[chickydee64]

I have 3 hens all hatched on the same day. Chicks are 3 weeks old but not fully feathered. It is hot here, 100 degrees most days. They are all confined separately in broody boxes.

Since the mothers cannot escape and abandon the chicks, how can I tell when to let each out when she is "done" with them? Is it the chicks being feathered fully, or her behavior toward them, her comb reddening??? I dont want her stuck with them and pecking or dominating the food once she is done mothering. Thanks!

HI,
I do things a little different.I keep broody and chicks separated for a few days then let them join the flock.....
As far as when the broody is through, my experience is it depends on the broody..some cut them lose in about 6 weeks, others hang on for a long time.
Even roosting together for weeks.............In my case , I let the hen decide............she will start roosting without them, laying again ect.
We had one silly cockerel that insisted sleeping with his mom.head under her tummy, until he was way bigger than her............

Good Luck...............

 

[PuffyChick]

I am absolutely in LOVE with my broody hen.

She is sitting on that nest like ....she has a magic butt. Because if you try to get the eggs the other girls laid in there she magically moves her butt right in the way and wont budge for nothing.

I was lifting her up a tiny bit and she went all "stiff" like in protest ..freaked me out because it just felt so odd for our normal cuddle queen.

One question I cant seem to find an answer too Once I graft the chicks to her, how long befor we can handle/play with the chicks?

I don't want my chickens to be mean or snappy in fact all of my girls are big babies and mostly enjoy a kiss and cuddle.

They were all hand raised by me though so I am worried about "hen" raised chicks?

 

[hotrodflash]

I am absolutely in LOVE with my broody hen.

She is sitting on that nest like ....she has a magic butt. Because if you try to get the eggs the other girls laid in there she magically moves her butt right in the way and wont budge for nothing.

I was lifting her up a tiny bit and she went all "stiff" like in protest ..freaked me out because it just felt so odd for our normal cuddle queen.

One question I cant seem to find an answer too Once I graft the chicks to her, how long befor we can handle/play with the chicks?

I don't want my chickens to be mean or snappy in fact all of my girls are big babies and mostly enjoy a kiss and cuddle.

They were all hand raised by me though so I am worried about "hen" raised chicks?

I can pick up my broody raised babies and they are calm and easily handled. Sometimes my brooder babies are a little more skittish and peckish with me.

 

[McCaskill]

just set 12 eggs under my broody 4 Silkie and 8 mixed should I count today as the first day of the week or tomorrow?

 

[sharol]

Tomorrow. Sorry.

just set 12 eggs under my broody 4 Silkie and 8 mixed should I count today as the first day of the week or tomorrow?