Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[fisherlady]

I just got home from work and went out to check on the situation. Sure enough, one adorable little all black chick under Momma broody' swing. So sweet!

It was too dark for pics, but I will be out the at first light taking tons of them for sure.
From what I could tell with the flashlight this chick was black with no markings...since the rooster was a NH red and there were barred rock hens in the laying flock, I'm thinking this is possibly a black sex link....in which case it is hopefully a pullet!!

I can't wait to post some pics and see what you all think

Congrats on the first hatched! Will look forward to some pics!

 

[Layira]

Thanks, this makes a lot of sense and makes me feel much better!

Supervise their mingling closely since they have shown tendencies to be nasty.  Provide an area that allows the broody and chicks to move away from the other hens if needed. Allow short periods of time to mingle at first, then gradually increase the time.  Allow the hen and chicks to continue to return to their private quarters as long as they want for quiet time and overnighting. You will be able to judge what time frames will work best for your flock after watching them a bit.
Please refer to my above post and the reply to Moppet above.... every flock is different, and supervision and observation to remove problem birds or provide extra areas of division is often needed when flocks are new to broodies and chicks.  There are no 'hard and fast' rules, they need to be adjusted to suit individual personalities and even physical restrictions of coops and runs.

 

[bumpercarr]

I have one "meany" pullet (she's not quite a year old) in the rebuilding of my flock since the disastrous dog attack. She chases the chicks, really she just terrorizes everyone. She's the oldest that survived the dog attack, so maybe she feels entitled, I don't know. Anyway, by ensuring that there is plenty of space and several waterers and feeders in their turn out yard, I'm able to ensure that she can't beat up on anyone too badly. I thought I would share so that those that are inclined know that by providing space for escape, you can integrate your grumpy birds with almost anyone else. She manages to chase away anyone who is feeding where she wants to feed, drinking where she wants to drink and dust bathing where she wants to dust bathe.

One thing to note, I do have separate quarters for sleeping. The meany sleeps on her own in a separate apartment and the other 10 sleep in their own apartment separately. Interesting dynamics, and I'll deal with the difficulties later, but some of the newer folks should know that flock management takes some thought and planning. If I had a broody (lost mine in the dog attack) and a good one, she would protect her chicks with her life from the "meany" pullet. My last broody was at the bottom of the pecking order except when she had chicks, then she would become an absolute terror!

As I sit and watch all of the interactions, I watch her pull on feathers on those that she doesn't like, move towards food and everyone else runs in terror, and just generally cause terror and meanness. So, I am hoping that they will all work it out and am pretty sure that they will based on previous experiences.

Hope that this helps someone else.

 

[5 Acre Rooster]

Well B1 finally has chicks, 2 of her's (At least she hatched them) and hoping rain don't drowned everyone tonight. Great for garden, not my birds. 1 looks like a male BSL other is sorta chipmunky but real little main body colors. Now waiting on B2 &B3 see if they sort out their eggs. they shuffle them back and forth but sharing same spot on coop floor. Might separate them later. The BA is a egg hoarder/thief. But BO always has 4+. They seem to be keeping all other girls away last couple days. No new eggs since the morning after I set hem with BYM and got rid of duck duds. Set for a 6-20 hatch, same day as my last incubator hatch. GL to all other broody owners out there.

 

[Tabatha]

Well B1 finally has chicks, 2 of her's (At least she hatched them) and hoping rain don't drowned everyone tonight. Great for garden, not my birds. 1 looks like a male BSL other is sorta chipmunky but real little main body colors. Now waiting on B2 &B3 see if they sort out their eggs. they shuffle them back and forth but sharing same spot on coop floor. Might separate them later. The BA is a egg hoarder/thief. But BO always has 4+. They seem to be keeping all other girls away last couple days. No new eggs since the morning after I set hem with BYM and got rid of duck duds. Set for a 6-20 hatch, same day as my last incubator hatch. GL to all other broody owners out there.

poured rain here too:/ .I have 2 broodies and one tiny phoenix hen that just hatched chicks last week, but will run my broody buff orpie off of HER nest to sit on the eggs (chicks and all). Every night I have to rearrange them. Luckily my silkie mutt is on lockdown. When booted from her nest by the tiny p and crew, she would boot out the silkie. Next 2 weeks will be very interesting around here...lol. Good luck with yours!

 

[mebberry4]

Congrats on the first hatched!  Will look forward to some pics!

Thanks Fisherlady! I'm pretty excited as I'm sure you can tell.
I went out to check this morning and there is another chick under her other wing!, :
This one was buff or yellow (same color?) and still slightly damp looking so I'm guessing hatched in the wee hours of the morning. That was all I could see without getting Momma seriously upset and I snapped a bunch of pictures, but the chicks are hidden. *sigh* I think i just need to be patient in order to get some of the awesome pics like you all have of the little ones peeking out from under mom! Patience is so hard though...

So far that makes one all black chick (possibly black sex link) and one all yellow/buff. Do you all have thoughts on what the yellow might be?
The NH Roos were in with BA, BO, NH, RIR and BR. There were also White Leghorns and Ameracaunas, but she didn't give me any white or colored eggs.
Would a NHxBO just look like a yellow Buff as a chick? Thanks and Good Luck to all the Broody's for a great hatch! e

 

[LisaLouHoo]

Thanks Fisherlady! I'm pretty excited as I'm sure you can tell.
I went out to check this morning and there is another chick under her other wing!, :
This one was buff or yellow (same color?) and still slightly damp looking so I'm guessing hatched in the wee hours of the morning. That was all I could see without getting Momma seriously upset and I snapped a bunch of pictures, but the chicks are hidden. *sigh* I think i just need to be patient in order to get some of the awesome pics like you all have of the little ones peeking out from under mom! Patience is so hard though...

So far that makes one all black chick (possibly black sex link) and one all yellow/buff. Do you all have thoughts on what the yellow might be?
The NH Roos were in with BA, BO, NH, RIR and BR. There were also White Leghorns and Ameracaunas, but she didn't give me any white or colored eggs.
Would a NHxBO just look like a yellow Buff as a chick? Thanks and Good Luck to all the Broody's for a great hatch! e

Congrats!!!! Have fun today! Last year my rooster was a NH and I hatched out 2 EE eggs and 2 SLW eggs and one BO egg. The BO egg turned out to be the only roo out of 5 and he looked just like a NH, but with white legs not yellow. The other 4 chicks were pullets and they look like NH, but differing body types. The pullets are very good layers.

btw, I may be hatching today, too. Tomorrow is day 21. What day is this for your hatch?

 

[mebberry4]

Congrats!!!! Have fun today! Last year my rooster was a NH and I hatched out 2 EE eggs and 2 SLW eggs and one BO egg. The BO egg turned out to be the only roo out of 5 and he looked just like a NH, but with white legs not yellow. The other 4 chicks were pullets and they look like NH, but differing body types. The pullets are very good layers.

btw, I may be hatching today, too. Tomorrow is day 21. What day is this for your hatch?

Thanks LisaLouHoo!

That's great that your NH mix pullets turned out to be good layers. I'm hoping for the same!

Today is day 21 over here, I set them the night after Mother's Day. One of mine hatched sometime during the day yesterday. Hopefully you get some pips or peeps today as well. That's awesome that we can literally 'hatch-along'!

Good luck with your hatch! Can't wait to hear how it goes

Edited for typos

 

[poodlechicks]

Oh, that's really good news. Buff Orpingtons have a reputation for being very good broodies, and quite sweet birds. So she's more likely than some breeds to be able to hold her brood despite daily interruptions, and to have a nice temperament to teach the chicks.

It also sounds like she'll be quite protective, but with judgement. I love that she's fine when you handle her during the day, but at night (when she can't be sure that it's you) she's willing to deliver the peck of a thousand beaks!! What a good broody.

She is a nice bird. Second to last in the pecking order, so I am going to be watchful of her and her brood. I have good padding under the pine shavings, because I found the bottom of the carrier not only a bit irregular, but also slippery. I wanted to give Summer a good grip to stand up when she needs to. Not that this is going to ever happen on her own.

Thanks again for all the good advice! And for caring!

To all the recent hatches, congratulations!!!

Day 20 is going to be on the 10th for me. Anybody out there expecting chicks on the same day?

 

[Dumb Kluck]

SQUEEEEEEE! Yesterday only two eggs chirped when I checked them all and I had two pips by afternoon... I checked every 15 minutes but nothing changed all day...

this morning I found half a dozen fluffy chicks under mom!!!

pics to follow when mom does her daily business of being off the nest for 5 minutes (she refused to mess in her broody pen or nest the whole time!) one day she was locked in and so she shat out the side of her brooder instead of in it! I am the proudest chicken grandma you ever did see