Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Tialena]

Super super excited, finally got a look in on my new silkie muma and she has 2 very noisy wet babies so far! 4 eggs left and I have no idea if they are duds or not. So funny watching her when they cheap she looks around as if to say well the he'll did that come from lol and gently tucks them back under bless. It's day 21 today, been reading back through the posts so I do know they can still hatch until 25 days so not panicking yet. Thank you so much for this thread it has been super helpful xx pics will follow as soon as she will allow me xx

 

[curious chickee]

My broody laid her first egg after hhatching 3 Dens so I am thinking great time to wean the babies, moved her back into the coop last night. This morning find her sitting on yesterday's eggs her fellow hens laid. Dang bird, oh well.

 

[karenerwin]

My broody laid her first egg after hhatching 3 Dens so I am thinking great time to wean the babies, moved her back into the coop last night. This morning find her sitting on yesterday's eggs her fellow hens laid. Dang bird, oh well.

How old were/are her chicks when she decided to start laying eggs again? My broody's babies are 5 or 6 weeks old, but she hasn't started laying eggs again yet.

 

[karenerwin]

Well I'm joining this thread.

One of my BO's went broody and I decided to give her some eggs. She was on two last night and I gave her 6 I had collected from the day before. She's been in the nest all week though.

I'm interested to see what hatches since I have a mixed flock of large fowl. Dad is either a White JG or a Light Brahma. There are several choice for moms as I haven't figured out who lays what eggs yet. They are all just about 7 months old and my first chickens.

Good luck! Did you remove the eggs she had been sitting on? You want them to all be incubated/ brooded for the same amount of time, otherwise when the first 2 hatch she might decide that she is done & quit sitting and then you'll loose the 6 you gave her.

 

[curious chickee]

How old were/are her chicks when she decided to start laying eggs again?  My broody's babies are 5 or 6 weeks old, but she hasn't started laying eggs again yet.

About 8 weeks old, my broody is about 3 years old

 

[Tialena]

So cute! This morning we have 3 cute lil fluffy butts 3 more to go

 

[greenfeathers]

Good luck!  Did you remove the eggs she had been sitting on?  You want them to all be incubated/ brooded for the same amount of time, otherwise when the first 2 hatch she might decide that she is done & quit sitting and then you'll loose the 6 you gave her.

The two she was on were laid the same day I gave her the 6. I waited a few days to be sure she wanted to sit.

 

[Tialena]

Still only 3 chicks coming, mum called them out for some chick crumb. Im curious they are all supposed to be white but this lil gal looks kinda silvery xx

 

[uncredibless33]

It's exactly day 21, and we have two pips!

I can hear one inside of the eggshell, peeping and scratching, and the other I can actually see the little beak and egg tooth. How long should it take for the eggs to fully hatch?

And, erm, I made the mistake and turning the rest of them (7 eggs total) to check if there were pips... Could this have hurt the chick inside? I saw somewhere that you can kill the chick if you turn them, and that it was even worse to put them back not exactly as they were. They were still moving (I could feel them through the egg shell), but I'm still concerned about it.

UPDATE: Just saw one more pip. I'm not messing with the eggs at this point- no more touchy touchy. Gonna let nature take its course.

Yet another UPDATE: Our first chick just hatched! Welcome to the world, little baby!!!

 

[karenerwin]

About 8 weeks old, my broody is about 3 years old

Ok, so maybe another couple of weeks for mine. The broody is a little over a year old & her chicks are at the 6 week mark, maybe 7. I'd have to go look at the calendar.