Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[NHchicks]

Quote:
Yikes - I can't imagine that. What in the world do you do with all those chicks?

 

[jadeybaby70]

I have one small silkie who has been broody for a very long time. I tried everything to break her of it buy she even sat on ice for quite a long time. I decided to give in and ordered her some eggs. Only, the order is for 18 eggs and she is quite small. I have no doubt that she will squeeze them all underneath herself but how many, realistically, do you think she could hatch out and how many should I put in the bator. This is the first time I have ever used a broody!

 

[stonykill]

Quote:
Yikes - I can't imagine that. What in the world do you do with all those chicks?

let mama raise them into chickens

I control how many they hatch by giving them eggs to sit on.

 

[DrinkTheRainbow]

We had 19+ eggs under our Japanese cross and she hatched them all I think Only saw 3 so far

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
So sweet and cute.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Congrats stony your on your way to having how many Sumatras? can't remember your goal.

 

[hennylove]

Here is my pic of the first day out for our BR broody mama 1 and her 3 little peeps.
Wednesday, (right on schedule) BR broody mama 2 hatched 2 dark little peeps, and this morning I found 2 little fluffy light colored peeps along with!!!

Still 2 eggs, hopefully they will hatch today.

 

[cheez1e]

We hatch with broody hens. Hubby wants to get an incubator but we haven't got around to it, plus he doesn't like to spend the money and doesn't want a cheap one. We are generally happy with the amount of chickens we have but we love to have chicks too so if they get broody we are all for letting them hatch some. We had 5 hens sitting recently.
2 bantam russian orloffs, between the two they hatched 15, 9 with one and 6 with the other. Both are very protective mommas.
2 bantam rir hatched 13 total, 7 out of one (couple weeks old now, have lost one) and 6 out of the other. First one is a great momma, 2nd doesn't seem to want to leave her nest (and chicks are a couple days old and very into exploring) so hubby took those and put them in with the orloffs, said they took to them and are taking care of them, and left the hen with a few more eggs under her. We think it didn't help that the other hens have been climbing in there with her and still laying eggs.
Last one on the nest is a jersey giant, no hatches yet, she's broken a couple and the eggs are a mess so not too sure how they are going to do, if they will hatch. But we've got plenty more eggs that we are planning to put under her if they don't hatch in the next few days.
AND we have one more rir bantam that looks like she's getting broody, so maybe even more chicks coming!
Our rooster is doing quite the bang up job!!!

We don't move the hens to a separate area (not this year anyway) and they all seem to be doing great so far. We do have a couple hens that are a bit picky at them, but there is tons of room both in the coop and they free range and it doesn't seem to be a problem yet. Hopefully it will stay that way.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
very cute and congrats!!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
We have a chick! Just one so far and I guess we will have to wait till morning. I'll try and get a photo.

Congrats!!!!!!!