Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

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WoW you have got some busy hens Congrats!!!! let us know about your Jersey Giant, I am very interested in that breed, [maybe down the road]

 

[joycenjohnb]

I have a hen that hatched 5 little ones last week and I knew I had another nest with 3 eggs that I figured was from another hen. Yesterday the hen with babies started to set on that nest which now has 4 eggs, she also has her chicks under her. has anyone ever had a hen sit on a second nest while still taking care the first hatch and is it more likely that the eggs belong to the other hen?

 

[cheez1e]

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WoW you have got some busy hens Congrats!!!! let us know about your Jersey Giant, I am very interested in that breed, [maybe down the road]

Will definitely let you know how it goes. She does growl at us if we get too close to her which makes me laugh everytime but we'll see how the hatching goes.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Don't think it will work, mama needs to tend to her chicks and if she is sitting she can't and when she does the eggs will suffer, I had a hen try it, but I took the eggs out of the nest box, hopefully you have another broody who will sit them for you.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
WoW you have got some busy hens Congrats!!!! let us know about your Jersey Giant, I am very interested in that breed, [maybe down the road]

Will definitely let you know how it goes. She does growl at us if we get too close to her which makes me laugh everytime but we'll see how the hatching goes.

Thanks, I was at a poultry show in march and saw a JG for the first time [live] and feel in love. These seemed really gentle, are they?

 

[Cindilou]

I have one Jersey Giant that I bought in April at a chicken swap. So far, she is pretty nice. She just started squatting for me in the past few days. She has a deeper vocal sound than any of the other chickens I have but she is almost twice as large as all the other girls so it makes sense. She is pretty docile, probably due to her size, but I hear it is difficult for them to hatch their own eggs, also, due to their size. I think one of their original purposes was to take the place of the turkey as a table bird but I could be wrong.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Interesting, I would think they would need a large nest box, I have LFBrahmas and they have a deeper vocal call than my other chickens. and they always choose the larger nest boxes.

 

[stonykill]

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

well thank you! I've already reached this years goal of 60 Sumatra's. I'm currently at 63. So those that hatch will just be a plus!

 

[nursemeh]

TripTrapMtnHomestead


GREAT pic!!!
Have fun!!!

 

[Cindilou]

Quote:
Interesting, I would think they would need a large nest box, I have LFBrahmas and they have a deeper vocal call than my other chickens. and they always choose the larger nest boxes.

Oh definitely, my girl probably weighs 10 lbs. it's possible she'll get to 15 which is why most people incubate instead of let them hatch. They apparently have a bad case of egg breakage going on with all that girth.