Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[brahmamamamak]

would never dream of it....vegetarian! Just a rubber feed tub I normally put treats from the garden in. She is in the front room and I put it in the wooden box to keep the eggs from rolling out.

She actually has her own 6 X 12 foot digs.

 

[annaraven]

I think Buffy is officially done being a broody/mama hen for now. The chicks are sleeping up on the roost with her, she started squatting again, and most telling, she isn't calling over the babies for treats. They were born at the beginning of May, so they're about 5-6 weeks old now. It was sweet while it lasted. I look forward to Buffy going back into egg production though.

 

[Fuffy]

Quote:
I'm with you there!

I have one hen sitting on eggs and a hen that crows and will never lay again.

So I got 2 little mutt hens (the Freebie sisters) ... Who are now both broody!!!!

Oh and my cockerel who was meant to be buff sussex but turned out to be light!

Guess I won't be seeing any eggs in the near future!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Just remember when chicks hatch they won't be able to get back into that nest when they fall out, you might want to just move her to the floor on bedding. all the best for a great hatch!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
I'm with you there!

I have one hen sitting on eggs and a hen that crows and will never lay again.

So I got 2 little mutt hens (the Freebie sisters) ... Who are now both broody!!!!

Oh and my cockerel who was meant to be buff sussex but turned out to be light!

Guess I won't be seeing any eggs in the near future!

Isn't Hermonie getting close to hatch day Fuffy?

 

[Fuffy]

Quote:
I'm with you there!

I have one hen sitting on eggs and a hen that crows and will never lay again.

So I got 2 little mutt hens (the Freebie sisters) ... Who are now both broody!!!!

Oh and my cockerel who was meant to be buff sussex but turned out to be light!

Guess I won't be seeing any eggs in the near future!

Isn't Hermonie getting close to hatch day Fuffy?

Wednesday!

Can't hear anything yet

 

[PollyC]

Hi All, first time posting in this section. I am a newbie with broodie hen, she has been a pet since she was scalped last fall. I can't put her back in the pen with the other hens so built her her own pen and house. Well, she decided to hide her eggs earlier after we put her with a rooster for about 2 weeks. She picked a nice location down in an abandoned pig pen house. I have checked her everyday because of the raccoons and fox in the area and she did a good job of hiding herself. I checked last night and found 3 babies, they were due to hatch Sunday. I figured I had better move her and babies up to her new house. Well, when I picked her up I found another 5 babies, so now have 8. Once I placed all babies and mama in the new house, she gathered all the little ones under her and seems to be settling in alright.

I do have a question, should I leave her closed in the house for a few days (I put food and water in there for them) or should they be outside.

I would post a picture but don't know how yet

 

[stonykill]

Quote:
I would leave her locked up for a few days. Otherwise she is most likely going to return to her old spot. Congrats!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
I would leave her locked up for a few days. Otherwise she is most likely going to return to her old spot. Congrats!

X2 and

 

[hennylove]

As far as hen "kicking out" eggs... I am new to this too, but my first broody (hatched on the 30th) had kicked out 3 eggs one day. My first impulse was they must be bad and I should toss them. Then I tried to candle them (brown shell) couldn't really see much, except the air end and darkness in the other end. So I marked them with a different color marker and put them back under her. One of the them ended up hatching just fine. Overall I had 3 hatch out of 6 total. Perhaps she was confused and shoved out the wrong one?? I just

having chicks with mama's running around. It is so fun!