Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Gold Griffin Chicken Mom]

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If it's anything like my house, putting my face (and long hair) in the dirt to reach under the coop for eggs is NOT fun. I started keeping a garden rake inside the run to help me reach better.

We ended up raising the coop on cinder blocks. Now the smaller birds can run full steam under there. The hens are less likely to lay under the coop since it is less "private". Bonus is I can see an egg from the other side of the run.

I'd rather they lay in the nest boxes. Fewer filthy eggs to deal with. We have had mud constantly since Hurricane Irene.

 

[shepan2]

Gosh darn dang it! Went to show one of my friends my cute little chick...and lo and behold, gone. Not a trace. Both my inside and ouside coops are totally predator proof so that means it was an inside job. Now, to add to the drama, another hen (suspect#1)has done a hostile takeover of the remaining eggs waiting to hatch. My poor broody is sitting on another nest.

On farms and naturally chicks just hatch and do fine and dandy, but, perhaps, because I'm wringing my hands and waiting for the little packages to open it is just not happening as I planned...

So sad about my first baby chick.....

 

[heatherkh]

I'm so sorry! Are you absolutely positive it couldn't be a predator? Seems odd to not find a trace of the chick (or maybe not - I'm not well versed in chicken on chick violence).

Right when my broody was about to hatch her eggs, my other Australorp decided to go broody and was determined to take over the nest. At one point, she had wedged herself in there next to/on top of Weezy. I ended up removing her and putting her in the wire bottom rabbit hutch we use for broody breaking and that did the trick. Can you do something similar?

 

[shepan2]

99.9% sure is wasn't predator...and I have a kennel I can move broody mama into..however it seems to be traumatic for her to be separated from the rest...I tried earlier and was disaster. I'm going to try leaving them on their own. The brutes.

I combed thru the entire area, but no trace. I think there is safety in numbers when more hatch at the same time...

 

[heatherkh]

There was no way I was going to let our other broody take over the nest when Weezy had been sitting on it for 20 days. The other hen didn't like being separated, but trust me, they get over it. She stopped being broody and has started laying again.

My Weezy and her little brood are doing great. We did separate our little polka dotted chick because it hurts it's little toe somehow. She seems to be healing up just fine and hopefully we'll be reintroducing her to momma this weekend. Here she is in sick bay:

 

[slurrywidow]

Guess what everyone....WE HAVE BABIES!! I am so excited I can hardly contain myself!

So so darn exciting! Whew. This nature stuff is just amazing. So I just went in the coop to say hi and I actually did a double take because this little tiny lavender head was poking out from Momma. Ran for my camera and while I was taking pictures Mona shifts and out pops a fluffy little black head. Oh my goodness, the sweetness. Don't know the status on the other two eggs so I'll let you know on that later. Way to go Mona!

 

[heatherkh]

ADORABLE!! Congratulations! How excited is your daughter (didn't I read you have a daughter??)

 

[slurrywidow]

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Oh I am so so sorry.

 

[slurrywidow]

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Thanks. I do have a 9 yr old and wouldn't you know it, she's still at school. I can't wait to see her face.

 

[slurrywidow]

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I just think Spot is the cutest thing.

Hope her little toe is better very soon.