Young Broody Hen

[Mrs. K]

well this will be the longest 21 days! Saturday is 21 days for me, here in SD. I have had numerous broodies, and have hatched in late summer, but this is the latest down in the fall for me. However, I set eggs, cause once I had one hatch in the spring, and we got days of cold freezing rain. It was so comical, they would be all out and about, pecking around, and the broody would call a time out, hunker down, all the chicks would get under her, get a warm up and out they would go again!

With the going into winter.... I was a little concern, and asked a very experience poultier, he said the big problem is liquid water for chicks. The broody hen will keep them warm enough, but that they need water in the liquid form, through out the day. So keep that in mind.

However, we have had just a blessed fall, the outlook is good for the next several days without even hitting freezing at night, so mine should get off to a good start!

Mrs K

 

[gritsar]

Well I hadn't even tried a breaker box because I figured that once folks said she'd be fine hatching eggs even this time of the year, I figured she could just keep the nest.

I had a hard time keeping her on the nest yesterday but I blocked off her favorite box and moved her to a safe one and snuck water and food in there too and then draped a cloth over the entrance and she has successfully stayed the entire day today. I will continue to visit the coop multiple times a day to remove any fresh eggs just to be on top of things but the count down has begun! Day 1 of 21!


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Use a pencil or marker to mark the eggs you want her to keep, so you won't need to check more than once a day. The eggs I will be giving to my wintertime broody will be here tomorrow, so we can wait it out together.

 

[MrsBrooke]

Use a pencil or marker to mark the eggs you want her to keep, so you won't need to check more than once a day. The eggs I will be giving to my wintertime broody will be here tomorrow, so we can wait it out together.

I have heard that pencil will rub off... The only thing that will stay on the shell is permanent marker.

Your mileage may vary.

MrsB

 

[SunnyCO]

Ok, Goldy and I are at day 0! I received shipped eggs yesterday, (6 Black Australorps and 6 Easter Eggers) and let them rest for 24 hours. I had moved her to a safe nest several days ago and just gave her 3 regular eggs to lay on to keep her "in the mood". I waited until after dark and went out and replaced the mood eggs with the 12 fertilized ones. She didn't argue with me and was actually nicer then she's been since she started this broody business.

My son is laughing at my candler and if I figure out how to up load a picture, you probably all will too. I took a roll of toilet paper and put it on top of a strong flashlight then I put the egg on the other end and kind of bent the tube to mold around the egg and, voila!!! I could see the yolk and the air sack, so it works. Now I just have to wait 7-10 days to try it on the eggs Goldy is keeping warm.

By the way, do you have to mark the eggs? Why do you mark the eggs?

This is going to be a very long 3 weeks!!

 

[ShockValue]

I think people mark them only if other hens are laying in the same box. That way you can remove the "fresh" eggs and keep only the eggs you want hatched and that are on the same schedule in there.

 

[MrsBrooke]

I think people mark them only if other hens are laying in the same box. That way you can remove the "fresh" eggs and keep only the eggs you want hatched and that are on the same schedule in there.

^ This.

MrsB

 

[gritsar]

Well I hadn't even tried a breaker box because I figured that once folks said she'd be fine hatching eggs even this time of the year, I figured she could just keep the nest.

I had a hard time keeping her on the nest yesterday but I blocked off her favorite box and moved her to a safe one and snuck water and food in there too and then draped a cloth over the entrance and she has successfully stayed the entire day today. I will continue to visit the coop multiple times a day to remove any fresh eggs just to be on top of things but the count down has begun! Day 1 of 21!


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^This is what I was addressing, the concern about eggs being added to the nest, which sounds to me like more than one hen using the nest.
I have used both marker and pencil, but prefer to go with pencil when possible. Pencil marks have always worked with my chicken hens, for the waterfowl markers are necessary.

 

[ryan820]

I marked the eggs as soon as I decided she could sit on the nest..and glad I did. Two hens snuck in and laid an egg each! Geez! A little privacy please!


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[Mrs. K]

Went down tonight, day 20, and a little peeper is peaking out, think I heard more peeping deep under the mamma, but I tentatively put a stick up to see if I could move her just a little to sneak a peak, and she bit it in half, and knocked out of my hand....... so I wisely thought I would wait til morning!

I was not sure if I would get anything as one day I got home, and the nest was pretty cool, eggs cool to the touch, she was on the wrong nest! but got her back where she needed to be, and she has not made the mistake again. Mine under a broody generally hatch late on the 20th day.

My niece is coming down, we are both crazy chicken women!

Mrs K

 

[gritsar]

I marked the eggs as soon as I decided she could sit on the nest..and glad I did. Two hens snuck in and laid an egg each! Geez! A little privacy please!


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I peeked in one of my coops yesterday just to check on things and saw all my normally calm birds scared and pressed up against the walls. Looked around some more and sure enough my broody Norma was off the nest for her daily break. She's sweet as pie when not broody, a demon when she is. She gets eggs today.