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  1. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    How far along were the eggs? I might put her in a broody breaker for a few days (it takes about 3) and let here build up her health before giving her more eggs or if she is at least 2 weeks in, try getting her some chicks. My 2 broodies (a barred rock and a true Araucana) were on eggs for 3...
  2. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    Quote: I had that happen last summer. I moved the broody out of the nest box to clean up some poo at the back and a baby dropped out from under her wing. I grabbed the poo and put her and the baby back. The rest of the eggs hatched overnight. They were 4 days early by my count. The weather...
  3. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    Quote: It will depend on the hen. My little Araucana hen had been on eggs that weren't developing for 2 weeks when I gave her some incubator chicks, and she welcomed them. I just tucked them under her about 5 a.m. before the sun came up. I traded chicks for eggs, and it worked fine. She had...
  4. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    Ask someone at a local "farmers' market" if their eggs are fertile. If they say yes, ask to buy a dozen un-refrigerated eggs. You aren't in it for the chicks, so just give her a couple and eat the rest. In order not to "break" broodies, this year I have 5 hens (of my 25 or so) raising...
  5. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    Hatching day is a roller coaster. The thrill of healthy babies, and the sadness that comes from the little ones that don't make it for one reason or another. Have a good hatch!
  6. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    They will be fine. Chicks don't pip until they are ready to start the hatching process. Advice (just don't ask me what I DO): Get out of the broody area and don't dink with the eggs or the hen. If you know they are pipped, you have been peeking at the eggs, right? That can interfere with...
  7. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    Quote: Eggs take 21 days or so to incubate. If the eggs have been under her for 4 weeks, they aren't going to hatch (assuming we are talking chicken). If eggs have been added to the nest over time, it is anyone's guess. I would candle the eggs (there is a great article on that here on BYC)...
  8. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    Me too. It seems to be doing well, so tonight in the dark, it is going to join its hatchmates. She has raised babies before and didn't complain at all about the babies. When I moved them to a bigger space within the coop (but secure from the other birds), she came off the remaining egg and...
  9. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    I put three healthy English Orpington chicks under my Araucana broody this morning before dawn and stole 2 of her eggs (and put them in the incubator). She raised a couple of babies in early February in the very cold part of winter. So far, so good, They are not screaming and she is all...
  10. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    Thanks for the encouragement. I woke up to 2 chicks out and a third pipped. The third hatched while I was in town. Now. What do I do with them? Maybe under my little Araucana and put her Breda eggs in the incubator.
  11. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    I have really messed up. I had 2 first time broodies in my English Orpington coop that were setting on eggs. I had written down that they were set to hatch this coming weekend, but last Saturday, my white hen hatched out 4 little Jubilee chicks. The Mottle (the other broodie) went completely...
  12. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    Quote: You are probably right. It was probably more location than it was friends. I'm just attributing human feelings to my birds. Whatever the case, they firmly reject moving until those eggs are close to hatch.
  13. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    If I try to relocate them before giving them eggs, or just after they start setting, they throw themselves at the doors of the broody run. If i wait until day 19, they settle in just fine. Most of them seem to like the company. Just a feeling.
  14. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    My hens hate being isolated. If she felt like she was separated from everyone else??? That green poo is indicative of starvation. You might moisten some regular flock or layer food with warm water and spike it with scratch and offer her that.
  15. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    Sure. Give her more time. She senses something alive in there. If you chirp or whistle through your teeth like a chick, one might answer you if it is internally pipped. I've had eggs in an incubator hatch after 25 days when the temps were too low (my fault, bad thermometer).
  16. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    I now have 5 broodies on nests. These girls aren't supposed to go broody, but I swear it is a catching disease. I have 8 English Orpington hens (and a rooster and my 2 perennial Marans broodies) in an 8x8 coop with 5 nesting spaces. 3 of them now are full of broodies. I built 4 more nest...
  17. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    I have a trio of 8 week old Silver Campines for sale. The cockerel is a feisty, loud little guy and the pullets are quieter. They are from show lines (@wisher1000) , and I'd like to keep hem all, but I just don't have room for them. I'm keeping the more promising cockerel, but the pulllets...
  18. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    Some of it depends on how secure she is there. Do you have potential predators who would attack her? Is she likely to be safe there? If so, I'd mark the eggs and let her have at it. You really don't have much to lose. If you have an incubator, you can take any that don't hatch when she...
  19. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    I am amazed at just how tough. We coddle our incubator eggs and fuss over a 1 degree fluctuation in temperatures. Broodies are off the nest practically every day, and I'm sure they aren't keeping the eggs completely consistent, and yet they hatch amazingly well. I have an incubator with 24...
  20. sharol

    Broody Hen Thread!

    She won't stay on the nest to hatch the later eggs. Be sure you have an incubator fired up and ready to go when she takes the one hatchling and abandons the nest to care for it. You will probably have to raise the babies in a brooder -- in my experience (limited), that will be too much of a...
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