1st time hatching

[Aroostertoomany]

so, our hens are pretty free roaming and for some reason like to go into my husband's man cave or small car shop out back and nestle in his toolboxes to lay eggs. we thought we had broken them of such behavior but ended up with a new round of chickens and the tiniest of the flock her name is Liner because she looks like she has eyeliner on has found a spot in a toolbox roll cart hiding behind some sheetrock. we couldn't find her spot for a little over a week and then my husband followed her in there one day and sure enough he found out where she had been hiding her eggs, I guess she didn't like me taking them every day, since they had been in there for some days we just keep letting her go to and fro and she spends most of her time on her eggs, I am new to the whole chicken momma thing, maybe a yr. and a half in now and I don't know what I should be doing to help or if I should at all. how long til these babies hatch, do I need to be there? will some die no matter what? we have been feeding her in the toolbox and giving her water like normal and she comes of briefly but not very much. I know google say 21 days but is that 21 days from her laying them and honestly, I don't even know the exact day she laid them anyway. so, I'm a little discombobulated, or do I just let the whole process happen naturally, any feedback would be greatly appreciated,

 

[CFLRanching]

If you are able to, candle them to see if they are even developing. If they are and you don't mind (or your husband doesn't) leave them where they are.....21 days (3 weeks) is all it takes to hatch, and it's from the time they start laying on them so if they're all hers she might have went back several times and laid an egg and left until she had a clutch she was ready to sit on (that's how they'll all hatch around the same time).

Hen's love privacy when it comes to sitting and laying. My husband finds clutches in battery boxes on tractors, or in the branding pot for the cattle brands, or we'll find them under things like our covered up mower. If they find a spot they like, seclusion is key, they'll lay. If she is staying put (if you move her and the eggs she may refuse to sit on them) then my advice is to leave a watered near her site and a little pan of feed for her (as long as it's not going to attract varmits) they don't eat to much (or deficate for days) as they mostly use stored energy while sitting, but they will still eat and drink every so often. She might leave it and go to where you normally feed them throughout the day but if you don't mind where she is then stick it closer to her. If they're fertile you'll have chicks soon (and that's a whole other ball game).

 

[Sussex19]

Do you have a rooster?
What normally happens is a hen lays an egg a day, and then when she thinks she's got the right amount she will start sitting. The 21 days are from when she starts sitting, as they won't start to develop until they stay consistently warm.
Candling them would be good, and you can always post photos of them if not sure what to look for.
Most likely, they will hatch no problem, and then all you need to do is make sure that they can get to food and water, and keep them safe from predators and the elements.

 

[Ridgerunner]

she spends most of her time on her eggs,

Where is she at night? My test if a hen is truly broody is that she needs to spend two consecutive nights on the nest instead of her normal sleeping spot. There are a lot of indications a hen might be broody but those are "might", not always definite. Where she is at night is my test.

how long til these babies hatch,

About 21 days from when incubation started. I've had eggs hatch under a broody hen as much as 2 full days early, others have had eggs hatch under a broody a couple of days late so it is not always exactly 21 days.

do I need to be there?

No. Hens have been hatching eggs purely on instinct for thousands of years without human interference. I find the more I interfere the more harm I do. Trust your broody hen, she knows what to do based on instinct better than you or I ever will.

Could you post a photo of her nest? I'd like to see how hard it might be for her to get her chicks out. Chicks can hop down really well, even a few feet, but they can't fly and are limited on how high they can jump.

will some die no matter what?

No. Not all eggs always hatch but the vast majority of the ones that hatch live. I seldom have a hatched chick die.

we have been feeding her in the toolbox and giving her water like normal and she comes of briefly but not very much.

Before a hen even starts to lay eggs she builds up a lot of excess fat. I've butchered a lot of pullets, hens, cockerels, and roosters. The difference in the amount of fat the girls have is extraordinary. That fat is mostly what they live off of when they go broody. That way they can stay on the nest and take care of the eggs instead of needing to be out looking for food. Hens will leave the nest as they need to, eating, drinking, and pooping, perhaps take a dust bath. I've seen a hen leave her nest twice a day and stay off of her nest for over an hour each time. I had one that came off her nest once a day for about 15 minutes before going back. I've never seen several broodies leave their nest at all but I know they are coming off because they are not pooping in their nest.

I do not put food or water near the nest. The hen doesn't need it. I don't want to take a chance of water spilling in the nest or of the food attracting rodents. If the hen is locked somewhere she can't get out that would be different.

 

[Aroostertoomany]

Do you have a rooster?
What normally happens is a hen lays an egg a day, and then when she thinks she's got the right amount she will start sitting. The 21 days are from when she starts sitting, as they won't start to develop until they stay consistently warm.
Candling them would be good, and you can always post photos of them if not sure what to look for.
Most likely, they will hatch no problem, and then all you need to do is make sure that they can get to food and water, and keep them safe from predators and the elements.

so, then I'm thinking they should hatch pretty soon. cuz she's been on them for about 3 weeks now. I think I counted 7, while she was in the coop with the others, I snuck in to look and count. she's a very small hen but big attitude. I tried to candle, and it just looked like a curvy blob of something but definitely not like a normal egg that just looks bright yellow clear. that's why I put them back. my husband found her nest and I figured if it's been this many days let's just leave them. so, he put them back. and yes, we have 2 roosters now we did have 3. not on purpose of course. thank you so much for responding.

 

[Aroostertoomany]

Where is she at night? My test if a hen is truly broody is that she needs to spend two consecutive nights on the nest instead of her normal sleeping spot. There are a lot of indications a hen might be broody but those are "might", not always definite. Where she is at night is my test.


About 21 days from when incubation started. I've had eggs hatch under a broody hen as much as 2 full days early, others have had eggs hatch under a broody a couple of days late so it is not always exactly 21 days.


No. Hens have been hatching eggs purely on instinct for thousands of years without human interference. I find the more I interfere the more harm I do. Trust your broody hen, she knows what to do based on instinct better than you or I ever will.

Could you post a photo of her nest? I'd like to see how hard it might be for her to get her chicks out. Chicks can hop down really well, even a few feet, but they can't fly and are limited on how high they can jump.


No. Not all eggs always hatch but the vast majority of the ones that hatch live. I seldom have a hatched chick die.


Before a hen even starts to lay eggs she builds up a lot of excess fat. I've butchered a lot of pullets, hens, cockerels, and roosters. The difference in the amount of fat the girls have is extraordinary. That fat is mostly what they live off of when they go broody. That way they can stay on the nest and take care of the eggs instead of needing to be out looking for food. Hens will leave the nest as they need to, eating, drinking, and pooping, perhaps take a dust bath. I've seen a hen leave her nest twice a day and stay off of her nest for over an hour each time. I had one that came off her nest once a day for about 15 minutes before going back. I've never seen several broodies leave their nest at all but I know they are coming off because they are not pooping in their nest.

I do not put food or water near the nest. The hen doesn't need it. I don't want to take a chance of water spilling in the nest or of the food attracting rodents. If the hen is locked somewhere she can't get out that would be different.

I can get a photo tomorrow I'm sure, she usually comes off of the eggs at least once a day I think, but I'm at work all day too so I can't be sure. the toolbox is about maybe 3 or 4 feet off the ground, like she's literally in there with some tools. and the food thing does make a lot of sense, so I'll take that out of there asap. I would hate for something to get her. she's really a young hen still, we just got her in feb as a chick and now she's having them, they grow up so fast. lol and ur right she doesn't come off for long at all. but she poops big right now for sure. lol. getting the chicks into the coop I don't think she will be able to do unless we r there to open the gate to their coop, right now she just fly's over and back. their wall is about 9 ft high in the run and at night we when they go into the attached coop, we can shut the doors and lock them up til morning. is it okay if we handle the chicks or will she freak out or ignore them like wild birds to their babies if humans touch them? thank you for sharing your knowledge by the way it really is appreciated.

 

[Aroostertoomany]

If you are able to, candle them to see if they are even developing. If they are and you don't mind (or your husband doesn't) leave them where they are.....21 days (3 weeks) is all it takes to hatch, and it's from the time they start laying on them so if they're all hers she might have went back several times and laid an egg and left until she had a clutch she was ready to sit on (that's how they'll all hatch around the same time).

Hen's love privacy when it comes to sitting and laying. My husband finds clutches in battery boxes on tractors, or in the branding pot for the cattle brands, or we'll find them under things like our covered up mower. If they find a spot they like, seclusion is key, they'll lay. If she is staying put (if you move her and the eggs she may refuse to sit on them) then my advice is to leave a watered near her site and a little pan of feed for her (as long as it's not going to attract varmits) they don't eat to much (or deficate for days) as they mostly use stored energy while sitting, but they will still eat and drink every so often. She might leave it and go to where you normally feed them throughout the day but if you don't mind where she is then stick it closer to her. If they're fertile you'll have chicks soon (and that's a whole other ball game).

yeah hubby brought them in when we finally found where she was laying but I told him to put them back cuz it had already been well over a week since she was hiding and so all she really does is sit on them, I didn't realize they could become broody at such a young age, we just got her as a chick in feb and here she is having her own, it's funny how you can get so tickled by something in nature, people take nature for granted but it really is awesome how all these processes work, even with chickens, thank you very much for your help. everyone on here has been so helpful too, it's awesome.

 

[Aroostertoomany]

Do you have a rooster?
What normally happens is a hen lays an egg a day, and then when she thinks she's got the right amount she will start sitting. The 21 days are from when she starts sitting, as they won't start to develop until they stay consistently warm.
Candling them would be good, and you can always post photos of them if not sure what to look for.
Most likely, they will hatch no problem, and then all you need to do is make sure that they can get to food and water, and keep them safe from predators and the elements.

yes, we have 2 roosters now we did have 3 but we lost one a few weeks back. I did candle them, and they didn't look like the normal eggs u would see when candling so I'm pretty sure I was looking at some embryos. I counted 7 eggs last time I caught her not sitting and everyone is saying three weeks so we should be about there then like any day now I'm thinking. Thank you for your info, it's very kind.

 

[Sussex19]

yes, we have 2 roosters now we did have 3 but we lost one a few weeks back. I did candle them, and they didn't look like the normal eggs u would see when candling so I'm pretty sure I was looking at some embryos. I counted 7 eggs last time I caught her not sitting and everyone is saying three weeks so we should be about there then like any day now I'm thinking. Thank you for your info, it's very kind.

If you have two roosters, certainly most of your eggs should be fertile, so no problems there.
I hope they hatch, and you have chicks running around, there's nothing quite like it!

 

[WIchickMama]

I think you could move them into the coop in a box/crate all together once they hatch. Or she will bring them "home" after 5-7ish days after hatch but then you need to be there to let them in too.

Chicks are exciting. I had my first broody hatch in July and another one sitting now. Good luck!!