Advice on letting broody hen hatch eggs

[grammasmitty]

Hubby decided to check up on what she is sitting on so made her lift up while he was cleaning a couple of days ago. I left 8 eggs for her to sit on. On Thursday last week he saw 3 peeking out from under her feathers that were all unmarked, so he brought them inside. I candled them and couldn't see any/much light shine through (brown eggs). So I candled another fresh one from that day and it glowed a bright golden. Looked at the 3 again and they were dark. So I told him I was NOT going to use them or even break them open. He would have to make the judgement call, but if he just left them inside they would go down the disposal so I'd never have to see the contents. He finally broke one open and said there was a small dark spot, the yolk was "creamy" looking and the white wasn't clear any longer. It was definitely growing. So he put the other 2 back under her. Then, a couple days later he made her stand up and counted 14 eggs!!!

She has been sitting in there for over 2 weeks now. My fear is that they are going to hatch at vastly different times. This will be interesting. We don't have another broody and don't have an incubator. Some of them should be about 16 days along now, but obviously some are just in the first week.

Any suggestions??????

 

[grammasmitty]

WE HAVE CHICKS!!!

Our broody has been sitting for 23 days in a nest about 18" off the floor and I've been after hubby to have a box on the floor for her. He did it just this morning before going to work, lifted the whole lining from the nest then put mama on top of them. I checked 4 hours later and can hear at least 2 little ones peeping. She let me lift one wing and there are 2 more eggs cracking.

I feel like a gramma sitting in a waiting room now

 

[Dustin Clays]

I have one hen sitting for 2 weeks now! But looking ahead.....what will the chicks eat? Do I need to provide the crumble (chick) feed for them? Or should I let the hen help it find food? How do I keep them seperate from the adult chickens- or don't I have too?

Right now they are in a nest box (hen and eggs I mean). Can I assume the hen will puch them out onto the floor at some point? Then where will the chicks 'live' until they are large enough to get on a roost?

I am 1 year into this chicken raising and it's been great fun! I have 3 RIR's, 4 Buff Orps, 1 Polish Hen and a Polish Roo. I am trying to hatch the poilsh eggs (even though it's a buff orp sitting on them). Will I get a franken chicken if I cross a polish roo and a RIR (or a buff orp for that matter)?

Two days ago I had another buff go broody- so should I or not- hatch a cross breed (frankin chicken)? WIll they still lay or will they be pets?

 

[Angiebubs]

WE HAVE CHICKS!!!

Our broody has been sitting for 23 days in a nest about 18" off the floor and I've been after hubby to have a box on the floor for her. He did it just this morning before going to work, lifted the whole lining from the nest then put mama on top of them. I checked 4 hours later and can hear at least 2 little ones peeping. She let me lift one wing and there are 2 more eggs cracking.

I feel like a gramma sitting in a waiting room now

Gramma: My understanding is, the hen will usually stay on the nest for the first 2-3 days (The chicks are still absorbing the yolk and do not need to eat during this time) allowing any other eggs to hacth. So it would depend on how long the other eggs have been under her.

 

[Angiebubs]

I have one hen sitting for 2 weeks now! But looking ahead.....what will the chicks eat? Do I need to provide the crumble (chick) feed for them? Or should I let the hen help it find food? How do I keep them seperate from the adult chickens- or don't I have too? It is best to have the hen/nestbox, chicks seperated from the main flock if possible. That way you can put out chick feed for them as well.

Right now they are in a nest box (hen and eggs I mean). Can I assume the hen will puch them out onto the floor at some point? Then where will the chicks 'live' until they are large enough to get on a roost? The nestbox should be down at floor height for them to be able to get back in at 2-3 days old. When the chicks are a couple days old, the hen will then coax them out to eat and drink...instinct! They will all pile back into the nestbox again under momma hen.

I am 1 year into this chicken raising and it's been great fun! I have 3 RIR's, 4 Buff Orps, 1 Polish Hen and a Polish Roo. I am trying to hatch the poilsh eggs (even though it's a buff orp sitting on them). Will I get a franken chicken if I cross a polish roo and a RIR (or a buff orp for that matter)? "Fraken" meaning frankenstein? lol I have seen some pretty neat looking birds from barnyard mixes.

Two days ago I had another buff go broody- so should I or not- hatch a cross breed (frankin chicken)? WIll they still lay or will they be pets? Are you asking if the broody hen or chicks will still lay or be pets? Broody hens will not usually lay until done with the broodiness. Hen raised chicks will be as tame as you want them to be based on how much time you spend handling them. let me know if I misunderstood your question.

 

[write2caroline]

Hi - I used colored pencils to draw a stripe around the egg and also place a date so there was no mistaking the eggs being sat upon and the eggs to be gathered. So far I have 4 days left and the eggs still showing markings.

My girls sitting broody did not allow the other hens to lay eggs in that next box but I also have other areas for laying and I made sure I had golf balls in those places

I will isolate them day or so before the hatching to impede harassment from the other chickens. Actually, my cousin is going to take the chicks in a couple of days so they need to be accessable anyway.

Good luck and enjoy. My broody hatches were fun and Momma did all of the work so it was easy too!

Caroline

 

[Dustin Clays]

Thanks for the answers!

Yes, Franken-chicken as in frankenstein! (made with different parts- in my case made with different breeds orpington/polish mix). LOL!

Good news! This morning I found 2 new chicks under their orp momma! My daughters are so excited!!

The nest box on the ground: can that be in the coop with the other birds? Or should I fence it off so the other chickens can't bother them?

 

[Angiebubs]

Wow Dustin-Congrats!!!! You will have to post pics...also you should join us over on the Minnesota forum to chat with locals!

 

[Dustin Clays]

Wow- I didn't know there was a MN forum- thanks for the tip! I'll see if I can get some pictures tonight when I get home. I can't wait to see the little guys- and who knows mayber there a couple more waiting for me!!

BTW- I am North Branch, MN- not too from from Amery (my sister is in Barron, WI so we pass through Amery when we go to her house). She has goats and llamas- husband says that's enough pets- so she can't have chickens....yet.

 

[bobbi-j]

Thanks for the answers!

Yes, Franken-chicken as in frankenstein! (made with different parts- in my case made with different breeds orpington/polish mix). LOL!

Good news! This morning I found 2 new chicks under their orp momma! My daughters are so excited!!

The nest box on the ground: can that be in the coop with the other birds? Or should I fence it off so the other chickens can't bother them?

There are people who leave their broody hens and chicks in with the whole flock and say it works well because the mama is so protective of the chicks, and you don't have to reintroduce them later, after her hormones have leveled off and she's not so protective. I have a broody right now, and I'm debating whether I want to let her free range with the flock or not. The other chickens are the least of my concern, though. I'm more worried about our wild barn cats looking for a chicken nugget-sized snack.