Broody Australorp Now Mother Hen!!!!!! Lots and Lots of Pics!

[rarebreedeggs4u]

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I bought one of these (or similar) from the GQF website and it does seem to work really well

Good luck with your girl! She sounds like an awesome Mama!

 

[Preservation Acres]

Day 10 today.

I randomly candled 6 eggs, and every one of them not only had formation of a chick inside, but they also had definite movement.

How so cool!

 

[crazychicken]

 

[Preservation Acres]

Is it OK for me to keep candling these on a once-daily basis? Can too much moving around be bad for the eggs?

 

[Kittymomma]

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I haven't got to hatch eggs yet, but everything I've read so far indicates you shouldn't. It seems like most people don't candle any more then every 5 days if that often, and not at all after day 18 or so. That being said you have a broody hen and not an incubater that you have to regulate temp/humidity with so I don't know if the rule of thumb applies. Hopefully someone who's actually done it will chime in soon. I am so jealous!

 

[Preservation Acres]

Thanks! Yeah, that's the question for me. This site is great for learning all the rules regarding incubators, but I'm not sure about handling a broody's eggs.

 

[cwhit590]

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Like Kittymomma said, I personally would not candle every day. Candling is mainly done after the 1st week, and after the 2nd week. From approx. day 18 onward, the eggs should be left alone for hatching. You are just looking to see which ones are good to keep and which ones need to be tossed. The good ones should be left under momma to develop properly...she knows what to do.

Another thing....the more you handle the eggs, the greater the chances of breaking or cracking some accidentally.

 

[Preservation Acres]

OK. I'll resist my urges and leave them alone.

It can be addicting.

 

[cwhit590]

Yup...it's hard to be patient!

I've found that the more I worry and try to interfere with things, the more goes wrong...

So how has she been doing with her treats and potty breaks? lol

 

[Preservation Acres]

Well, yesterday had it's drama for sure. I took her out and she ate and ate and ate.

Then she pooped the first "big one" and it had a massive clump of worms in it. So nasty. I was shocked because I take really good care of my birds, and I worm them twice a year...then I remembered...I got her about a week after my last worming.

I'm going to wait until the little ones hatch to worm her, but it's driving me nuts.


Today, I took her outside for her walk, eat, and poop session, and she had big issues with the other hens that were free ranging. Her eggs were inside, but she still did not like seeing them at all. So much chicken drama.