Broody Hen: care and when to give fertile eggs

[Inthetetons]

F or C?
Even F is fine.
I'd leave that crate open, she might take them in there once they've all hatched.
If that's the main flock feeder, might want to move it away from the crate.

RE: Removing other eggs...did you mark the ones you wanted to hatch at the beginning?
Freshly laid eggs should really be removed daily.

15F! We are still in a never-ending winter here in the mountains of Idaho! I agree and keep meaning to bring my drill down to move the feeder - will do today! There are actually a couple trough feeders out of view for my cross-beak, but they all use those too. Yes, I did marked fertile eggs when I gave the to her and again when I candled them on day 5.

Here's another - maybe silly - question. When hatching begins, will she toss out the egg shells or will she need my help cleaning things up? Does the hen typically stay on them while they hatch or move off to give them space? Is it OK for me to lift her off to check on the hatching progress or do you recommend I just keep my distance and let them do their thing? Thank you SO much!

 

[aart]

When hatching begins, will she toss out the egg shells or will she need my help cleaning things up? Does the hen typically stay on them while they hatch or move off to give them space? Is it OK for me to lift her off to check on the hatching progress or do you recommend I just keep my distance and let them do their thing?

No need to remove the shells... unless it's easy, then I grab them.
She may eat them.
She'll make room for them.
Best to just leave them be. Tho if your hen is tractable I've lifted her front end up a bit to see what's what...but not frequently.

in the mountains of Idaho

Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[Ridgerunner]

A word of warning. I killed a chick when I picked up a broody hen. Sometimes the very young chicks like to crawl up under a wing. When I picked that hen up to see what color her chicks were I crushed one under her wing. I've since learned to keep my curiosity under control. I still pick up broody hens when I have a need but I am a lot more careful about it.

 

[Inthetetons]

A word of warning. I killed a chick when I picked up a broody hen. Sometimes the very young chicks like to crawl up under a wing. When I picked that hen up to see what color her chicks were I crushed one under her wing. I've since learned to keep my curiosity under control. I still pick up broody hens when I have a need but I am a lot more careful about it.

thank you SO much, I'll definitely keep that in mind - aren't they amazing.

 

[aart]

A word of warning. I killed a chick when I picked up a broody hen. Sometimes the very young chicks like to crawl up under a wing. When I picked that hen up to see what color her chicks were I crushed one under her wing. I've since learned to keep my curiosity under control. I still pick up broody hens when I have a need but I am a lot more careful about it.

They do like to root deep under there.
Had a chick with it's head caught up in a loop of tangled feathers that I had to cut off the broody then from around the chicks neck. Good thing that broody was used to me handling her.

 

[Inthetetons]

They do like to root deep under there.
Had a chick with it's head caught up in a loop of tangled feathers that I had to cut off the broody then from around the chicks neck. Good thing that broody was used to me handling her.

oh my! I can see i'm in for quite an adventure. Fingers crossed for a smooth experience over here!

 

[aart]

oh my! I can see i'm in for quite an adventure. Fingers crossed for a smooth experience over here!

Well, that was only once in half a dozen broody hatches...
...but it's why I got my broodies used to me checking things out.

 

[Ridgerunner]

They do like to root deep under there.
Had a chick with it's head caught up in a loop of tangled feathers that I had to cut off the broody then from around the chicks neck. Good thing that broody was used to me handling her.

I don't know how many broody hatches I've had but a lot more than a half dozen and I've never seen that. You never know what will actually happen so be ready for anything. I very seldom have any issues with broodies and the chicks, especially after the first one or two and that was in knowing what to expect and setting things up. Usually it goes really smoothly and is so enjoyable to watch.

 

[Mrs. K]

I would take the cage out. Take the feeder out, and I would put fresh bedding down, and leaver her completely alone. Confining her at this point could very likely upset her, and being upset, can break the broody even at that late date. A lot of people have wrecks because they are trying to help too much.

She does not need the cage and neither do her chicks for protection. Confining them is just interfering with the best of intentions, but still interfering. In the beginning, I made a lot of nests, that they completely ignored and made their nest where they wanted. Just give her plenty of clean bedding and let her do her thing.

Mine will hatch, and in 12 -24 hours leave that dirty nest. Create a clean nest on the ground. At that time, I will add a little plate of feed, and a chick waterer, and then leave them alone. She will cluck to them, she will grab food out, pulverize it, and feed them. And she will teach them to drink. Sometimes they will just hang out there in the coop for a day, but by day 2-3 she will take them outside.

Do not worry about the temperature - I seriously had one hatch at 10 below, and I almost pulled them, but she would just change her call, and give them a warm up...and they would be running around again. Very healthy.

Mrs K

 

[Inthetetons]

I would take the cage out. Take the feeder out, and I would put fresh bedding down, and leaver her completely alone. Confining her at this point could very likely upset her, and being upset, can break the broody even at that late date. A lot of people have wrecks because they are trying to help too much.

She does not need the cage and neither do her chicks for protection. Confining them is just interfering with the best of intentions, but still interfering. In the beginning, I made a lot of nests, that they completely ignored and made their nest where they wanted. Just give her plenty of clean bedding and let her do her thing.

Mine will hatch, and in 12 -24 hours leave that dirty nest. Create a clean nest on the ground. At that time, I will add a little plate of feed, and a chick waterer, and then leave them alone. She will cluck to them, she will grab food out, pulverize it, and feed them. And she will teach them to drink. Sometimes they will just hang out there in the coop for a day, but by day 2-3 she will take them outside.

Do not worry about the temperature - I seriously had one hatch at 10 below, and I almost pulled them, but she would just change her call, and give them a warm up...and they would be running around again. Very healthy.

Mrs K

Happy Easter everyone! Happy to report I have a least 4 (maybe all 5) live chicks! I haven't wanted to lift her to see for sure if its 4 or 5. Two arrived yesterday and the others this Easter morning! Wonderful advice, Mrs. K... I'm hoping my experience is a lot like yours.

I had the flock in with her last night and they stayed out of her way - just roosted like normal. I kicked them outside for the day today since a couple of them did have a habit of joining her in her nest to lay - right up to the end. Adult feeder and waterer are out for day too. The other 7 adult hens will continue to join them inside at night and I'll keep them out in the day. I think I leave the cage but just leave the door open (add a ramp for easy access). I do like the food and water in there since I have deep litter everywhere else so it would be hard to keep the water and feed up out of it. I'm going down to make some ramps right now. Another ramp will go from door outside since now its a pretty big jump down. (Thanks for telling me how quickly you let them outside, I was thinking they'd be in much longer than that). It will be in 40's for the next several days (20s at night) - happy about that!

I also will let mom move them out on her own. I piled up the deep litter so that its a soft landing if they jump out of the nesting box. I'll add fresh shavings on top of the litter already there but I'm not going to move out the old b/c it would create a crazy dust situation in there and its dry and pretty clean b/c most of the roost droppings are caught on a shelf under that I clean out daily - besides the dust, it's a really clean non smelly coop - I can hang out in there comfortably.

Picture: When I first checked, the wrong broodie was on the eggs (I have 2, one that went broodie after I set up mama with her viable eggs, is nested up right next to her on some plastic easter eggs.) So I lifted the other (black) one out to let mama (orange) back on and that's when I say chick #1. Since that one time, I've only taken a couple little peeks