Broody Hen - its a MIRACLE!

[OwensMom]

I've been watching this post with excited anticipation. Oh, to have a broody. Maybe someday!! Tomorrow I go into lockdown with my bator . Keeping my fingers crossed for all of us. Owensmom

 

[PhoenixAngel429]

buckaroo's wife :

Well, I have had a tough week....I lost 2 hens. I found one dead in my front yard and never found the other one....until TODAY! She's sitting on eggs (I think) under our horse trailer!! Of course, I can't reach her. My husband said he thought he'd seen her out briefly in the yard today (that's why we started searching for her again - I thought she was gone forever!)

SO! We have alot of predators out here (skunks, coons, possums, hawks, owls, dogs, cats....you name it). What do I DO with her? She's not in the coop, darn her, but under our horse trailer which is obviously covered but any skunk could come along and get her. Can I move her? How do I protect her?

HELP!

One of ours is brooding too after disappearing for a few days. Mama hens are fighters. What breed is your hen? Games are fight:yiipchickers.​

 

[buckaroo's wife]

My hen is a welsummerX. She came as a welsummer from the hatchery but she lays white/cream colored eggs, so......

Good luck to those with broody hens and those going into lockdown! May the chicks be with you!

 

[buckaroo's wife]

Quote:
Good luck with lockdown!

 

[buckaroo's wife]

Here she is!

 

[YYZ]

Wow, there's alot of eggs there ! She needs to shift a bit. haha She's beautiful !

 

[alcap]

 

[buckaroo's wife]

Thank you!

I just went out and candled/removed a few of the "outliers".....they showed no development. I'm not sure that she's actually fully sitting on any.....but more like sitting in the middle of them all! Oh well. What do you do if a broody doesn't hatch ANY? Do you try to sneak a few chicks in?

 

[YYZ]

I had an older hen that was sitting on her eggs one year..they would never hatch as i didnt have a rooster. BUT i snuck some fertilized eggs under her that were almost ready to hatch. It worked..she was the best mother hen to them and so proud. A tear comes to my eye as i look back.

 

[buckaroo's wife]

Quote:
That's a great idea! We're about 7 days in, so I don't have any eggs that are on track with that. Does she know exactly how long 21 days is or could i start some eggs in the 'bator now and sneak them under her later? Or should I just buy some day old chicks and sneak them under her?