Broody Hen that I want to hatch

[onemotherslove]

I've got my first broody hen! (Her name is Julia because she's orange - Orange Julia.)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/onemotherslove/4928535950/

I noticed she didn't come back to the coop last night or this evening either. I found her nestled in a raised flower bed in the back yard where I had seen eggs deposited before.

I do have a rooster and I've seen him at work, so I'm guessing that they're fertile eggs. I'd love to see if we can raise our own chicks, but as I said, this is my first, so do I need to do anything for her? She's not close to food or water, but it does seem like a pretty safe place for her to be. Any advice would be appreciated!

One more specific question - If she's been sitting there for 2 days already, can I slip any more eggs under her? Maybe I can hatch some of my Easter Eggers' eggs?

 

[Mahonri]

If you had found her the first day, I would say you could put more eggs under her, but if you put eggs there now, they'll just end up abandoned as she will leave the nest with the chicks after two days.

Oh, and I wouldn't worry about food for her... she'll come get it... but you could place food and water closer to her if you like.

Good luck... no one raises chicks better than mama hens.

 

[silkydragon]

if shes in a secure place where she wont get rained on she will be fine i had a banty hen go missing for a few days and found her in my barn in 1 of the old feed storage places(barn not in use anymore just a huge yard decoration) i just left her there the eggs didnt hatch (i blame the weather being so hot here lately and her only laying an egg a week 4eggs where there for awhile)

 

[onemotherslove]

Thanks, y'all... I hadn't thought about the rain. The bed is under the drip line, so if we get any rain, she'll get flooded!

Maybe we can rig some type of cover over that bed...

 

[TrystInn]

We've had some luck relocating a broody hen and her nest, but you're gonna have to pen her for awhile because her instincts will be to run away after being disturbed. At that point, it's easy to provide water and feed for the momma-to-be.

We've got one in this situation right now. So far, so good!

 

[pgpoultry]

Leave her where she is (if the rain holds off!) for a couple more days to get her really interested in the hatching.

Move her quietly and quickly (plus eggs, of course) after nightfall to a secure location. Most remain set this way,

Hatching outside is fine, my last Brahma hen hatched by the side of the house (I enclosed her nest with sheep hurdles and chicken wire with a piece of tin over her head), but she was not in the line of drips!

Good Luck,

Sandie

 

[onemotherslove]

Thanks for the input. We don't have rain in the forecast until next week, so I have a little time to figure out whether to cover her or try to move her.

 

[onemotherslove]

I took this photo of Julia just a couple of days ago.

I was just awakened by squawking. Somehow, immediately, I thought, "Julia!" It was too late. She's gone. I thought she was in a safe location. She was in a fenced-in area.

By the time I got out the back door, I shone a flashlight across the yard and saw an opossum. Looked like he was eating or chewing on something. Then he started running back towards the house. Those things are blind, huh? I was waving my flashlight at him & fussing at him and he was not stopping. He was headed back to the nest.

I turned & grabbed a bamboo pole off the porch. When he felt the poke, he quickly ran away. I scanned the area to make sure I wasn't heading out in my flip flops into another one. All clear. The eggs were still hot. A small clump of feathers remained.

God bless Julia. She was a good expectant mother.

I got my still air incubator down out of the attic and tucked the eggs into an insulated cooler bag. Time to get set up...

If I've calculated right, September 14 will be hatch day... if these eggs are any good. I've never successfully hatched eggs in this incubator.

Should I candle them to make sure they're good or just wait?

I am heartbroken to have lost Julia.

 

[pgpoultry]

SO sorry to hear what has happened, it is really awful.

Get your eggs into an incubator and see if you can salvage the chicks.If no egg is cracked or smelly i would place in the incubator and candle them in a few days as at 7-8 days things are not always easy to interpret.

I wish you luck for the chicks.......


Sandie

 

[onemotherslove]

Thank you. As I was loading them into the incubator, I noticed one was cracked, I guess from the scuffle. There are 14 eggs minus one cracked, so I have 13 left. If I caught her the first day sitting, they're 8 days old today. I was just reading up on candling while I wait for the incubator temp to regulate before I go back to bed.