Broody Hen Thread!

[julie0477]

Yes, I wish the eggs weren't staggered like that. I had left her pen open a couple of days so that she could get out if she wanted to and one of my hens went in there and laid two days in a row, so of course my broody rolled those eggs under her as well creating that 7 day gap in hatch dates. It was a couple of days before I realized it had happened so I left them there.

I should have left that egg alone, shouldn't I? It had pipped early yesterday. This morning it was cracked around the middle but the membrane was dry and leathery and there was no movement. Its head and beak were still completely enclosed in shell. I was afraid it had died and it would contaminate the other eggs/chicks if I left it there. Just wasn't sure what to do. From now hands off until the whole thing is said and done.

Yes, I will make sure she is undisturbed. I hope this third egg hatches. Its the only pure silkie egg in the bunch.

Thanks for your input!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Miss Tilly spent the night on the nest! I'm so excited! She's just a sweet mutt pullet. I'm going to give her today's lay and see if I can get some game mix eggs from a friend and let her try!

Oh fun, fun, fun. I love mutt pullets...I think those mixture of genes add back some stuff that gets lost in the purebreeds (not that the purebreeds aren't lovely, that's why we have them).

Crossing my fingers for you
Lady of McCamley

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Yes, I wish the eggs weren't staggered like that. I had left her pen open a couple of days so that she could get out if she wanted to and one of my hens went in there and laid two days in a row, so of course my broody rolled those eggs under her as well creating that 7 day gap in hatch dates. It was a couple of days before I realized it had happened so I left them there.

I should have left that egg alone, shouldn't I? It had pipped early yesterday. This morning it was cracked around the middle but the membrane was dry and leathery and there was no movement. Its head and beak were still completely enclosed in shell. I was afraid it had died and it would contaminate the other eggs/chicks if I left it there. Just wasn't sure what to do. From now hands off until the whole thing is said and done.

Yes, I will make sure she is undisturbed. I hope this third egg hatches. Its the only pure silkie egg in the bunch.

Thanks for your input!

Don't feel so bad about the chick that died. It may have died in the shell and you touching it had nothing to do with it. Some just don't have the strength to finish hatching, and if you had helped it survive it may have never thrived but died later.


Good luck on the rest of the hatch. A little trick most of us use with fertile eggs under hens is to mark them with a pencil "x" that way if hens come in and lay later eggs, we know it and can remove those eggs early.

Lady of McCamley

 

[Emcrowston]

Well, it's getting a bate in the year here for hatching, but I have had a white star go broodie. I fetched some Appenzeller eggs last night and set them for her this morning, she was off the nest. I do hope she sits back on them then. Think is is still broodie as she did a massive broodie poop whilst off the next. If not, I might have to put the incubator on! I moved her yesterday morning away from the other layers as she was pinching their eggs, which will to be fertile as no cocks in with them. I will keep you all informed! X

 

[elliechooks]

Good luck Emcrowston. I love hatching with a broody (well, and in the incubator actually! )

 

[julie0477]

Well, the silkie egg had a pip this morning. Lookin good!

 

[chicken farmer]

I am a first time chicken lady (this spring) and gave some fertile eggs to my first broody girl. A few days later another went broody and they took turns for a while. Last Saturday, 4/6 of them hatched with NO attention from me whatsoever, and my husband even brought one in a couple times by mistake. (Put back within 10 minutes or so) I went to check for other eggs, (She was not sequestered and the other gals liked to lay right on top of her) and out popped 2 chicks! Scared me to death! (In a good way!) It was only day 19! This is so fun! But now my second broody is still sitting. (I have since sequestered the mom and babies for their protection) NOW- should I get more eggs for the other broody? She has been broody for almost 3 weeks now. Will she stay that way as long as she gets eggs? Will she grow out of it and abandon a nest? I know they wont be easy answers, but all help and suggestions/experience are welcome.

Beautiful hen what breed black sexlink?

 

[jctid]

Oh thank you! No, she is a Black Copper Marans

 

[Emcrowston]

It's deffinately addictive! The white star is now happily sat on 9 Appenzeller eggs. Hope she stays there full term!

 

[julie0477]

my silkie egg hatched today! Not exactly what I expected lol I thought it was a white silkie roo over a white silkie momma. Looks like maybe the Sebright roo? So I have three out of four. Hurray!