Broody Hen Thread!

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I have a problem. My broody stepped on and broke one of her eggs I guess and there was dried yolk all over everything and the other eggs. The eggs are on Day 10. It broke my heart to scoop up the little remains of the half developed chick. I wiped off all the remaining eggs with a damp rag the best I could. Do you think they will still hatch?
 
chickenlickin8 said:
I have a problem. My broody stepped on and broke one of her eggs I guess and there was dried yolk all over everything and the other eggs. The eggs are on Day 10. It broke my heart to scoop up the little remains of the half developed chick. I wiped off all the remaining eggs with a damp rag the best I could. Do you think they will still hatch?
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They still have a good chance, and you've done all you can to improve their odds.... broken eggs aren't uncommon in nests, and if an egg was really crusted it may be a problem but usually less than a third of any egg is involved, so many still have a good chance.

I would candle again at about day 17 and remove any sloshy or bad ones at that time to reduce any further problems.
 
fisherlady said:
They still have a good chance, and you've done all you can to improve their odds.... broken eggs aren't uncommon in nests, and if an egg was really crusted it may be a problem but usually less than a third of any egg is involved, so many still have a good chance.

I would candle again at about day 17 and remove any sloshy or bad ones at that time to reduce any further problems.
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Oh thank you fisherlady. They weren't crusted too bad with yolk, just a thin coating I wiped off pretty well. Broody had sticky dried feathers underneath and she was preening those feathers when she was out eating. This is my first broody so I hope a few hatch. My plan B is to get a few chicks from the feed store and put those under her if none hatch or mix with those that do hatch. Would that be ok?
 
My very first broody's eggs started hatching today. I can only see 2 babies. Tomorrow is day 21. So we will see...exciting!
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Quote: Thank you for this!! I have been searching the forum for answers to when to integrate, etc. I have 10 6 wk old chicks that I bought at 2wks They are growing fast and adjusting well. One of my own hens hatched 3 eggs a couple days ago and like the original poster, she was in a nest box over 2ft off the ground. I was able to move her to her own room away from the other older chickens and the other chicks are also in their own room away from the older ones. She managed the move really well, the chicks are doing great and she is being a good protective mom.
My 6 weekers are just now coming outside, supervised by this big momma, at different times of the day. I don't have a fenced-in pen..all my chickens are free range and I have a coop set up in the barn. Although at the end of the month when my hubby gets home, we are changing some fencing issues and a pen is in the plans. But my main question has been when is a good time to let Lady come out with her 3 babies? She's set up right now in my hay and straw stall, comfortable in her own little pen. Should I give her a couple weeks or now I'm thinking maybe she can wait till we get a proper outside pen set up.
The snow is finally melting here and I think spring might actually show up!
I've usually gotten pullets or older chickens, so raising chicks and with a mom, is a new learning experience for me and I'm excited for it, but have so many questions lol
 
How many eggs would you guys say my silkie will lay in her clutch to hatch?should i leave the eggs even tough she is not sitting yet?(she layed seven since tuesday last week)
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Lady of McCamley said:
Moving a broody, especially a first timer, is always a bit touchy. Some birds move with ease; others fight it and return to the original nest abandoning the eggs. In unsure situations, I leave the hen in the nest if it is safe for the hen and she is free from intruders; otherwise, it is better to risk moving her.

I have set up a partition around a hen who insisted on nesting in the main box, so sometimes that is the best avenue.

She can hatch from a higher nest, just move the babies after they hatch on their first day. Mom will likely be moving them then anyway as she'll know they can't get into the nest from the ground. I've had great success with moving broodies with their freshly hatched babies (make sure all are hatched and dry).

You may have some staggering since you set yesterday and today...but likely not much. I would not recommend adding anymore eggs as you don't want a significantly staggered hatch especially if you plan to move the hen from the high nest after the babies dry.

As to "effortlessly" adding them all in for integration...I'm not sure what you mean....adding them all at once in one pen to grow up together? Adding the incubator chicks to the EE with her babies? Adding them to the flock with mom EE? That would be a LOT of chicks for a hen to try to take care of, especially a first time hen.

I've also personally had issues with adding multiple age chicks in a mixed situation (chicks hatched by a broody and then adding fosters from the store which are of course incubated then brooded by a heat lamp)...the hatchlings tend to trample the fosters as they are especially vigorous being used to being hen brooded. Also there is a big difference in one week with chick ages...week olds run around a lot more and mom might find them intruders and try to protect her chicks. Some hens welcome everybody, others not so much. The older ones can trample the younger ones in that instance.

I guess to sum it up...I personally prefer mom to brood as it saves on stress and trouble with integration...but that would be a lot of chicks for one hen, of mixed ages. Adding a heat lamp, if it is safe to do so, can help, but will introduce some integration issues with the environment as the chicks will need to be weaned off the heat lamp, but it may be the best direction for you with that many unless you keep the two broods separate...let mom do her thing with the hatchlings and brood the incubator chicks as you normally would integrating after they have fully feathered around 6 to 8 weeks, depending on your pens. From my experience (failures) in mixing fosters with hatchlings, especially of week or more age differences, I'd keep them separate.

Lady of McCamley
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Thanks for the advice- decided in the end to leave well enough alone.... seems like the other hens aren't bother the EE and she seems content where she is at. I will prolly move her into a larger cat kennel once the chicks hatch, and take it from there. So the broody's hatchlings are stronger than incubator's hatchlings? Wow! Did not know that! Am curious to compare the two..... but will follow your advice and keep the 2 broods separate. Will keep you posted with pics if possible
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