Broody Hen Thread!

[fisherlady]

I put a 1 liter soda type bottle with a chicken nipple in it so my broody has water at the nest, no need to get up to hydrate. She gets up to eat & dust bathe about once a day, although I feed her little treats at the nest in the morning (cherry sans pit today, a few blueberries yesterday). Make sure she has food and water close by so she can access it easily is my best advice.

X2..

Mama hen can have a small dish of chick food in the nest box with her also. Just tuck it within easy reach.

 

[Kahfia]

I'm a bit nervous hope someone can tell me what I might expect. I have a broody bantam silkie cross. She is sitting on 4 eggs. I candled yesterday at day 10. This is my second hatch, but I believe I saw two embryos in one egg. Has anyone ever had two hatch successfully? I have no incubator so they will have to stay under momma. Thanks.

 

[Angelicisi]

Beautiful array of color in eggs!

@Angelicisi No terra cotta eggs...she lays light tint similar to a Wyandotte. Definitely not a Welsummer. Welsummers do not have rose combs and are shaped a bit differently, but I understand the similarity in colors. Good luck with dark eggs (or spotted) with your Welsummer. I enjoy mine...photo below of the nice terra cotta eggs I get from her. Lady of McCamley My Welsummer eggs on the far right, Wyandottes are middle left, lighter tints And just for fun, the darker Marans eggs

 

[mrchicks]

I put a small water fountain and a dish of food in front of my broodys box. She reaches out here and there for a snack. Her eggs should have hatched yesterday. I'll sneak a peek again later on, I don't want to keep annoying her.

 

[randerson846]

My broodys eggs are hatching tomorrow but incase they don't hatch could I give her the 11, 1 week old chicks I hatched out?

 

[emmimini1212]

Ok I have one last post about my broody in this endeavor... I have three out of 14 eggs hatched! All is going great but today she got off of the best with all three babies... That would be ok but I checked out the eggs still in the nest and unfortunately 4 of the eggs were sloshy so I took those away but the other seven are hatching! Three are externally pipping and the other four are very clearly internally pipping... I'm not sure what to do with them because I don't know if she will get back on the nest!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Ok I have one last post about my broody in this endeavor... I have three out of 14 eggs hatched! All is going great but today she got off of the best with all three babies... That would be ok but I checked out the eggs still in the nest and unfortunately 4 of the eggs were sloshy so I took those away but the other seven are hatching! Three are externally pipping and the other four are very clearly internally pipping... I'm not sure what to do with them because I don't know if she will get back on the nest!

Sometimes momma knows the late hatching are not strong enough to hatch, but with that many I suspect it is more of delayed set times...some eggs were set later than others (ie she stole more after you first set eggs).

This is a tricky situation...watch and see if she is going back to the nest. Your time frame is crucial at this moment as those pipping eggs can dry out without mom and shrink wrap or expire from cold This is the troubles with staggered hatches, momma will either stay with the nest and ignore the older siblings, or get up with the older siblings and ignore the hatching one (to their detriment).

If you haven't done so already, place food and water in close proximity to the nest, so momma doesn't have to go far to get it and can watch the babies eat and drink while she sits.

If mom hasn't returned within half an hour, you will need to take those eggs and put them in an incubator, if you have one.

Lady of McCamley

 

[sab]

I have a hen gone broody by a couple of days. My nests are all up high. Tomorrow I'm picking up fertile eggs to slip under her. Should I be concerned about the height and new chicks? Move her now or wait & move them all after hatch?? Should I separate her from the others when chicks hatch or let her protect them from the bullies?? So many questions, so little time. Thanks!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

My broodys eggs are hatching tomorrow but incase they don't hatch could I give her the 11, 1 week old chicks I hatched out?

Yes, you could...although the week olds won't know to obey her or go to her at first, so you'll have to watch closely to make sure they are running to her for warmth and not crying in a corner and that she is accepting them (no head pecking and pushing away).

But wait....those eggs can hatch at day 21 or day 23...or staggered in between.

Lady of McCamley

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Really beautiful eggs!

Beautiful array of color in eggs!

Thank you...the fun of having the chickens is making up the egg cartons to sell (and my customers LOVE the sepia rainbow) or give away as gifts. I have dreams of getting a Monet pallet with all the sepia tints and adding greens and blues.

My dream egg basket would be based off of these (Photos posted on "Purple Eggs???" thread on BYC)

Photo by BYC member Ruth

and BYC member Poulrade

I will need to keep manipulating my flock and add in some Olive Eggers, maybe a Crested Legbar or Isbar, and apparently a Croad Langshan to develop the full range of blues, greens, olive greens and purples.

My dreams....

Lady of McCamley