Broody Hen Thread!

[cayle]

Yes she didn't want to stay when I checked her this morning so I put her in a different spot and so far she's staying there
Hopefully she hatched chicks out can't wait!!!!! This is my first ever time hatching chicks from a broody hen

 

[SD Bird Lady]

Counting the days. My Brahama is still sitting on 7 eggs. I assume the one that "disappeared" was a dud. They should hatch on Tuesday

 

[cayle]

Good luck the one hen I have that is a brahmah to she expecting it 20 days!

 

[cayle]

One more thing if I collect the eggs on two different days like today and tomorrow then the ones I get today I keep them in a cold spot like a basement and flip them every 12 hours. is it ok if I collect some that are cold not freshly laided?

 

[abserbean]

I think my broody's pen mate has been successfully integrated back in. There have been a few pecks, but the chicks have learned quickly to give her space. Hopefully this works out okay!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

This guys need more Help!!!!. My broody Silkie (cotton ball) has been sitting for 20 days. Hatching is expected tomorrow. Nows here's my question. How long after the chicks hatch does a hen remain in that (broody) mind state? Reason I ask. I have a Blue laced Wyandotte who went broody and then after 2 weeks of laying abandoned the eggs, I then placed those eggs under Cotton Ball. Which means those eggs should hatch next week. "Oh what a tangle web I weaved".

It all depends upon the hen how well they will brood to hatch eggs and then how well they will mother.

A good broody will sit it out the full 21 days (or much longer) and then tenderly care for her chicks until they are well feathered in and roosting beside her, usually about 6 weeks of age. Then she will distance herself, even lightly pecking at them to bug off and be chickens, while she returns to the main flock and to laying eggs.

However, some hens do not sit the 21 days nor do they raise the chicks until independence. Those are poor brooders and mothers. I do not re-use a hen who has abandoned the nest or mothering duties as I like a hen to be fully functional as a broody. I have swapped in a faithful broody if a first timer proves unfaithful. And, you can always have artificial brooders on the stand by.

Lady of McCamley

 

[Lady of McCamley]

One more thing if I collect the eggs on two different days like today and tomorrow then the ones I get today I keep them in a cold spot like a basement and flip them every 12 hours. is it ok if I collect some that are cold not freshly laided?

I'm not sure what you mean by cold...as in stored in the refrigerator cold? From the barnyard cold?

The age of eggs and how well they were kept and handled (temperature, turning) all factor into the hatchability.

It is best to set eggs that are no older than 7 days, and best to set eggs that have been kept at slightly below room temperature and turned (or tilted) every regularly.

That doesn't mean an egg that is kept too cold or wasn't turned won't hatch...it just means your hatch rate typically goes down the older the egg and the less carefully it was kept.

My very first broody attempt was from a friend's eggs that I picked up on a day that was 32 degrees...the eggs were laid that day, but they were also cold...and I got 3 of the 5 hatched.

Interesting side note about hatching cold eggs...there is a thread on BYC about hatching Trader Joe's store bought eggs...those that are free range and marked "fertile." Apparently if you get the eggs within 7 days of the ship date, even though they have been stored in refrigeration, the hatch rate is typically about 30% (if I remember right)....very funny thread. My TJ's doesn't carry fertile eggs, but I keep watching the shelves just in case as I think it would be great fun to try it.

Lady of McCamley

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I think my broody's pen mate has been successfully integrated back in. There have been a few pecks, but the chicks have learned quickly to give her space. Hopefully this works out okay!

Congratulations. Usually things settle pretty quickly, and if there is trouble it arises at the first (unless you add stressors such as too few of feeders or not enough room).

Nice chicks...Marans? And 1 roo with 3 girls and a no-can-see.

Lady of McCamley

 

[Ninamm]

On of my BO is broody and I need to find some fertilizd eggs for her. I am in Silicon valley. Help

 

[Lady of McCamley]

On of my BO is broody and I need to find some fertilizd eggs for her. I am in Silicon valley. Help

If you are not picky about the breeds, and don't mind mutts, you will have a lot of choices through local farms. If you want a particular breed, you'll have to go to breeders or order shipped eggs.

Try looking on one of the Where Am I/Where Are You BYC threads to link up with some locals...or go to your local feed store....or look on Craigslist. Googling might also turn up a farm that is close enough to drive to.

Or go to the BYC Seller or Swap pages to find eggs either locally or that could be shipped.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/36/chicken-hatching-eggs
https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/16186/swaps

I've also used eBay. My Pet Chicken sells hatching eggs.

Shipped eggs typically have a 50% hatch rate as the eggs can get rattled from shipping handling...if they are rattled hard/broken, you could get 0% hatch.

Or...seriously....you could go to a Trader Joe's and see if they are carrying "fertile free range" eggs....there is a thread here on BYC about people hatching TJ eggs. Check the ship date and get one that is within a week (you'll have to read it by Julian calendar which assigns numbers according to 365 days of the year). While they have been refrigerated, supposedly there is about a 30% hatch rate.

Good luck.
Lady of McCamley