Broody Hen Thread!

[julie0477]

Ok I have my first broody and she's a silkie. I got her a little over a month ago with her husband and 4 kids. I took her kids and put them in their own pen. And she has layed 19 eggs for me. 11 went to the bator and then she layed 6 and then went what I think is broody. She hasn't gotten off the eggs except once in the morning to eat and drink and get molested by her husband lol. I went out today to clean pens and feed and water and she layed 2 more eggs while being broody. Is that normal? Now she is going to have a staggered hatch.

my silkie laid an egg a day after she had starting sitting on the rest. One or two days is no big deal. They can hatch a day or two a part even if they started at the same time. Worked out just fine for us. More than a couple of days can be risky though.

 

[OneCrazyCowgirl]

So my chicken had a baby 5 days early and yesterday I noticed she abandoned the eggs. I was about to throw them out when I heard a peep and it moved in my hand. I quickly put it back. The next day she wasnt sitting on them. The egg was cold, no peeps but I could feel a little movement. What do I do? I don't have an incubator so that won't work. I put a wet towel around it with a heat lamp. I'm keepin it at 99 degrees. Once I put it in the heat and it started moving wildly inside the egg and peeped. Now it's quiet. Will it be alright? Do I need to do anything else? How long do you think it'll hatch

 

[chickarooo]

They grow up soo quickly!!!!!
And you are doing a great job if it is peeping it should start coming out soon I say you should put a teddy over it to keep it a bit warmer but your temp is great well done that chick will hatch in no time

 

[OneCrazyCowgirl]

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They grow up soo quickly!!!!!
And you are doing a great job if it is peeping it should start coming out soon I say you should put a teddy over it to keep it a bit warmer but your temp is great well done that chick will hatch in no time

thanks! I held it in my hands and j feel thumping and kicking

 

[chickarooo]

Awwww!!!!

 

[OneCrazyCowgirl]

I

Awwww!!!!

Ikr ! I'm so excited ! I thought it was dead I don't know how it survived

 

[StomperChick]

Thanks for the advise!!! They all hatched, 2 days early actually. Unfortunately the all were taken by as snake at 2 days old. We have now snake proofed our mother coop. Chicken wire does NOT keep snakes out. We covered all openings with screen and reinforced all doors with to ensure they close completely against the wood threshold. We have 9 eggs that are due to hatch in three days. I'm hoping to put them in the coop and reintroduce the mother, hoping that she takes over care for the new chicks. She hatched the first 6 last Wednesday, they were taken Friday. Do you think she will accept the new ones that hatch this Wednesday?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Thanks for the advise!!! They all hatched, 2 days early actually. Unfortunately the all were taken by as snake at 2 days old. We have now snake proofed our mother coop. Chicken wire does NOT keep snakes out. We covered all openings with screen and reinforced all doors with to ensure they close completely against the wood threshold. We have 9 eggs that are due to hatch in three days. I'm hoping to put them in the coop and reintroduce the mother, hoping that she takes over care for the new chicks. She hatched the first 6 last Wednesday, they were taken Friday. Do you think she will accept the new ones that hatch this Wednesday?

My guess is yup...she'll take to them just fine. She hatched the first batch, they were taken, she probably is still in a broody mood and will take to the next.

Just keep an eye on them to make sure they are bonding with each other. Fostering in my experience has a 24 to 48 hour transition period where the new babies and momma imprint with each other. You've got a broody that has just hatched babes and newly hatched babes, so it should work fine.

Lady of McCamley

 

[StomperChick]

My guess is yup...she'll take to them just fine. She hatched the first batch, they were taken, she probably is still in a broody mood and will take to the next.

Just keep an eye on them to make sure they are bonding with each other. Fostering in my experience has a 24 to 48 hour transition period where the new babies and momma imprint with each other. You've got a broody that has just hatched babes and newly hatched babes, so it should work fine.

Lady of McCamley

Thank you for the reply! It is much appreciated. Any suggestions on when I should introduce the new chicks. I've read that I shouldn't open the incubator until all the chicks hatch, but if it takes >24hrs for them to all hatch, can I take the ones that are dry to her? Is it best to just wait until they are all dry and introduce them all at once under her at night?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Thank you for the reply! It is much appreciated. Any suggestions on when I should introduce the new chicks. I've read that I shouldn't open the incubator until all the chicks hatch, but if it takes >24hrs for them to all hatch, can I take the ones that are dry to her? Is it best to just wait until they are all dry and introduce them all at once under her at night?

From my fostering experience...I would wait and take them all at once.

I had a failed fostering attempt by trying to introduce in stages...the hen hatched 3 chicks, then I tried to introduce 2 same age chicks 2 days later and additionally 2 more a few days later. However, the "heat bator" chicks were hesitant and basically got ran over by the 3 boisterous (and imprinted) hatchlings making for overly timid fosters...and they failed to thrive.

This time, I introduced 2 fosters at the same time with the same hen (no other chicks) and while they were shy, they didn't have any competition...in 24 hours they were completely adjusted....I only noticed hesitation in the first few hours but they quickly settled in ...I think due to the fact that they didn't have any predecessors.

My experiences anyway.
Lady of McCamley