Broody Hen Thread!

[K Spot]

I kind of position my fingers on my left hand in behind their head to control it and grab the eggs out with my right hand to avoid being bitten.

 

[sonderah]

Well, she is due to hatch Friday morning, so I will probably leave her be this time. Lol Little turd!

My broody turkey hen tossed an egg today, so I brought it in and candled it. Looks like a quitter. It amazes me how they know!!!

 

[sonderah]

I kind of position my fingers on my left hand in behind their head to control it and grab the eggs out with my right hand to avoid being bitten.  

Ok. I changed my mind. Since its dark out now, I went to try again. She tried hard, but missed every time! Lol I candled all 5, & saw definite movement in 2, 2 more that looked good, just didn't see movement at the time, & 1 that looked kinda odd, but wasn't sure. It didn't stink, & she hasn't pushed it out, so I returned them all. Yay! Can't wait!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Set 6 Rhodebar eggs today...they are LARGE eggs so Silkie only got 3 and my first time broody Ms. Marvel (a Wyandotte/EE by my best guess) has the other 3. Hopefully Ms. Marvel will be a marvel at brooding.

Had a tutoring student today who is very interested in animal science help me set the eggs, and we discussed embryo development and watched a great video for it. We candled today to show her the non-developed egg...we noted the yolk and chalazae shadow. She will help me candle next week on day 7 and again on day 14, with hopefully hatching day on day 21 or May 6th.

Here's hoping things go well

Lady of McCamley

FYI: for those interested... a great embryo development video

 

[K Spot]

Ok. I changed my mind. Since its dark out now, I went to try again. She tried hard, but missed every time! Lol I candled all 5, & saw definite movement in 2, 2 more that looked good, just didn't see movement at the time, & 1 that looked kinda odd, but wasn't sure. It didn't stink, & she hasn't pushed it out, so I returned them all. Yay! Can't wait!

Good work

I've candled some eggs I've thought were not developing, but I've put them back under the hen just in case. I can't see any harm in doing it.

FYI: for those interested... a great embryo development video

Wow, loved the video

 

[chickmagnet123]

hey i have a chicken sitting on fourteen eggs and there hatching days are scattered (like some will hatch in one week or some will hatch in just 5 days) above all it will take her at least four weeks to hatch all of them she and my bator are two and a half weeks a head, i also have six eggs in my bator if they hatch 1st could i put chicks under her and she hatches some of hers then put the rest im my bator to hatch while she takes care of the others then when all the late hatchers hatch those hatched do i just let her have them(she has accepted a few stray chicks from other clutches a while back) but main point is, is it a good idea

 

[fisherlady]

hey i have a chicken sitting on fourteen eggs and there hatching days are scattered (like some will hatch in one week or some will hatch in just 5 days) above all it will take her at least four weeks to hatch all of them she and my bator are two and a half weeks a head, i also have six eggs in my bator if they hatch 1st could i put chicks under her and she hatches some of hers then put the rest im my bator to hatch while she takes care of the others then when all the late hatchers hatch those hatched do i just let her have them(she has accepted a few stray chicks from other clutches a while back) but main point is, is it a good idea

I'm hoping I followed your info accurately, but not sure.... I understand you have a staggered hatch with more staggered in the 'bator. Basically, I would suggest allowing her to either hatch hers or switch all of hers out for what in the incubator that is due to hatch first so that whatever is under her is due to hatch no more apart than 2 days total. Place any and all other eggs into the incubator and if she will adopt them after they hatch you can certainly give them back to her then, but don't overload her with chicks and be prepared to brooder raise them yourself if she isn't willing to take them.

Biggest risks.... staggering the eggs she is on means she would have to choose between getting up to take care of already hatched chicks or remain on eggs to finish hatching them... not a good position to put her in and not good for the eggs which are late to hatch and may be abandoned when she gets up with her early chicks.
.... overloading the hen with chicks can be difficult on her but a lot depends on the environment she is in. She will have to be able to cover them to keep them warm for 2 or 3 weeks at least, and maybe longer if you are in a cold area or the chicks are slow to feather, so how many can she provide good coverage/warmth for? How many can she keep track of? In an enclosed run and coop area she doesn't have a much chance of leaving a chick behind and potential harm coming to the chicks. If the hen is in a free range situation she will have a harder time keeping track of a large number of chicks. So you will need to honestly evaluate her environment to decide how many you feel she can care for.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

hey i have a chicken sitting on fourteen eggs and there hatching days are scattered (like some will hatch in one week or some will hatch in just 5 days) above all it will take her at least four weeks to hatch all of them she and my bator are two and a half weeks a head, i also have six eggs in my bator if they hatch 1st could i put chicks under her and she hatches some of hers then put the rest im my bator to hatch while she takes care of the others then when all the late hatchers hatch those hatched do i just let her have them(she has accepted a few stray chicks from other clutches a while back) but main point is, is it a good idea

I'm hoping I followed your info accurately, but not sure.... I understand you have a staggered hatch with more staggered in the 'bator. Basically, I would suggest allowing her to either hatch hers or switch all of hers out for what in the incubator that is due to hatch first so that whatever is under her is due to hatch no more apart than 2 days total. Place any and all other eggs into the incubator and if she will adopt them after they hatch you can certainly give them back to her then, but don't overload her with chicks and be prepared to brooder raise them yourself if she isn't willing to take them.

Biggest risks.... staggering the eggs she is on means she would have to choose between getting up to take care of already hatched chicks or remain on eggs to finish hatching them... not a good position to put her in and not good for the eggs which are late to hatch and may be abandoned when she gets up with her early chicks.
.... overloading the hen with chicks can be difficult on her but a lot depends on the environment she is in. She will have to be able to cover them to keep them warm for 2 or 3 weeks at least, and maybe longer if you are in a cold area or the chicks are slow to feather, so how many can she provide good coverage/warmth for? How many can she keep track of? In an enclosed run and coop area she doesn't have a much chance of leaving a chick behind and potential harm coming to the chicks. If the hen is in a free range situation she will have a harder time keeping track of a large number of chicks. So you will need to honestly evaluate her environment to decide how many you feel she can care for.

x2

And I would add that staggering the ages of chicks to give a hen can also be problematic, especially in cool weather. The hen will be up and teaching the older broody hatched chicks to be chickens, even after a few days but especially after 1 week. I find she just isn't sitting enough to keep younger babies warm. The younger babies also try to cling to her so that when she is scratching about they can get kicked around...I had a chick kicked to death that way. Plus the older hatchlings are running around often further stressing the younger ones just by being so vigorous.

If you add older incubator chicks, which may be the better way, watch that the hen does not view them as intruders to her newly hatched babies.

However, the longer they are in the artificial brood set up the longer it may take them to transition to a hen. I find my hens are welcoming, but the artificial fosters are often fearful of the hen and won't run to her or obey her cluckings, again further stressing themselves, her, and often getting themselves into trouble as they may attempt to run away in fear stranding themselves until they get used to the big scary hen.

It can work...but you will have to assess your hen, environment, the chicks, and be watchful and prepared to remove any that are not looking like they are thriving well.

My 2 cents.
Lady of McCamley

 

[chickmagnet123]

thx alot i was so confused

 

[dstinett]

Is it too risky to give broody shipped eggs?