Broody Hen Thread!

[Lady of McCamley]

I was sure that the two eggs given to the Silkie broody wouldn't develop. Positive. The shells had marks on them that looked like fractures and/or porous shells. I didn't candle them until Saturday or Sunday, I think One was very dark, no veins and a small air space. I thought I saw faint veins in the other. They are the last two eggs laid by a favorite hen that is struggling with a bad case of bumble foot. Yesterday one pipped. Last night or today it hatched and the other pipped. I'm worried about the one that has not hatched--the membranes looked very dark, possibly bloody. I don't know if it shows up in the picture. You can see the fault lines on the egg.

It's hard to tell anything from the photo...it may be that a blood vessel had not fully receded and the chick nicked one as it pipped....I'd just watch and wait and see if it still is making progress.
Trying to assist hatch if the blood vessels haven't receded is dangerous for the chick. Give it time.
Lady of McCamley

 

[Junibutt]

Yes, but the chicks have had momma teaching them how to be chickens for 4 weeks, and then the "teens" and momma will integrate back in as a subflock which protects them and makes the integration go better.

Also the chicks have acclimated to the weather from early on being raised without heat lamps which I've personally witnessed makes them grow stronger and faster, and I think become better all around chickens....all without my personal care other than providing food and water and a safe area to grow until ready to integrate. Much better, imho, than having to heat lamp in the brooder and then slowly acclimate them to the outside weather. That's weeks of mess in my garage which I have decided I don't need now that I've got a broody who does all that work for me.

Lady of McCamley

That makes me feel somewhat better. I guess I was a little disappointed in my broody but will make the best out of the situation.

 

[sonderah]

Here's our Momma and baby. exit to the coop is a skinny and steep ramp. Will they be OK getting in and out and following Momma around?? Or should I try to rig up something not so steep for them?

What an adorable picture!!!! I vote chicken pic of the week!!!

 

[jajeanpierre]

It's hard to tell anything from the photo...it may be that a blood vessel had not fully receded and the chick nicked one as it pipped....I'd just watch and wait and see if it still is making progress.
Trying to assist hatch if the blood vessels haven't receded is dangerous for the chick. Give it time.
Lady of McCamley

How much time should I give it? It looks exactly the same as it did yesterday. I can see the little beak peeking out--just the same as yesterday. the membranes looked very dark when I first saw it. Now they have dried. My gut feeling is it is dead, but I also thought the last chick to hatch from my first clutch a few days ago was dead, too. I was wrong.

 

[sonderah]

How much time should I give it?  It looks exactly the same as it did yesterday.  I can see the little beak peeking out--just the same as yesterday.  the membranes looked very dark when I first saw it.  Now they have dried.  My gut feeling is it is dead, but I also thought the last chick to hatch from my first clutch a few days ago was dead, too.  I was wrong.

If u can see its beak, is it moving or peeping if u pick it up??

 

[jajeanpierre]

If u can see its beak, is it moving or peeping if u pick it up??

Nothing. I didn't ever see any movement. I have a stethoscope I could put up to it, but when I put it up to my ear this morning I heard nothing. The beak was always just peeking out.

I'll get better pictures today. I have a bad feeling about this. But, then again, I had a bad feeling about the last to hatch of the only eggs I've ever hatched.

The good news is the other chick is doing well. Poor Silkie mom has had to deall with a couple of other broodies in the nest box as well.

 

[sonderah]

Nothing.  I didn't ever see any movement.  I have a stethoscope I could put up to it, but when I put it up to my ear this morning I heard nothing.  The beak was always just peeking out.

I'll get better pictures today.  I have a bad feeling about this.  But, then again, I had a bad feeling about the last to hatch of the only eggs I've ever hatched.


The good news is the other chick is doing well.  Poor Silkie mom has had to deall with a couple of other broodies in the nest box as well.

If its beak is out u would hear it peeping just holding it up by ur ear. I'd poke at its beak and see if it moves. Lol

 

[jajeanpierre]

If u can see its beak, is it moving or peeping if u pick it up??

I went back out to have good look--this time with two pair of reading glasses on. The beak was in exactly the same position as it was 24 hours ago. I brought it in the house and poked the beak a bit. No movement. The chick was dead.

Still not trusting myself, I read about assisted hatching and the timing on this chick qualified it to be assisted, so I assumed it was alive and proceeded to assist the hatch. I figured it would be good practice if I ever needed to assist in the future.

I carefully peeled the shell off the membranes. The blood vessels had receded. When I got all the shell off and slid the dead chick out of the membranes. The yolk had not been absorbed. I believe the chick was dead yesterday morning when I first saw the external pip.

Out of curiosity, what does a healthy non-absorbed yolk look like? Is this a normal-looking yolk? I worried about these two eggs because the shells looked so porous from the beginning. I don't know if you can see the weak areas of the shell in the big piece of shell to the upper left.

Any thoughts on why this chick might have died? So sad to lose a chick so close to hatch.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Here's a picture of the chick that hatched yesterday morning. It's a LF Splash Ameraucana. I'm surprised I got even one chick out of the two I gave her considering she sometimes had to contend with two or three other broodies in the box with her. The only one not broody in the picture is the buff Silkie. Even the LF Polish is being broody. Yes, there are three Silkies in that left box.

 

[ChickyChickens]

Hahahahahahha cute! Love the three silkies in one box thing! Sooo cute!