Broody Hen Thread!

[sonderah]

Quote:
That's a shame. But on the bright side, she's no longer broody, so you'll be getting eggs from her again. If your hatching eggs are from a hatchery and aren't coming until next week, is there any chance you can cancel your order?

I probably could, but I really want them, so if she's not ready, I'll just toss em in the bator & see what happens. Lol

 

[boyswillbeboys]

I have my first broody, she has not moved from her nest in 2 days, despite running away at the look of another chicken before this. She is a silkie sitting on 4 eggs, 3 bantam, and 1 large brown egg.

 

[Back2Roots]

I have my first broody, she has not moved from her nest in 2 days, despite running away at the look of another chicken before this. She is a silkie sitting on 4 eggs, 3 bantam, and 1 large brown egg.

Yep, broody hens are brave and fearsome creatures!

 

[Back2Roots]

I probably could, but I really want them, so if she's not ready, I'll just toss em in the bator & see what happens. Lol

Oh of course - I forgot that you have an incubator... happy hatching!

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

My latest broody, game/EE mix....was due to hatch the 12th. Well, four chicks hatched this morning!!! She has 6 eggs ...so 2 more left.

I don't candle either. I just make sure she has food available, as I know she gets off to poo, drink, and exercise a bit. This is her second hatch this year. Her first hatch, they are teenagers now, twelve weeks old.

She has done an excellent job as broody and mama.

 

[SD Bird Lady]

I have a broody on 6 eggs. Now I have another broody and don't really need more chicks. The eggs are on day 16. Would it be a bad idea to split the eggs between the two?

 

[kada6305]

I THINK I have a broody hen, or maybe early stages of broody. She lays on the nest every day from 4pm until morning, never sits on it in the mornings but only has 2 eggs in her nest, so maybe still in the collecting process? I have eggs in the bator so maybe i'll end up with more babies than I was planning

 

[sonderah]

I have a broody on 6 eggs. Now I have another broody and don't really need more chicks. The eggs are on day 16. Would it be a bad idea to split the eggs between the two?

If she will have been broody for a few weeks by the time they hatch, I would.

 

[SD Bird Lady]

Thanks

 

[Flutterbee]

This is Edna, she's my lovely Golden Comet whose about forty weeks old and is currently sitting on a clutch of eggs. At first, I didn't realize that was what she was doing. I went in the cage (I had been gone for a week and my brothers forgot to collect the eggs) to get rid of the old eggs and when I broke two, there were occupants inside (I felt terrible, I buried the little marbles). Currently, I believe the rest of the eggs are around eleven to twelve days along. I candled last night and saw some dancing babies. I do have a few questions as it has been a long time since I've had a hen hatch any chicks.

1. Is it okay to check the eggs under the hen? It won't cause her to go unbroody?

2. I didn't harm the chicks by candling did I?

3. It's okay to candle eggs that a hen sits on as opposed to those in an incubator?

4. Do most chicks hatch at twenty one days or should I work my schedule around days nineteen and twenty of next week in case I have some early hatchers?