Broody Hen Thread!

[Flutterbee]

My broody's babies have started to hatch! <3 (Edna's wing with babies Eunice and Winifred. She was readjusting herself after her sister, Myrtle, tried to get on the nest to lay an egg)

 

[irischick]

At 21 days, half the time u can't see anything but total darkness because the chick fills the egg. I'd wait.

I figured. Thanks so much!!!!!

 

[ochochicas]

My broody's babies have started to hatch! <3 (Edna's wing with babies Eunice and Winifred. She was readjusting herself after her sister, Myrtle, tried to get on the nest to lay an egg)

Cute! What kind of babies are they?

 

[Flutterbee]

Cute! What kind of babies are they?

Good question! The mother is part Leghorn, part RIR and the father is part Buff Orpington, part Speckled Sussex xD

 

[redpennies15]

Love the color

 

[Penny Hen]

So I float tested my broodies eggs today. The numbered ones floated as expected though didn't really move. The unnumbered ones that were laid by the other hens later sank. I am guessing that the air pocket is not developed yet. The numbered eggs should have hatched between the 15th and the 18th. I threw one stinker out 5 days ago. One egg hatched but she is determined to hatch more! I have her and the one chick in my dog crate so that they are safe. She has food and water. I have 2 unnumbered eggs that floated sideways. I have 4 that sank and are only a week old by my estimate.

Question is should I pull the eggs or let her keep trying? I am rigging an incubator and could probably pop them into that in about a days time. Some of the extra eggs were laid by Raven who has since disappeared. Don't know if she is hiding a nest or if something got her. We have had a new hawk in the neighborhood though is is a small one. So I would like to get them to hatch in case she doesn't return.

 

[TiaRC]

So I float tested my broodies eggs today. The numbered ones floated as expected though didn't really move. The unnumbered ones that were laid by the other hens later sank. I am guessing that the air pocket is not developed yet. The numbered eggs should have hatched between the 15th and the 18th. I threw one stinker out 5 days ago. One egg hatched but she is determined to hatch more! I have her and the one chick in my dog crate so that they are safe. She has food and water. I have 2 unnumbered eggs that floated sideways. I have 4 that sank and are only a week old by my estimate.

Question is should I pull the eggs or let her keep trying? I am rigging an incubator and could probably pop them into that in about a days time. Some of the extra eggs were laid by Raven who has since disappeared. Don't know if she is hiding a nest or if something got her. We have had a new hawk in the neighborhood though is is a small one. So I would like to get them to hatch in case she doesn't return.

She will continue to sit til they all hatch and not take real good care of the hatched babies til then. So after 2 days I usually pull the rest and incubate, since the babies have enough yolk to last 3 days.

 

[Henne Chick]

Does anyone know why the hen eats the dead egg she's sitting on????

 

[Sylviaanne]

Does anyone know why the hen eats the dead egg she's sitting on????

Probably to keep the nest clean if she can't kick it out.

 

[A6chickenhome]

This is my first broody hen. She has been broody for over a month so I thought I might get some hatchlings to let her raise. Does anyone have any thought on whether she should be moved with the babies to a new caged nest or left where she is in the communal nesting box she likes? The box she's been in is off the floor so I don't think the babies could get in and out but I don't know if they usually do leave the nest when they are really small? Also, will the other hens be aggressive towards hatchlings, they are the docile black austrolorp? Thanks everyone, I'm excited to hear from y'all! This is a great resource and I'm so glad I joined!