Broody Hen Thread!

[SIMZ]

She's in the corner on the floor with them. She's been in a hutch outside and that's where she took them last night. I noticed she had them in the enclosed run earlier and her hutch is outside of that (she'd have to go back out and around the run in fencing she's not used to). I'm wondering if she couldn't get them back to the hutch because the door is closed to get out there. Because I'm a worrywart, I may move them tonight. Tomorrow I'll rework the fence to keep that door open. If she tries to take them in tomorrow then I'll leave them.

 

[aart]

She's in the corner on the floor with them. She's been in a hutch outside and that's where she took them last night. I noticed she had them in the enclosed run earlier and her hutch is outside of that (she'd have to go back out and around the run in fencing she's not used to). I'm wondering if she couldn't get them back to the hutch because the door is closed to get out there. Because I'm a worrywart, I may move them tonight. Tomorrow I'll rework the fence to keep that door open. If she tries to take them in tomorrow then I'll leave them.

She'll be fine in the corner with them, don't move them they'll be fine.

 

[fisherlady]

This is where being here on this thread is going to get a little hard....especially explaining to those of you who were with me when Agatha hatched Scout, and then through his subsequent mishaps. We had to cull him yesterday. It was not a choice made easily or lightly, and in truth if I had just me to worry about he would still be here. I am so grateful that his "mom" is sitting on eggs that he fertilized, and in a perfect world there will be a little pullet who looks like her mom and has her dad's spunk and resiliency. RIP, Little Man. I'm sorry to lose you, but grateful for the lessons you taught.











Full circle...Agatha waits for Scout's next generation.

I am so sorry you had to cull him.... I am sure it was the only option you had, since I had followed his progress back when he hatched... I hate loosing special ones and wish I could offer more than an internet hug.... (((((((Blooie))))))) but it will have to do. He was a beautiful bird and was blessed to have such special folks taking care of him! Give your little grand daughter a hug from all of us!

hoping all goes well with the new hatch!

 

[fisherlady]

Update on my broody, who had the rotten egg explode under her around day 17/18. I had cleaned up her nest as best I could, and broke an egg in the process, killing the chick inside. Heartbreak. She was left with 7 eggs, but with the rotten goo getting on her feathers and in the nest, plus my disruption so late in the process, I didn't have a lot of hope.

Well, its day 22 and I see 1 beautiful, healthy little chick jumping around the nest. I'm so relieved. I was prepared to start scouring the local feed stores for chicks to put under her if I didn't see anything by day 23. I'm not sure if there will be any others, but I will happily take what I can get after that experience.

I guess this is why people candle their eggs, -- to remove duds so they don't explode. A lot of people counsel against disturbing the broody or handling the eggs in any way. I'm not quite sure what to think now.

What are the thoughts of people here on whether, and when, you candle eggs under a broody? Does it matter if you are going to need to forcibly move her off the nest? I never saw her off the nest once, the whole 21 days.

I am glad she has at least one hatched out!

My thoughts on candling.... I don't bother until somewhere from day 10-14, and I am not worried about much beyond pulling clear eggs or sloshy ones. If the air cell isn't fixed (sloshy) then I figure it was a quitter. I like to do it when she is off for a break but have no problem just lifting a hen and sliding out eggs I want to check. I have only had one hen ever draw blood and it's not a big deal, since they are just doing what they are supposed to do, protecting their clutch...

 

[Morrigan]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Well it is the morning of day 23, and I've yet to see another chick, so I think 1 chick it is. I'm debating if I want to give her a couple more chicks if I can find young ones at the feed store.

If I get another broody, I am going to buy a candler and candle at day 14. One rotten egg can ruin the lot, it appears.

 

[Blooie]

I gave Agatha 9 eggs to hatch out. Yesterday she left the nest (totally on her own) for a good stretch of the legs and a bite to eat, so I took advantage of the opportunity to get a closer look at how things were going in the nest. She is down to only 4 eggs in there. A closer look revealed an egg tossed out of the nest. It was obvious that it had been pecked from the outside in. I pulled a vinyl glove out of my pocket and took it out of there. (And yes, I always have at least one vinyl glove in my pocket when I got out to work in the coop.) Inside was a fully formed little black chick with dark green legs. Double rats!! With my luck that would have been the one pullet with Scout's personality and Aggie's good looks and all of the rest will be nondescript roos.

Hatch day is Tuesday.

 

[MesMama]

I gave Agatha 9 eggs to hatch out. Yesterday she left the nest (totally on her own) for a good stretch of the legs and a bite to eat, so I took advantage of the opportunity to get a closer look at how things were going in the nest. She is down to only 4 eggs in there. A closer look revealed an egg tossed out of the nest. It was obvious that it had been pecked from the outside in. I pulled a vinyl glove out of my pocket and took it out of there. (And yes, I always have at least one vinyl glove in my pocket when I got out to work in the coop.) Inside was a fully formed little black chick with dark green legs. Double rats!! With my luck that would have been the one pullet with Scout's personality and Aggie's good looks and all of the rest will be nondescript roos.

Hatch day is Tuesday.

Why does this happen?

 

[MesMama]

Oh man, I had a horrible anxiety dream last night

I dreamed that none of my eggs hatched and both of the hens died Wow. When eggs don't hatch do you wait and see how the hens are or do people always buy chicks to put under them? Nowhere around here is selling them now, that i'm aware of anyway? So I would have to order them.

 

[JJSS89]

Oh man, I had a horrible anxiety dream last night

I dreamed that none of my eggs hatched and both of the hens died Wow. When eggs don't hatch do you wait and see how the hens are or do people always buy chicks to put under them? Nowhere around here is selling them now, that i'm aware of anyway? So I would have to order them.

Don't order chicks to put under a hen. The chances of the hen accepting them are decent if you do it at night but the chances of the chicks taking to the mother are slim to none at that age.

 

[TXchickenchick]

Don't order chicks to put under a hen.  The chances of the hen accepting them are decent if you do it at night but the chances of the chicks taking to the mother are slim to none at that age.

The chicks you order are the same age as feedstore chicks...they order them and have them shipped, too. I have never had an issue with the chicks taking straight to their new mom. I have never had a hen refuse the chicks either, but then I have crazy mom centric chickens! Lol The main issue I see is being able to time the shipment right. Maybe check craigslist for someone regularly hatching and selling chicks?