Broody Hen Thread!

[appleturnover]

hello friends! we're on day 22 of our second broody hatch. our first went brilliantly, lucy the black orpington set 12 silver laced wyandotte eggs for us. at some point 1 disappeared - eaten? - and when we candled one was clear, which we removed. all ten hatched out beautifully on day 20! and at 8 weeks now, we have 4 cockerels and 6 pullets. really lovely.

well, not long after the chicks arrived, pepper the black orpington went broody, and we could not dissuade her, so finally gave her four eggs from a nearby farm. i know they've had lower hatch rates and later ones, so i wasn't too surprised to reach day 22 with nothing. we candled at day 12, but it was a bit too light out and we couldn't see much.

shall we candle again tonight? it won't disturb them? from incubators i'd assumed we were in some kind of lockdown though we did feel the eggs to see if there was any action. the scent is a bit ripe, but no different from with the first hatch, probably just hot hen...

she's still sitting beautifully and the daily breaks she took have now pretty much ceased except to get off the nest to poop. not the time for dustbathing, she tells me.

i'm hoping she gets at least one chick to make her a happy mama.
our lucy weaned her chicks before 7 weeks, or they weaned themselves - they stopped following her to forage, she stopped inviting them to good food, and then she was back up roosting and back to laying by 7 weeks! she even pecks the odd one to establish pecking order. quite something!

x

 

[PD-Riverman]

shall we candle again tonight? it won't disturb them? from incubators i'd assumed we were in some kind of lockdown though we did feel the eggs to see if there was any action. the scent is a bit ripe, but no different from with the first hatch, probably just hot hen...


x

My Opinion-----If you were going to candle---you need to do that by day 18. "I" would not touch them or her from day 19 till hatch. "I" would Not even tilt/peek under her to see if any have hatched. If she does not hatch them by day 23----they are probably not going to hatch. Make sure when you are counting days that the day you set them is day "0"---day 1 is the next day/24 hr after you set them.Everyone has their way of doing things----what works in one area might not work in another area. I have set 50 hens in the last year, most all hatched by the later part of day 21. What I am Doing is working great---thats what I go by. Good Luck!

 

[Angie16hearts]

Oh the excitement over here is brewing! Chicks due to hatch anytime Monday-Wednesday! I did read sometimes eggs under a broody hatch day 20? So maybe even Sunday? I went into the coop late last night and tried my hand at candling. I could definitely see veining, in some of the light brown eggs I thought I saw movement (the maran and easter egger eggs were much harder to see into!) They are definitely full looking other than an air pocket. Hoping everything is going well. All my current eggs are now infertile so while I wasn't ever planning on hatching eggs I am rather excited now. I brought my 9 year old into the coop with me to see me candling and she just loved it. I told her it was like a chicken ultrasound lol

Did you have luck with your hatch? I have 3 first generation olive eggers in bator to be grafted under my Austrlorp. She had to wait a week for them to arrive so she's looking bad! I can't see through the olive egger eggs way to dark! I see air sacs and believe I blue isbar will make it but the one that got yolk on it durning shipping I think quit

. I'm waiting for my husbands eyes see what he thinks. These eggs have been by far the hardest to see through ! I have aready hatched around 60-70 this year but ordered these . Fingers crossed another 6 days

poor Oreo I hope I get at least one!

 

[S5apiotrowski]

Looking for advice on grafting...

My Broody hen is on a clutch of eggs due to hatch this weekend. However, her clutch is down to 6 (from 15) after an early attack on eggs, infections & a couple of explosions. We candled x1 about midway through and removed some duds. I don't want to touch any eggs now - any living chicks should be moving into position. The chicks are due to start hatching Sat night/Sunday.

I picked up 5 day old pullets today (I guess today is day 2). I understand it is best to introduce them at night. In reading the thread, it sounds like the prime time is younger than older (less than 3 days). I am wondering how soon I should wait to try to introduce the chicks- If there are any pips in the hens eggs, I would add the chicks tonight. If not, how long would you recommend waiting, if at all? I am afraid if chicks are introduced too early, the other eggs may be abandoned. At the same time, I am not very confident any of the remaining eggs will hatch, and I don't want to lose the opportunity to graft the chicks.

 

[Back2Roots]

Looking for advice on grafting...

My Broody hen is on a clutch of eggs due to hatch this weekend. However, her clutch is down to 6 (from 15) after an early attack on eggs, infections & a couple of explosions. We candled x1 about midway through and removed some duds. I don't want to touch any eggs now - any living chicks should be moving into position. The chicks are due to start hatching Sat night/Sunday.

I picked up 5 day old pullets today (I guess today is day 2). I understand it is best to introduce them at night. In reading the thread, it sounds like the prime time is younger than older (less than 3 days). I am wondering how soon I should wait to try to introduce the chicks- If there are any pips in the hens eggs, I would add the chicks tonight. If not, how long would you recommend waiting, if at all? I am afraid if chicks are introduced too early, the other eggs may be abandoned. At the same time, I am not very confident any of the remaining eggs will hatch, and I don't want to lose the opportunity to graft the chicks.

I'm afraid 5 day-old chicks you won't have a good chance of successful grafting. I personally think it's too late: either mam will reject them outright, or if she does take them under her wing, they are now too old to really bond with her and won't listen to her either. If you put older chicks under her and her eggs start hatching I think that will put a lot of stress on your broody, having to take care of different ages of chicks. There's also a possibility that the 5 day-olds may turn on the hatchlings: 5 days is getting to be a pretty big difference in age when it comes to chicks. My advice would be to set up a brooder for the older chicks, and let mama take care of the new hatches. anyone I've spoken to who have experience with broodies say that grafting 5 day-olds is pretty iffy. You could try, but if you do, best do it ASAP, and be aware that you may wind up losing the chicks that will be hatching. Just my two cents. Good luck!

 

[S5apiotrowski]

Oops - the chicks were day old, not 5 days old. typo!

 

[Back2Roots]

Quote:
Well, in that case, you're good to go! You've got some wiggle room, I think. If it were me, I'd graft in the evening after the chicks hatch, and get up extra early next a.m. just to make sure that mama has accepted them all. Assuming that the chicks hatch today or tomorrow at the latest. That would make the chicks you plan to graft 3 days old, right? I grafted a 3 day-old and a 1 day-old and it went very well:: My Silkie hen was thrilled and took to them immediately. Good luck!

 

[S5apiotrowski]

Quote:
I had 2 chicks hatch today. I just placed my first bought chick with the Broody. I have 4 to go - that's where "5" came from. "5" 1-day old chicks! My hen still has 4 eggs, but given the earlier disasters, they may not hatch.

 

[SydneyKellogg]

What is the lastest an egg can be incubated before I assume the chick is dead

? Thanks!!

 

[katatonic123]

Just got my first post broody egg. Now for my other babies to start laying!