Broody Hen Thread!

[Honora]

Yes, washing may very well reduce the hatch rate, as now there is no pretective coating on them to keep bacteria out. However, I think at least some of them will hatch. Also, make sure the nest she is setting in is clean. Good luck with your hatch!

Thank you! I hope some will hatch!

 

[Cory W]

Hopefully have my first peek at homegrown chicks tomorrow

 

[csaylorchickens]

One is born today this morning the other eggs are on their way. One looks like it's pecked on the snide I just closed the top and I'm letting my hen do the work I am just nervous. I have chick starter out for the babies and water . Not sure what else I should do. What about vaccines merKS for the chicks?

 

[JessLonn]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum to ask this question but hopefully someone can help. I have 10 fertile eggs- while actually 8 because 2 hatch yesterday and they have taken to one of the brooding hens both brooding hen are silkies. Yes I had and have 8-10 eggs under 2 hens and the eggs are to different hens. My question is; should I take the 2 babies inside with me and let the hens hatch the others or should I leave the babies under the hen put the eggs that should be hatching in the next few days under the other hen and take the eggs that will not hatch for another week or so and incubate them? Please if any one can answer this, please I need help, this my first batch that have hatched.

 

[csaylorchickens]

Ok she just saw the Chice under her and freaked out and pecked it in the head! Do I have a homicidal broody? And if so should i.let her sit on the Chi KS for the first 24 hours after a hatch and then remove them so they are safe?

 

[karenerwin]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum to ask this question but hopefully someone can help. I have 10 fertile eggs- while actually 8 because 2 hatch yesterday and they have taken to one of the brooding hens both brooding hen are silkies. Yes I had and have 8-10 eggs under 2 hens and the eggs are to different hens. My question is; should I take the 2 babies inside with me and let the hens hatch the others or should I leave the babies under the hen put the eggs that should be hatching in the next few days under the other hen and take the eggs that will not hatch for another week or so and incubate them? Please if any one can answer this, please I need help, this my first batch that have hatched.

From what I have read from others here on BYC, I think either way will work. I do wonder (but have no experience with) if the hen who has the 2 chicks will become distressed or quit on the other eggs if the 2 chicks "disappear" ( go inside with you).
Hopefully you will get more responses from people who have actual experience with this situation! Good luck. Let us know which way you go & how it works out for you.

 

[JessLonn]

Thanks for the info, more to think about.

This pic is the remaining eggs that will be hatching with the date laid written on them. The 9/9 with the "X" is going to be the next to hatch. The 2 larger eggs are from my larger size chickens- none of those hens wanted to brood, so I put them under my silkies.

The top chick hatch yesterday and bottom one, hatch last night and there is another in the process of hatching.

I think if the babies keep going with the same hen, I will transfer eggs to the other hen. Let her incubate the eggs, when they hatch hopefully they will be safe either of the hens.

 

[JessLonn]

The last arrived about 15minutes ago. And that one also went to the other hen so I put the rest of the eggs under the second hen, so as those hatch they should migrate toward the "mommy" hen- I hope-!

 

[sharol]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum to ask this question but hopefully someone can help. I have 10 fertile eggs- while actually 8 because 2 hatch yesterday and they have taken to one of the brooding hens both brooding hen are silkies. Yes I had and have 8-10 eggs under 2 hens and the eggs are to different hens. My question is; should I take the 2 babies inside with me and let the hens hatch the others or should I leave the babies under the hen put the eggs that should be hatching in the next few days under the other hen and take the eggs that will not hatch for another week or so and incubate them? Please if any one can answer this, please I need help, this my first batch that have hatched.

I had a similar situation a few weeks ago. I had two hens with a total of 10 eggs under them. All but two of the eggs had hatched (the moms stayed on the remaining eggs and supervised the chicks who went back and forth between the hens). When the 2nd hen left the 2 eggs unhatched, I stuck them in the incubator and let them hatch. The first one had already pipped, and hatched that evening. The next morning before the sun came up, I slid the fluffy chick under one of the hens. She shifted to make room for it. The second egg hatched that evening and I put it under the mom the next day.

I wouldn't take the chicks away from the mother unless she is hurting it. The hen can supervise from the nest and hatch the rest of the eggs. Usually if there are eggs left they don't hatch - we just got lucky this time and got 2 beautiful little Jubilee Orpington chicks.

In the spring, my hen abandoned 8 eggs to care for the one hatched chick. I brought those in and hatched them, but I raised them in a brooder. They are Araucas (the real thing -- rumpless, some tufted) and Breda Fowl, and i didn't want to take any chances with them. I have 7 from that hatch that are now about 13 weeks old and much tamer than the broody raised chicks (of course, my granddaughter handled them a lot the week after they were hatched). I was afraid adding 7 chicks to one chick might not fly with the mom. It was a little different adding 1 chick at a time to 7 chicks.

 

[sharol]

The last arrived about 15minutes ago. And that one also went to the other hen so I put the rest of the eggs under the second hen, so as those hatch they should migrate toward the "mommy" hen- I hope-!

My husband says he doesn't understand how chickens survived for thousands of years without my help. We do worry unnecessarily, don't we?