Broody Hen Thread!

[Alex1010]

I'm on day 8, should be candling in 2 days!

 

[kanonga]

How did you decide they were all fertile if you DID NOT see veins or embryo's? Were there fully developed chicks in them? If so why would you question if they were duds??

I Can see the "spot" where an embryo is starting. But that's all I can make out in the eggs. I have 6 roosters with my flock, and before she went broody, I saw her mate daily. So I'm not worried about them being fertile.
But I'm just worried because shouldn't they be developed more by now? It's pushing 3 weeks now.

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

I have all ways wanted a hen to go broody so in the spring I am going to try and get a hen to hatch a few eggs

 

[fisherlady]

I Can see the "spot" where an embryo is starting. But that's all I can make out in the eggs. I have 6 roosters with my flock, and before she went broody, I saw her mate daily. So I'm not worried about them being fertile.
But I'm just worried because shouldn't they be developed more by now? It's pushing 3 weeks now.

Yes, they would be nearly filling the egg if they were near 3 week developing. Do a search for the egg development chart on here. Either your estimated dates are wrong, your candling is wrong or the eggs weren't viable and all quit. They may not be her eggs, broody hens can gather eggs from any nest box to add to their clutch.

I have all ways wanted a hen to go broody so in the spring I am going to try and get a hen to hatch a few eggs

Spend the time between now and then reading up on the threads about broodies to get an idea of what to expect and how to prepare to allow best chances for a good hatch in your set up. Go back to last April or so on this thread and the 'old fashioned broody hen' thread, that would give you a good bit of research.

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

I have watched a bunch of YouTube videos about them but I can read them and see if there are some better ideas

 

[laurianne]

Quote:
How long do you leave them with the broody mama? Until they're a couple months old and feathered out?

 

[PD-Riverman]

I Can see the "spot" where an embryo is starting. But that's all I can make out in the eggs. I have 6 roosters with my flock, and before she went broody, I saw her mate daily. So I'm not worried about them being fertile.
But I'm just worried because shouldn't they be developed more by now? It's pushing 3 weeks now.

Its possible that she just started setting-----if you feel she has been setting for 2+ weeks(being she has been gone)---her eggs might not be fertile or something happen right after she started setting(like they frooze, stayed off them to long etc)-----let her set and recheck in a week to see if their is any change.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have all ways wanted a hen to go broody so in the spring I am going to try and get a hen to hatch a few eggs

If you get hens that WILL go broody that helps alot. I had over 60 broodies in a year---most were Game hens--a few yellow buff orp, a couple black australorp.

 

[fisherlady]

Quote:
The broody decides how long she wants to stay with them, some are 5 weeks, some may be 10weeks, depends on the hen and time of year. I prefer my hens brood within the flock after the first few days, this allows the hen to do integration and the chicks learn their place in the flock from early on.

 

[kanonga]

Its possible that she just started setting-----if you feel she has been setting for 2+ weeks(being she has been gone)---her eggs might not be fertile or something happen right after she started setting(like they frooze, stayed off them to long etc)-----let her set and recheck in a week to see if their is any change.

For the last 3 hours, there has been a barred rock sitting on my austrolorps nest. The barred rock screams at me when I get close to her- but my Austrolorp is still in this coupe with her... I don't know what's even going on with them anymore!!!! Gahhhhh!!!!'