I have had eight broody hens over the last few weeks. I usually let them sit on a couple of eggs, unless I have something in the incubator that I want them to hatch.
In my partridge Brahma pen
Hen #1 hatched one of her two eggs about 10 days ago. The other one was not fertile. She and chick are doing fine.
Hen #2 squashed a newly hatching chick. Two more eggs under her were not good, so I have been trying to break her by placing her off the nest every day and changing hay, etc.
Hen #3's two eggs are due to hatch this weekend.
Hen #4 had one egg and broke it.
Hen #5 hatched her one egg day before yesterday.
Just now I went outside to give everyone their daily treat. Hen #5 came running with the rest - no baby! I prepare for the worst and start looking. Lo and behold, baby is now under hen #2, who is clucking like such a proud mama!
In other coops,
Hen #6 (Jersey Giant) has two eggs due to hatch any day
Hen #7 (Black Copper Marans) won't let me near, so there's no telling what she has!
Hen #8 - another funny one. She is our first ever chicken, a banty, and she lays in a flower pot on a shelf in front of our storage shed! She's sitting on 9 eggs and has raised many of my Brahmas over the last four years!
In my partridge Brahma pen
Hen #1 hatched one of her two eggs about 10 days ago. The other one was not fertile. She and chick are doing fine.
Hen #2 squashed a newly hatching chick. Two more eggs under her were not good, so I have been trying to break her by placing her off the nest every day and changing hay, etc.
Hen #3's two eggs are due to hatch this weekend.
Hen #4 had one egg and broke it.
Hen #5 hatched her one egg day before yesterday.
Just now I went outside to give everyone their daily treat. Hen #5 came running with the rest - no baby! I prepare for the worst and start looking. Lo and behold, baby is now under hen #2, who is clucking like such a proud mama!
In other coops,
Hen #6 (Jersey Giant) has two eggs due to hatch any day
Hen #7 (Black Copper Marans) won't let me near, so there's no telling what she has!
Hen #8 - another funny one. She is our first ever chicken, a banty, and she lays in a flower pot on a shelf in front of our storage shed! She's sitting on 9 eggs and has raised many of my Brahmas over the last four years!
