Fall brooding? Story and questions

[GitaBooks]

I think you all jinxed me. After commenting on this I had three hens go broody!!! Yeah, they're crazy these ones.

 

[SueT]

You can if you wish, I don't think it will bother her, but it's probably not necessary. I probably would, more to make sure the chicks had firm footing so they don't slip on the slick cardboard. What's under the cardboard? Not sure why it is in there to start with.

It's a plastic milk crate so I lined it w cardboard, and a bunch of hay. Over the summer, the hay got kicked out, and what was left got compressed and pushed to the sides so the center is bare. At least she picked a nest on the floor. Two of the others are attached to the wall over a foot high.
What nest arrangements are best for brooding? I've never let a hen brood eggs before and really appreciate all the info given in this and other threads.

 

[The Golden Egg5]

4/5 eggs are developing on day 7! I'm super excited. This is my first time hatching and they are developing quite nicely. The veins look sooooo cool!

 

[ramboas93]

Like mentioned before. From my experience once one go broody more seem to follow. Also i know if I miss a day of collecting and bunch of them all lay in one nest this tends to increase the chances as well.

 

[SueT]

Do the chicks start peeping when they begin to hatch? Would we be able to hear them from under the hen?

 

[CelticArche]

I've never heard them peeping in the 3 years I helped my uncle on his bird farm. However, this past spring, when the new bird owners were letting the hens hatch their own eggs, you could sometimes tell chicks had hatched because you'd go to check on them in their pen and you could hear peeping after the chicks were dry. I was never able to hear them while hatching, or if they were under their mom. I don't know if that's because I'm hard of hearing, or if it's just the way it is.

 

[SueT]

Tomorrow, Friday, should be my broody's hatch day. However the day I brought the 3 eggs, I didn't get them to her until after 2 pm. So perhaps it will be overnight? I tried, on day 16, to candle the eggs with a little led flashlight. I have no experience in candling. But no light shown thru at all. So I reached into one of the other nests and got an infertile egg and tried that, and could easily see the light thru the entire inside of the egg. I assume that means at these fertile eggs have been developing.
If for some reason, these eggs were not to hatch a local feed store is having their last chick days event Sat until noon. The chicks are from a local hatchery, and today is their hatch day. They would be at least 1 day older than ours, maybe 2. The hatchery (Heartland) says this is their last hatch of the year. I am thinking of just going over there and getting 2 Sebright chicks just in case, because I don't want to do another broody busting if our eggs don't hatch. I'd add them to her chicks after they hatch....how does that sound?

 

[Ridgerunner]

At day 16 all you should be able to see when candling like that is a solid blob at the bottom and the air cell at the top. What you saw sounds good.

Don't count in the 21 day thing being exactly 21 days. Even under a broody hen it's pretty normal for the eggs to be a day or even two early or late. Sometimes the hatch is over within 24 hours of the first one hatching, sometimes it drags on for over two full 24 hour days. Consider the 21 days a general guideline, not an absolute fact.

When you give chicks to a broody like that you are taking a chance. She might accept them or she might not. They might or might not imprint in her. I think it's worth a try but you may wind up having to brood them yourself. The problem is if your eggs are really late those chicks may need to eat or drink before the ones that are hatching even hatch. Hens and chicks tend to imprint on each other in the first few days. You are taking a chance but I think it's worth it.

 

[SueT]

At day 16 all you should be able to see when candling like that is a solid blob at the bottom and the air cell at the top. What you saw sounds good.

Don't count in the 21 day thing being exactly 21 days. Even under a broody hen it's pretty normal for the eggs to be a day or even two early or late. Sometimes the hatch is over within 24 hours of the first one hatching, sometimes it drags on for over two full 24 hour days. Consider the 21 days a general guideline, not an absolute fact.

When you give chicks to a broody like that you are taking a chance. She might accept them or she might not. They might or might not imprint in her. I think it's worth a try but you may wind up having to brood them yourself. The problem is if your eggs are really late those chicks may need to eat or drink before the ones that are hatching even hatch. Hens and chicks tend to imprint on each other in the first few days. You are taking a chance but I think it's worth it.

Thank you so much, for your advice! Well by or on Sat. morning, I'll decide....if I can hear or see any evidence of chicks, I won't get more.
Thanks again...hopefully I'll have good news to post here soon.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

I'm getting a dozen or so fertile eggs to pop under my emo chick, Xena, on Saturday. I'm going to move her to a different area to brood the eggs though.