First broody's eggs due to hatch this week!

[tiffanya]

My first broody has been sitting on eggs (2 chicken, 1 duck) 21 days this Tues/Wed. As its my first time with a broody hatching eggs and I'm pretty excited! I had no luck moving her so currently am planning to block off her nesting box when they begin to hatch, then try moving her again after. We'll see how it goes!

 

[7&8]

Hey, a hatching buddy!

It's my first broody hatch, too. #7 is on six bantam Barred Rock eggs. Last I candled, on day 10, all looked good, except for a day five or so quitter, which I removed. Like yours, mine is in a nest box off of the ground. Like yours, mine refused to be moved. So, I'm in the same boat. I'm going to wait for the first pip, then put up some deer netting to cover the front of the nest box. When the hatch is complete, I'll move the hen & chicks to a cozy, hidey spot under the nest box on the floor.

I just posted her picture in another thread where I'm asking about humidity & natural hatching.

21 days on Tuesday/Wednesday - woo-hoo!

 

[Jasmine1998]

Another hatching buddy! Mine are due to hatch Thursday/Friday. My BO is sitting on 8 eggs. The rooster is a dark brahma & then hens are wither BO, GLW or BR.

 

[Crabella]

My 1st broody started hatching today, day 20. The 2nd should start Friday/Saturday, unless they only go 20 days too. Nice to have someone pacing along with me.

 

[tiffanya]

Got home today and checked all the eggs (have had to daily to remove new ones). One has a small crack. Its day 20. Is this normal? I propped up a 4x4 in front of the box so chicks can't escape if they tried, but will still move her and chicks once they hatch, God willing. On a side note, my duck went broody about a week ago. Was sitting on 4 eggs, two broke, and she shoved one out of the nest today. Down to one now.

 

[brahmamamamak]

I have a broody Cochin on 10 eggs, my first time hers as well. We are on day 19. I checked eggs this afternoon while she was off the nest for food and water.....no signs of anything happening yet here.

 

[7&8]

#7"s hatch is underway! How floppy can a Leghorn's comb get?

One chick hatched this afternoon! I decided to move the hen & brood down out of the nest box tonight so we could all get on with life. I moved her and the hatched chick down, then the other five eggs, all of which were peeping madly. The hen settled down on her brood - for a long night of it!

Here's me being a pain in the neck:

I made a couple of movable "walls" to section off a space under the nest boxes for the new hatch. It ain't perfect, but will do as a brooder space for the rest of the week until I have time to ponder it further this weekend. Usually, the chickens show me what works best for them. I just have to pay attention!

Ok, so that's my news on the mid-June old fashioned broody hatch! How's everyone else doing? Peeps? Pips?

 

[Crabella]

I have 3 peeps and another pipped out of six eggs. Another six due Friday/Saturday... No photos yet...

 

[tiffanya]

Without reaching under the hen, what are some of the signs she will give that the chicks are hatching? My BO is sitting a bit more upright today and seems to be moving around a bit more.

 

[7&8]

Tiffanya, I didn't see signs of an impending hatch, I heard them. In the quiet, it was easy to hear the chicks pipping their shells open. And, there were extra voices coming from the nest - a whole lot of cheeping going on!

All six chicks hatched out over the course of last night and today. They all look good. This is the hen's first brood, and she's doing a great job. Pictures soon...

I love listening to the hen talk to the chicks, especially the "food's here" song she sings.

I'll start offering the brood a hard boiled egg yolk tomorrow morning. The hen might be the only one who eats tomorrow, but she can certainly use the protein. I'm still feeding the two week old chicks a whole, mashed up hard boiled egg every morning, along with their chick starter, of course. The two week old rascals have been spending most of the day out (even rainy, cool today), and eating plenty of worms, clover, etc., too.

Crabella, hope your staggered hatch continues to go well! Has the duckling hatched?