First-time broody, first-time broody owner

[ColtHandorf]

Congratulations!

 

[lilmillefleur]

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Congratulations to you and momma. She's worked so hard for this!

LofMc

 

[chickengoggles]

This post was confusing, sorry - I've edited it for clarity. We won't know how many chicks hatched until mama leaves the nest box with them, correct?

I don't plan on looking under her, because I want all of the chicks who are going to hatch to have a chance. This day (20) and tomorrow (21) are supposed to be VERY hands off, right?

I saw a post on a Facebook chicken group about a hen who is eating chicks as they hatch (!) and another poster told her to separate them immediately. That makes sense, but I wonder how the OP even knows - I have no idea what's going on under our hen in her (litter box with hood) nest box. My gut tells me (after seeing the one little chick peer out) that mama is doing her job.

I'm sorry - this is nerve wracking!

 

[birdlover2]

Congradulations!

 

[chickengoggles]

Baby 1! I offered mama a drink (she drank like she'd never had water, same with eating) and while she was eating, a baby joined right in! So bold! Jumped up on my hand!

Another one came out from under her wing, also dark and fluffy, with a smaller white spot - didn't get a photo. Lots more peeping underneath.

 

[chickengoggles]

For the curious:

Papa is a CCLB/EE (Cochin? He has feathered legs)

Broody mama is Appenzeller Spitzhauben/Cochin - one egg is hers

Other 6 eggs from:
Dominique
Silver Ameracauna
Speckled Sussex
Gold laced Orpington
Olive Egger (also CCLB cross)
EE

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Hens eating chicks is NOT the norm. Often aberrant behavior is caused by human interference making the hen nervous.

Your hen sounds fine. Usually the hen will get up in a day or so to lead the little brood to a clean new location. Any unhatched eggs are abandoned.

After 2 days from the first chick hatch, if the hen has not moved, then you may need to remove the unhatched eggs to kick mom into caretaking to the hatched babies rather than brooding eggs. But most moms give up the nest after 2 days from first chick.

Until then less interference is usually best unless you see tragedy brewing. Otherwise mom's protective instincts can be triggered into panic where she attacks chicks.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Pretty- i gave 2 broody hens, 8 eggs, I lost one from a hen crush-eating. now have 7. hens are blue wyandotte. eggs are 4 brown, 2 blue eggs and one white- part spizenhauben. day 5?

 

[rwilliams296]

We have at least one chick! I poked my head in this morning to offer her a drink and a bite on the nest and a little dark head poked out from under mama's breast! I skedaddled! From the peeping I overheard from outside the stall, I'm going to guess more than one.

I have a 2 year old Dominique hen incubating 7 eggs right now. I expect them to start hatching any day now! This will be her 3rd clutch. Like my first child, I babied her too much (with her 1st clutch). I have learned to pretty much leave her alone. I have given her a little bit of cantaloupe because she loves it and it satisfies her hunger and thirst. In the past 3 weeks she has left her nest maybe 3 times....mainly to poop and drink water and dust and clean herself. As of today, I don't expect her to leave the nest again until she knows her chicks are ready to follow. Nothing more precious than a clutch of new baby chicks! Congrats!