First time hatching eggs with broody hen

[Old English GB]

OOPS...forgot to check your location

If mom & baby have adequate shelter & temps are mild there's no reason why they can't be outside all the time. Momma knows how to keep baby warm, that's what she was made for. As long as your cage/coop has a place for momma to take baby out of the weather & cold when needed they can go out now. A bigger concern would be any other birds you have. If momma is high enuf on the pecking order she should be fine, but if she is low bird the others may pick on her & baby if they go back together too soon.

 

[Min27]

Thanks. The baby is 3 days old now. The mother hen and the baby are separated from the others in their own cage. The other chickens are free range and walk around the cage to look at the baby, but they can't get in. We set up the cage for the baby so wild birds couldn't get it.

I've moved their sheltered nesting box in there now (which is a small wooden dog kennel, but it fits the chickens perfectly). It's been sunny and hot for the last few days, but over here it rains HARD after a lot of sunny days without rain (with hail on the rare occasion), and I didn't want the baby to be caught out in that.

 

[Min27]

Sorry I lost track of time. The chick is actually a week old now. I thought it was getting a bit bigger.

I moved their cage today so they're off the licey patch. Hopefully that helps.

(Sorry about the double post. If it's not allowed then I'll use the edit button from now on)

 

[roostersandhens]

i HAVE A BROODY HEN THIS IS MY FIRST EVER FLOCK OF CHICKENS HELP!!!!!!!!!!!! my broody hen has 14 eggs in her nest she sat on them for 21 hours strait no breaks. but then she left them for 12. and now she has been sitting on them for days. do you think the eggs will still hatch. i am sure the hen knows what she is doing but still what do u think!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE REPLY AS SOON AS U CAN! thanks

 

[sumi]

Chick embryos can survive in colder temperatures for up to 18 hours, which allows the broody hens to get up and take lengthy breaks from the nest if she feels like it. I've had hens stay off their nests for hours at a time and the chicks hatched out fine when the time came. What you can do if you want to be sure is candle the eggs and see if they are moving/developing in there. Here's some candling pics to show you what they should look like:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...g-candling-pics-progression-though-incubation

 

[Min27]

The eggs need to be sat on for at least 3 weeks, so don't expect any hatching after only a few days. It's okay for the chicken to get up and take breaks to get food and water, but try to keep her nest free of lice and mites (if she's really broody she'll sit on the nest even after it's been dusted) because she'll be sitting there for a long time in the dark where parasites will be able to feed on her.

My one hatched chick is going really well. It's about 14 weeks old now and is fitting into the flock (at the bottom of the peck order though). I'm thankful it's a girl so we can keep it. The mother hen has gone out of "motherhood mode" however and is trying to wean the chick away from her, not much luck with that.

 

[friends4Marley]

I really enjoyed reading this thread-glad that Lucky made it!!

 

[Min27]

Thanks. She's fully grown now. Her integration into the flock went pretty smoothly. I have some pictures left over if people want to see.

A week after she hatched (under the big chicken of course):




Now:



And a video!