First time with a broody and eggs! Hatch with me! I need advice!

[Skywalker9]

We are on day 5, I think. My broody is in the garage and is doing great. I take a look at her and talk to her everytime I go outside. I call it "mothering the mother" lol

We candled the eggs last night and I only saw veins in 2 of them. Some of them might still be okay but I just can't tell.

I'm going to leave her alone now and just see what happens.

How fun is this?! I'm totally excited for her (ok...and me too.)

 

[stonykill]

Day 12 for Black Broody. She is in a shed right next to my workshop, so I always poke my head in to check on her and tell her she is a good mama.

 

[melloladies]

Totally fun! Totally exciting!! (for you, me, momma chickens...)

I also tell Gesine all the time she's such a good momma. I give her a little pet and she yells at me, and tell me to let her do the good work and leave her alone. And I say "you're SUCH a good momma!"

 

[nhc]

Hi. So glad to find this thread. I have a silkie sitting on 4 fertilized (we hope - did not candle) Ameracauna eggs and it is day 18. This is our first attempt at this too. When I got day old chicks I used paper towels on top of the pine chips for several days so that they wouldn't get splay leg. Do I need to do the same for these? They are in a separate small coop with wood chips on the floor. And if so, I guess I should put the paper towels down at night? I am trying not to get too excited in case there are no chicks in those eggs (got them from a local person who is also pretty new to this).

 

[melloladies]

Quote:
Welcome!! I don't know how you could stand not candleing through day 18!! Today was Gesine's day 5, and I had to peek for the first time

I have no idea what I'm doing- but I think I saw "air cells" in two of her eggs, and a vibrant red ring and a black spot in the center of the third egg!

Big day! Got our first egg from our 10 month old silkie pullet (FINALLY!!!!) so now all five of my girls are paying rent

Also had our first dinner made with all our garden veg. Summer squashes, tomatoes, herbs, green beans. YUM! so good!

 

[ItsAZOO32]

Quote:
Welcome!! I don't know how you could stand not candleing through day 18!! Today was Gesine's day 5, and I had to peek for the first time

I have no idea what I'm doing- but I think I saw "air cells" in two of her eggs, and a vibrant red ring and a black spot in the center of the third egg!

Big day! Got our first egg from our 10 month old silkie pullet (FINALLY!!!!) so now all five of my girls are paying rent

Also had our first dinner made with all our garden veg. Summer squashes, tomatoes, herbs, green beans. YUM! so good!

I am so happy for you!! See how it can totally be addicting?!

 

[stonykill]

a 2nd Sumatra "mama" didn't go to bed tonight, and stayed in the front porch in a nest. Another broody. If she is still on the nest tomorrow, I'll give her more eggs and remove the golfballs. I'm pretty excited. AND the incubator gets locked down tomorrow with 29 eggs in it. And the majority are Sumatra. Babies, babies, babies!

 

[melloladies]

I just cannot be a hatch addict.

I'm so very excited to go through this process- but this only happening because NEED (yes, that's right, need) a silkie, and one more LF bird to supplement my laying flock.
I can't see myself hatching just to hatch. If Gesine proves to be a good momma, I may "rent" her broody butt out

Stoneykill- what will you do with all of them?!?!

 

[TeamChaos]

I was confused and unsure about how the brooding thing worked... in fact, I still am... but we've got a total of 5 broody hens and 16 babies that have hatched and more that look like they're about to. I separated two ladies to put in a newly built broody house, one quit her nest and went back to her old spot in the coop, thank goodness another hen decided she would set on the eggs in the new broody condo so I let her. One of the broodies in the coop has four babies with her and she moved them out of the nest box and on to the floor- man, those little things can JUMP. They are all over my angular and dangerous (to my untrained, non-mother hen eye) coop with no problem. The mama watches them, helps them out if they get scared or stuck and calls them all to hide under her if another chicken get too interested in what's going on in the corner. I am blown away!

 

[stonykill]

Quote:
The broody hatches I'll keep. The incubator due to lockdown tonight, most of them are pre sold....or I should say spoken for.

I've got 28 chickens and 14- 3 week olds, whats a few more?