Hatching with a broody

[turkey girl 0964]

Update: all four eggs hatched, two hatched three days ago and two hatched two days ago. Mama hen still just wants to sit with them under her, though, and is not eating and as a result the babies are not eating either. We got them to drink a little by taking mama off the babies and bringing them to the water but she just calls them right back under her. No luck at all getting mama to eat even if we give her meal worms. We did get a couple chicks to eat a couple bites of their chick feed by taking them to the feed and tapping it, but again, mama is not supporting this educational effort. Any thoughts?
We don’t have our heat lamp out there as we would if we hadn’t been using a broody. Could that make any difference?

You don't need a heat lamp if you are using a broody. If it really really cold there then maybe but you should. It probably won't make any difference. Idk why they aren't really eating very much though, sry.

 

[Chicalina]

try feeding some scrambled egg

 

[April0617]

Do broodies go into "lockdown" like when you are using an incubator? My girl has been very reluctant to leave her eggs the whole time she has had them. I have a motion detecting camera on her and she just doesn't leave. Because of this, I've been removing her once a day to make sure she gets a drink/food, poops, and at least stretches her legs and dust bathes once in awhile. We're on day 19 today, I don't want to force her off if I shouldn't...

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

Do broodies go into "lockdown" like when you are using an incubator? My girl has been very reluctant to leave her eggs the whole time she has had them. I have a motion detecting camera on her and she just doesn't leave. Because of this, I've been removing her once a day to make sure she gets a drink/food, poops, and at least stretches her legs and dust bathes once in awhile. We're on day 19 today, I don't want to force her off if I shouldn't...

We are on Day 18 and I have the exact same concern as you! Brahma is really upset about getting off the nest now, and more so each day. When I took her off yesterday she was so upset when she couldn’t get back on in 10 minutes (had to clean out her nest). Someone said that she and the babies are talking to each other at this stage, so it would make sense that mama really doesn’t want to leave now! I guess we might be able to hear the babies making little peep noises if they weren’t under the mama? Are you feeding her little bits of food by hand? I’ve been cooking her an egg each day and she eats about 1/4. I also put a dish of scratch right next to her which I know is not ideal. And some water.

 

[April0617]

We are on Day 18 and I have the exact same concern as you! Brahma is really upset about getting off the nest now, and more so each day. When I took her off yesterday she was so upset when she couldn’t get back on in 10 minutes (had to clean out her nest). Someone said that she and the babies are talking to each other at this stage, so it would make sense that mama really doesn’t want to leave now! I guess we might be able to hear the babies making little peep noises if they weren’t under the mama? Are you feeding her little bits of food by hand? I’ve been cooking her an egg each day and she eats about 1/4. I also put a dish of scratch right next to her which I know is not ideal. And some water.

Maybe I'll scramble an egg for her tomorrow so far she's been eating good and drinking a bunch when I've moved her off, but she has definitely been more vocal with me about not wanting to leave them this week!! I did end up taking her off today, and she did her thing and took a nice long dust bath. I guess I'll just leave her be these last couple days and let her do her thing!

 

[Cryss]

So how did this come out?
I’m on day 19 with a broody. She’s a strange broody. She comes out every day to eat, drink, do her thing, and comes running for snack time. Usually snack time is coordinated with drink time so it’s still once a day. Early in her broodiness she would leave more often. She even continued to lay eggs so I had to keep an eye on it and collect new eggs. Her last egg was 10 days ago unless she laid one yesterday cuz I haven’t looked yet. This odd activity made me think she wasn’t broody so I removed her first “attempt” only to realize all 9 were developing (3 days worth, nothing really gross). She sits flat as a pancake yet seems so casual about it, not zombified like my usual broody. It makes me anxious about this clutch. She lets me pet her as she sits, doesn’t growl but makes a short sound that isn’t a happy sound. 2 days to go before I breathe again.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

So how did this come out?
I’m on day 19 with a broody. She’s a strange broody. She comes out every day to eat, drink, do her thing, and comes running for snack time. Usually snack time is coordinated with drink time so it’s still once a day. Early in her broodiness she would leave more often. She even continued to lay eggs so I had to keep an eye on it and collect new eggs. Her last egg was 10 days ago unless she laid one yesterday cuz I haven’t looked yet. This odd activity made me think she wasn’t broody so I removed her first “attempt” only to realize all 9 were developing (3 days worth, nothing really gross). She sits flat as a pancake yet seems so casual about it, not zombified like my usual broody. It makes me anxious about this clutch. She lets me pet her as she sits, doesn’t growl but makes a short sound that isn’t a happy sound. 2 days to go before I breathe again.

Sounds to me like she really trusts you and is comfortable with your presence. Not all of my broodys go all out zombified. Some will even stick their heads out of their nest boxes as i approach, looking to see if i am bringing their special "mama treats." (Scrambled eggs). Soon as i drop the "scrambled" in a bowl nearby, they come come carefully but quickly off their eggs and out of their nestboxes. Her continuing to lay eggs well into the incubation period is i agree very strange.

Many say broody-hatched eggs often begin pipping and hatching on day 20. I have definitely found that to be true. So hopefully you only have One more day to hold your breath. Hoping all goes perfect and well.

 

[Imammusa]

So how did this come out?
I’m on day 19 with a broody. She’s a strange broody. She comes out every day to eat, drink, do her thing, and comes running for snack time. Usually snack time is coordinated with drink time so it’s still once a day. Early in her broodiness she would leave more often. She even continued to lay eggs so I had to keep an eye on it and collect new eggs. Her last egg was 10 days ago unless she laid one yesterday cuz I haven’t looked yet. This odd activity made me think she wasn’t broody so I removed her first “attempt” only to realize all 9 were developing (3 days worth, nothing really gross). She sits flat as a pancake yet seems so casual about it, not zombified like my usual broody. It makes me anxious about this clutch. She lets me pet her as she sits, doesn’t growl but makes a short sound that isn’t a happy sound. 2 days to go before I breathe again.

Did the eggs hatch ??

 

[Cryss]

Not yet! Today is day 21 according to my calculations. I could be wrong. If all goes well well I’ll have a chick or 2 by the weekend. Mama has started growling at me.

 

[Arnolds2638]

We are doing this for the first time. The hen is super committed! I bring her treats as she lays there, but then I have to kick her out to get her to get water, eat more. At first, she acts like she can't even stand or move. Then she definitely runs around like a crazy maniac for about 20 min. , but I'd want to do to the same!

having fun teaching my kids about the stages of egg development. It is pretty fascinating! Hopefully she will be a good mom. She's an 8 month old black maran. Her mom is the one who hatched her. We shall see!