Incubation period using a broody hen

[HattieScratchy]

Can someone educate me a little on this? I had a Broody hen hatch our first eggs ever so I'm still learning how it all works really. I'm a "learn as you go" type. 3 babies hatched yesterday which was day 21 for 2 of the eggs, but was only day 18 for one of the babies. They are all equally developed and seem healthy and the later egg was actually the first one to hatch (I had it marked purposely).

Can development speed up when under a Broody hen? Is one chick actually a preemie and could die? Today is just day 1 and I'm really trying not to mess with them too much so I haven't actually taken them all out for longer than a second to snap a quick pic. I don't want momma to get irritated with me and abandon them. (Btw she's the sweetest and such a trooper, never once pecked at me and would even lift her chest for me).

Sorry, I'm rambling now...

 

[ChickenGirl555]

This isn't probably what you wanted to hear, but I was thinking of doing the exact same thing (in the spring) with my pullets, since they will start laying in February. Is it easy? Some tips? You seem like the right person to ask.

 

[HattieScratchy]

This isn't probably what you wanted to hear, but I was thinking of doing the exact same thing (in the spring) with my pullets, since they will start laying in February. Is it easy? Some tips? You seem like the right person to ask.

haha easiest thing I've ever done!! Because I didn't do I thing. Only thing I did was candle the eggs a few times to check development and make sure momma had fresh water and food when she got up to stretch once a day. And then I checked for piping on day 20 and woke up to 3 chicks in day 21.. now I'm supplying fresh water and food to the nesting box for her. There's sand on the coop floor so I don't have to provide grit for her.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

haha easiest thing I've ever done!! Because I didn't do I thing. Only thing I did was candle the eggs a few times to check development and make sure momma had fresh water and food when she got up to stretch once a day. And then I checked for piping on day 20 and woke up to 3 chicks in day 21.. now I'm supplying fresh water and food to the nesting box for her. There's sand on the coop floor so I don't have to provide grit for her.

And the mother is protecting and keeping the chicks warm? Right?

 

[HattieScratchy]

And the mother is protecting and keeping the chicks warm? Right?

Yep! It's been 34° here but its nice and toasty under momma!

 

[ChickenGirl555]

Yep! It's been 34° here but its nice and toasty under momma!

Good! What I'm doing is buying fertilized polish eggs, and sliding them under one of my broody hens in the spring (whoever goes broody first) She will stay with the flock but I'm going to mark the fertilized and ceramic eggs (Using ceramic to replace eating eggs she lays so she thinks she has enough eggs to hatch) with a marker/sharpie and I'll get rid of the edible eggs that any of my other hens lay in her nest. I'll do this in spring so the eggs have a better chance of surviving.

 

[HattieScratchy]

Good! What I'm doing is buying fertilized polish eggs, and sliding them under one of my broody hens in the spring (whoever goes broody first) She will stay with the flock but I'm going to mark the fertilized and ceramic eggs (Using ceramic to replace eating eggs she lays so she thinks she has enough eggs to hatch) with a marker/sharpie and I'll get rid of the edible eggs that any of my other hens lay in her nest. I'll do this in spring so the eggs have a better chance of surviving.

No need for ceramic eggs.. she won't care about the # of eggs under her.. even if there aren't eggs she'll still sit on the nest. Mark them with horizontal circle using a pencil.. easiest way to quickly identify them even after she rotates them.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

No need for ceramic eggs.. she won't care about the # of eggs under her.. even if there aren't eggs she'll still sit on the nest. Mark them with horizontal circle using a pencil.. easiest way to quickly identify them even after she rotates them.

So if I take the extra eggs away she will still raise the two?

 

[HattieScratchy]

So if I take the extra eggs away she will still raise the two?

Yep!