May 2023 Hatch-a-long

[junior67]

I thought I was only going to be in the March thread. Then I ended up in the April one and now here, too! I have no idea how this is going to go but I have 7 eggs under my first ever broody hen.

Here is Moonsparkle. Her eggs are on day 3 so due to hatch around the 4th of May.

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We are hatching buddies!!!!

 

[Canadian Wind]

Hopefully you have an amazing hatch rate!!!!

With all my bad luck lately, I'm done keeping fingers crossed.

 

[junior67]

With all my bad luck lately, I'm done keeping fingers crossed.

I had nothing but bad luck last year, with shipped and my own. Then found a great seller and my luck turned around. So I will keep my fingers crossed that your luck has turned around.

 

[Canadian Wind]

 

[Dinoroar]

Candled my OEGB eggs, even though it was only day three, and some were showing development. OEGB are notoriously bad for fertility/hatching though. 50% is the usual expected hatch rate.

Same with my line of seramas… although I know there are some where that’s not the case.

 

[Kwoka]

So, everyone says that using a broody hen is less trouble than an incubator, but I disagree, at least with my girl Mozzarella. I have to make sure she gets up off the nest a few times a day to eat and drink, because she’s very determined to sit. Maybe it’s overkill, and she’s going out by herself when not watching, but you know…I’m kind of a worrier lol. At least I’m not candling every other night like with the incubator

 

[Waterfaery]

So, everyone says that using a broody hen is less trouble than an incubator, but I disagree, at least with my girl Mozzarella. I have to make sure she gets up off the nest a few times a day to eat and drink, because she’s very determined to sit. Maybe it’s overkill, and she’s going out by herself when not watching, but you know…I’m kind of a worrier lol. At least I’m not candling every other night like with the incubator

There's definitely a different element of worry that comes with having to give up some of the control. I find it hard not knowing how things are going with my broody. I keep reminding myself that she's the expert and I need to trust her.

I just found an eaten egg in the nest box. I don't know if she ate it or if it was one of the other hens. I'm waiting for her to get up so I can go and check if it was one of her marked eggs or one that was laid today. I'm worried that there's a bit of stress and scuffling going on in the nest box because she's sitting in the favourite spot and she's not very dominant in the pecking order. Maybe an egg got cracked so someone decided to try it. They haven't been egg eaters before so I hope it doesn't become a habit.

 

[Kwoka]

There's definitely a different element of worry that comes with having to give up some of the control. I find it hard not knowing how things are going with my broody. I keep reminding myself that she's the expert and I need to trust her.

I just found an eaten egg in the nest box. I don't know if she ate it or if it was one of the other hens. I'm waiting for her to get up so I can go and check if it was one of her marked eggs or one that was laid today. I'm worried that there's a bit of stress and scuffling going on in the nest box because she's sitting in the favourite spot and she's not very dominant in the pecking order. Maybe an egg got cracked so someone decided to try it. They haven't been egg eaters before so I hope it doesn't become a habit.

My girl was perhaps mid-level pecking order, very chill bird, but since she’s gone broody she’s become a fighter and stands up for herself, and defends her nest like crazy. She hasn’t pecked me yet, at least. She is normally a very sweet bird that likes to be held.

I hope your girls don’t become egg eaters! mine definitely eat any soft-shelled eggs that get laid. I’ve found girls with yolk on their faces and empty egg “skins” around the coop ( lol idk what to call those) but so far no regular eggs have been eaten.

 

[Waterfaery]

My girl was perhaps mid-level pecking order, very chill bird, but since she’s gone broody she’s become a fighter and stands up for herself, and defends her nest like crazy. She hasn’t pecked me yet, at least. She is normally a very sweet bird that likes to be held.

I hope your girls don’t become egg eaters! mine definitely eat any soft-shelled eggs that get laid. I’ve found girls with yolk on their faces and empty egg “skins” around the coop ( lol idk what to call those) but so far no regular eggs have been eaten.

That's great that Mozzarella is standing up for herself! I've seen Moonsparkle try but the Australorps are so much bigger than her and she doesn't get very far. It's quite funny seeing them puff themselves up though, isn't it?! She's like a different hen, trying to act all feisty! She's still nice to us though.

Do you pick Mozzarella up to force her out for breaks? Or do you have a way of encouraging her? Thankfully I haven't had to deal with anything like that because Moonsparkle has been coming down once or twice a day for about 10 - 15 minutes. I wouldn't fancy having to lift her out what with the growling she gives when I peep in at her!

Yes, I really hope they don't become egg eaters. What a disaster that would be! I wonder if an egg got accidentally broken would a broody hen naturally eat it to prevent it going bad in the nest and contaminating her other eggs?

 

[Dinoroar]

Lucky me someone brought these beautiful marans eggs! They’re in the incubator and should hatch on May 8th!