My broody hens efforts werent in vein

[_sonshine_]

I found my broody hen off her nest after sitting for 16 days I knew something was wrong w/ her so I put her in her cage w/ food and water but she died the next day. I could tell the other hens had been through her nest b/c eggs were every where and stone cold. I candled her 11 eggs and only 7 looked to be the same age so I put them in the bator and they were supposed to hatch on Tues. so I waited and waited and really was about to give up and 4 of the 7 have hatched this morning!! I really wanted at least 1 b/c I felt she gave her life for her babies! Just wanted to share

 

[The Wolf Queen]

 

[LauraSBale]

oh I'm so sorry about your broody,

I always worry about my broodys, when there on eggs, that they dont eat and drink, so i have little feeders and waters that i put in their nest.

glad to hear you got some baby's

 

[SallyF]

Quote:
Congratulations! That must really make you feel better to know that you saved some of the babies; thank goodness you had an incubator backup to put them in. Great story.

 

[Jen4]

Awww poor momma

thats nice some of the eggs hatched!

 

[_sonshine_]

yes it was sad that she died....this was my first broody and I didnt think she would starve herself to death so I never messed w/ her.....but now I know.

This is the best pic that I could get

 

[Happy Chooks]

Congrats on the babies!



I'm so sorry about your broody.

 

[Country Heart]

So glad you were able to save the chicks

Sorry for the loss of your momma hen - hopefully your sharing with help future mamma hens.

 

[PeeperKeeper]

So sweet! What kind of hen was she? Are these chicks biologically hers?

 

[rhoda_bruce]

You know...somebody might jump on me for this, but I really don't think it was from starvation. I can't say what it was and you won't find out for sure anyway, but I never lost a hen to starvation. When I would show up with feed and they felt like it was time to eat they would leave the nest a while and eat and promptly return to the nest and they would also leave to poop. I only lost one hen.....Selvia, that was brooding and it was to a preditor. They won't eat as much as normal.....true, but STARVE? I even used a hen to hatch out 3 separate clutches of eggs on one brood years ago and she survived, and I had so many ducks and chicks it was unreal.