My first broody hen and I think I want to give her some eggs to hatch - is my plan OK?

[Chad Oftedal]

Did you scope out any live chicks? Just in case nothing hatched, but that is a worse case scenario.

I have, I checked some of the bigger hatcheries as well as local. I didn't see from the major ones, availabilities with the breeds I'd order matching up to my expected dates here. They seemed to be either too early or late by a week or so. I do have, though, the local place I bought the fertilized eggs from as a possible option. They have a number of hatches each week, so I'm checking with them today. Last time I called them, they said to check back when it was closer. Since today is day 20, I figure we're close.

I checked on my hen via the camera last night about midnight or so, and she was standing up in the nest box. I could see the eggs, but no activity or anything like that. One egg was pushed away to the side. When I checked on her later on the camera, she was sitting back down, but the one egg was still off to the side. This morning when I went out and fed the flock and checked in on her, she was still sitting down, and all eggs were again underneath her (I didn't get her up or anything, just from visual observation). In reading on here, I saw a post where it said that she was likely standing to help cool the eggs off a bit since she knows if it's getting too warm. At the time, the temp said 82 in the coop, so since she's on the floor of the coop and not up high where the SensorPush monitor is located, I figure she's probably a degree cooler or so.

Edit: The high in the coop for the day was 82. When I saw her standing, it was down to 77. I just wanted to update the info for future readers and accuracy of this thread.

Anyway, it sure made sense with the temp we had yesterday that is what she could have been doing. Today is the last of our warmer than normal temps, so she'll get a bit of break starting tomorrow.

 

[aart]

Have you candled at all?

 

[Auntiejessi3]

 

[Chad Oftedal]

Have you candled at all?

No, I have not. I really debated about that, and maybe I should have. I guess just jitters about my first go at it here and with my lack of experience, wanted to err on the side of doing less and more to nature. That said, I think my next try at hatching eggs will likely be an incubator (since I don’t seem to get broody hens) and I’ll probably be more game to give that a try throughout the cycle. I’m definitely not opposed to it here because I understand I might need to if we get some eggs hatched and some not - to verify the ‘nots’ as duds. Of the 10 eggs, 4 are dark brown which seems from reading here can be difficult to tell when candling, even for those that are experienced. That probably swayed me the most in holding off.

 

[Chad Oftedal]

@aart I just ordered a candler now - it'll be here tomorrow morning. At $25 for a cordless one, pretty inexpensive tool all things considered. Seems like a good thing to have on hand for myself and if I ever need to help friends out.

 

[Chad Oftedal]

Hot off the presses! We have a chick!! My son came running to me in the shop with his phone and said, "Look at this! Look at this!". We watched the video stream together and there is definitely a chick in there. It is all fluffed out and was moving around her and then climbed back in and buried itself into her feathers. My son said he could hear cheeping over the camera stream and so then he zoomed in and looked closer, then came running out to me. It's still really dark under there, but the chick looks to be mostly black, so I'm guessing it's one of the Olive egger eggs vs the Crested Cream Legbar. But, that's only guessing from a grainy, dark video feed.

 

[Mrs. K]

OH The MOST EXCITING TIME!!! What fun. So happy for you.

 

[Chad Oftedal]

OK, we're now Day 22, and here are where things are at:

• Seven chicks have hatched
• She's come off the nest this morning about 7 am or so (that's been at least 48+ hours since we saw our first chick)
• Of the three remaining eggs that I can see, I don't see any activity on the eggs - like in the process of hatching
• Six of the chicks have left the nest with her, one is remaining in the nest box still cheeping. She calls back to it and has gone in and out of the nest box a few times, but the little bugger is still in there.
• The remaining chick in there seems to be in good health. It turns around and repositions and cheeps are strong, eyes are open. It's like it's not getting the message that it's time to come join the rest
• She's settled just outside the nest box on the floor. The other six have been in and out from underneath her. Some have definitely eaten and drank as I watched them. All seems to be on track there.
• Mama hen has eaten the chick starter feed with them as well as stood up and drank from her elevated waterer that only she can reach.

For my questions:

I'm fine with removing the eggs, seems like a good idea now? I don't think she's indicating she's going to go back in there and sit.

The nest box she's been using, it's an actual box I can take out of that space. If I remove the presumably dud eggs and shells, should I take that box out to give maximum space in there? I'm fine with leaving it, but it sounds like that's no longer considered her "nest" anymore that she'll return to.

My biggest concern is the last little chick that hasn't joined up yet. Wanting to be hands-off, but if all is needed is a quick lift to set it in front of her and from then on, things could be fine, happy to do that. She's definitely responding to it - no indication of rejecting it.

 

[bobbi-j]

I would remove the eggs and the box - especially if the last chick can’t seem to find its way out of the box. Congratulations on your hatch!

 

[Chad Oftedal]

I would remove the eggs and the box - especially if the last chick can’t seem to find its way out of the box. Congratulations on your hatch!

Thanks!

So, before your reply, I decided to intervene with the lone chick and reached in and picked it up and set it right next to my hen. Within short order, it was back under her. All seems well as she has moved around the pen area (8' long by 2' wide) sitting down in a couple different places and everyone has gotten back under her just fine.

After your reply, I went ahead and collected everything out of the nest box, and then removed the nest box itself. I sprinkled in some fresh shavings in that area.

Finally, I went and candled the three unhatched eggs. There were no sounds or pips or any indication at all of life. So, in candling, the two unhatched Crested Cream Legbar eggs were definitely clear. No development at all. The last egg, a brown olive egger, definitely developed. Since it's only the third egg I've ever candled, I can't say much other than make a guess based on pictures I'm seeing online. If I had to guess, I'd say it was a "quitter" that appears to have stopped between days 7-14. It's more developed than what a seven day egg would be, I think, but I don't know if it developed past day 14 or so. I'll see if my son can help me take a picture. Anyway, I have no doubt that it's done. I'm super happy with my candler I bought, it really lights them up well, even that brown olive egger egg.

Anyway, I'll keep an eye on the one black chick that I helped - if I can keep it straight. There are three of them, so unless it noticeably lagged, I'm hoping we'll be good.

Of the CCL chicks, I know I have at least one boy and one girl. I think it might be 3 girls and one boy - I haven't gotten a long, clean look yet with everyone out from under the hen.