My first broody hen....

[kathyinmo]

I agree with new2chooks .... Just chick starter and water! Have fun!

 

[gwill23]

ok 3 more days to hatch day. We can't wait. I candled a few eggs and they look like the picutres on the site so I expect all will go well. I am building a new coop for the others and going to use the smaller coop for the chicks to be raised in. That way they can be away from the others until they are bigger. I stated counting the number of chickens I would have if all these hatch and the ones from my daughter's class hatch and

. So I decided to build a bigger coop.

 

[skya328]

You and your kids are going to have a blast watching them. I had 3 out of 6 hatch under a broody last week. I love watching mama teach the babies what to do!

The first time she hatched eggs we didn't even see the baby until probably the end of the 2nd day. Mama had her well hidden!

Have fun!

 

[gwill23]

Well, I am two days over due. No pips, zips, peeps or anything. Any suggestions? How long should I wait before I start to worry?

 

[kathyinmo]

Are you for sure on the dates? I think I would go ahead and candle the eggs and see what is happening.

 

[gwill23]

I candled 4 eggs tonight then I got tired of fighting her off the nest. One was never fertile so I took it out. The others looked right compaired to pictures here. I didn't look them over first and I thought I heard a cracking sound on one when I turned it over it had a small part of the shell missing and a crack. It felt very brittle. It looked right when I candled it but the membrain wasn't broken yet. Could that be right? Do they sometimes crack the shell but not the membrane?

 

[Happy Chooks]

The crack is a pip, that means they are starting to hatch. Put that egg back under that hen! It may not look like the membrane is broken, but the chick has pushed through. Next it will chip away at the shell and "zip" a line around the shell and pop itself out of the egg.

 

[gwill23]

Mixed emotions. I looked under my hen at home and one cracked egg with a dead chick in it.

Not sure why or when he died. Probably the one that was cracked last night. I probably should have tried to help him out then but I don't know these things.

But, what was that I could hear. Babby chicks peeping. I assume from inside the shell so now I guess we just wait and see who joins the family tonight.

 

[NewEnglandChick]

Waiting to hear...and see pictures! So exciting!!!
I've got my fingers crossed that I'll be going through this same experience in a few weeks!

Hope it goes well for ya!!

 

[gwill23]

One chick. All other eggs are silent.....We will see what is going on in the morning.