My hens won't incubate their eggs.

[lighthouse]

He is a very nice looking rooster! One day the females just might go broody. They look like they have potential for it....especially the silkie.

You would be surprised how many people DON'T know it takes a male and a female to make baby chickens.

Isn’t he? And I just missed the beauty contest here... DAMN!!!

I just got back from buying two flat wicker baskets that I’ll attach to the kitchen table with some double sided tape. Let’s see if refurbishing the apartment Daisy and Macy fall for it.

I’m 49 my dear. NOTHING surprises me anymore.

 

[lighthouse]

normally young pullets wont go broody... but in saying that i had a bantam of mine lay 12 eggs then decide to go broody... she didnt really know what to do tho.... and she snapped out of it quite quickly

ok guys.

my two hens went broody... 21 days ago —first daisy (the silkie) and two days later macy (the sumatra) followed and both had been working on it hand in hand ever since.

result: one chick was born yesterday

now, how does this work? will the moms feed it? they are brooding in a carton box on the top of a table. how do i decide when it’s time for it’s first outing? they have four more eggs to hatch —i guess in the next four/five days.

WHAT DO I DO PLEASE?

 

[black_cat]

ok guys.

my two hens went broody... 21 days ago —first daisy (the silkie) and two days later macy (the sumatra) followed and both had been working on it hand in hand ever since.

result: one chick was born yesterday

now, how does this work? will the moms feed it? they are brooding in a carton box on the top of a table. how do i decide when it’s time for it’s first outing? they have four more eggs to hatch —i guess in the next four/five days.

WHAT DO I DO PLEASE?

Give them all access to chick starter or all flock feed, and water. Moms will teach chick to eat and drink. Broodies are usually kept outside. Do you have an old prefab coop or large dog crate?

 

[MarkJr]

Let them be chickens. Make sure the other broody doesn’t attack chick. 24-36 hours after first hatch they will come off nest and take youngsters for food/water regardless if the others hatch or not. They will also move to a ground nest vs table so chicks will have access.

 

[lighthouse]

Give them all access to chick starter or all flock feed, and water. Moms will teach chick to eat and drink. Broodies are usually kept outside. Do you have an old prefab coop or large dog crate?

no i don’t but i’ll think of something!

ok, i’ll keep them outside during the day and get them back inside at night?

 

[lighthouse]

Let them be chickens. Make sure the other broody doesn’t attack chick. 24-36 hours after first hatch they will come off nest and take youngsters for food/water regardless if the others hatch or not. They will also move to a ground nest vs table so chicks will have access.

no no, the other mom is also fine with the chick!

and will the other four eggs hatch if they stop incubating them?

i’ll definitely move the nest to the ground.

but do i need to keep the INSIDE a cage? because my chickens run free.

thank you!

 

[lighthouse]

no i don’t but i’ll think of something!

ok, i’ll keep them outside during the day and get them back inside at night?

but my chickens run free. do i need to keep mom and chicks in a cage now???

 

[FuzzyCritters]

You need to give your chicks access to food and water. Do you have any chick starter? If not, you need to get some to feed the baby chicks. Baby chicks do not need to eat for 48-72 hours, so that gives you enough time to get chick food if you do not have it. Chicks do need water, so make sure they have access to that. Mothers will teach chicks how to eat and drink.

If your chickens are pet chickens that live inside, they can raise the chicks inside. If they are outdoor chickens, they can raise the chick there too.

The mothers will continue to incubate the eggs until they hatch. You might want to candle the eggs to make sure they are fertile and developed.

 

[lighthouse]

You need to give your chicks access to food and water. Do you have any chick starter? If not, you need to get some to feed the baby chicks. Baby chicks do not need to eat for 48-72 hours, so that gives you enough time to get chick food if you do not have it. Chicks do need water, so make sure they have access to that. Mothers will teach chicks how to eat and drink.

If your chickens are pet chickens that live inside, they can raise the chicks inside. If they are outdoor chickens, they can raise the chick there too.

The mothers will continue to incubate the eggs until they hatch. You might want to candle the eggs to make sure they are fertile and developed.

they are both —pet chickens and run free outside.

but there’s no space in the carton box to put some bowl there. do i need to take the chick out a couple of times a day so that it can drink?

yes i think i do have that food for chicks.

i’ll do the candle trick for sure!

THANK YOU!!!

 

[MarkJr]

Broody and chicks will go about business just like three weeks ago. Before they started setting. If their routine was come in the house each evening, then most likely she will drag the chicks inside each evening. If they are free range, momma will teach chicks about grit and foraging. Having access to a high protein chick starter is a good idea

The broody should set on the other eggs for a day or day and a half. After that, their focus is on the living. Depending on timeframe, the other eggs could hatch, but not likely once they quit setting on them.