Newby has ?'s about broody sept 25 hatch date. Please help!

[HB&B]

Hi. everyone I am in day 6. I have 6 mix breed full sized eggs under 1 bantam and 3 (2 bantam 1 full size) under another. The one that has 6 is in a more enclosed nest. The one with 3 out in the open on the floor of the coop. Thats why one has more.

So a few questions:
1. Can I candle the eggs too much before day 18?

2. My mama's don't bite, but growl and fluff up when I or another hen come near. Normal?

3. I am feeding them Purina Flock raiser (or so I think since I never see them move.) Do they need a special feed?

4. If I were to put ordered eggs under them after they have been broody for a while will they automatically stop beeing broody after 25 days or continue until all eggs are hatched?

5. Are there any treats I cannot feed a broody hen thats ok for others?

6. Any special instructions that a newby wouldn't know

Thx in advance everyone!

 

[PunkinPeep]

HB&B :

Hi. everyone I am in day 6. I have 6 mix breed full sized eggs under 1 bantam and 3 (2 bantam 1 full size) under another. The one that has 6 is in a more enclosed nest. The one with 3 out in the open on the floor of the coop. Thats why one has more.

So a few questions:
1. Can I candle the eggs too much before day 18?

2. My mama's don't bite, but growl and fluff up when I or another hen come near. Normal?

3. I am feeding them Purina Flock raiser (or so I think since I never see them move.) Do they need a special feed?

4. If I were to put ordered eggs under them after they have been broody for a while will they automatically stop beeing broody after 25 days or continue until all eggs are hatched?

5. Are there any treats I cannot feed a broody hen thats ok for others?

6. Any special instructions that a newby wouldn't know

Thx in advance everyone!

1. You can candle. It's usually recommended to wait until day 8. I usually wait until day 10.

2. Completely normal.

3. No, they don't need special feed. Just keep an eye out to make sure they're getting up once or twice a day to eat and drink.

4. Normally, they will keeping brooding until their eggs hatch. But staggered hatches don't work well. Once they have a few hatched, they often abandon the rest as if they are duds, whether they are or not.

5. Nope.

6. It's a good idea to mark your eggs - and since you have two broodies, mark them differently. This is in case another hen tries to donate. You want the eggs under one hen to have the same hatch date. You don't want donations.

Have fun!​

 

[lamelde]

I'm glad you asked these questions - I'm also a first timer with a newly brooding hen - and really exited about it.

She is sitting on 5 eggs (I think they are days 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7) she was in the main coop and the other hens would chase her out of their favorite nest and kept adding eggs.

I hope I didn't mess up the hatch when I moved the eggs. Because I'm new at this - I didn't think to make sure they stayed in the same position (they maybe got rolled around a bit)

Was I supposed to keep them exactly as they were in the nest?

Is that 4 day spread too long - will she wait for the last 3-4 eggs?

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
It's no problem that you moved the eggs. Hopefully you didn't shake them or anything, but changing their position won't be a problem at all.

As to your staggered hatch, that's a pretty big spread. If it were me, i would take the first few as they hatch, but them in a brooder while the rest hatch, and then give them back. Otherwise, she's likely to leave the later hatchers to take care of the earlier ones.

 

[afishel]

I kept food and water in necks reach for my broody just to be sure she was eating the needed amount!

and as far as I know If the starts dates are too far apart the Broody may get up to feed on explore with her other babies and will POSSIBLY leave the others behind I did a staggard hatch but my eggs were only 1 to 2 days apart?

Someone else may know more on such a gap?

And I candled mine right in front of the broody I DID NOT steal the eggs it is better to do at nite when all is quiet and she is relaxed

 

[HB&B]

I had been candeling the eggs each night starting night 3 up until day 7. I did It at night when everyone was cooped up and did it in front of her. I took a few treats to them like a few hard boiled egg yolks and I have seen one (mama) get up and leave the eggs for a min or 2 to get food and water.

I am in TN is my hatch date gonna be a problem?

Will it get too cold for the hens to have the chicks outside?

They are both in with all the other hens. I dont have anywhere else to put them are they gonna be ok with the others?

 

[lamelde]

Thanks PunkinPeep - I'm glad to hear about my movement of the eggs not being a problem. And I will do as you suggest & take out the first hatchers into a brooder until the others hatch or their "due date."

I'm just so nervous about this - it's mine & hers first attempt to hatching a brood.

Now I have another - my hen won't leave the nest to eat or drink. Today I put a small cup of feed in with her & she readily ate it - but there's no way I can put a small cup of water in there without spilling into the bedding & she wouldn't drink from the cup when I held it for her. So I gave her some chilled grapes cut in half - they were gone instantly.

Do you think that's enough water content?

 

[PunkinPeep]

If i were you, i would save myself some trouble and just take her off the nest once a day until she gets the idea. Just set her down by the feeder and waterer, and she'll sit there dazed for a minute and then get some food and water. Then she'll go back to the nest on her own. If she'll get in the habit of this, it will be better and easier for both of you. Don't panic if she stays off the nest for a few minutes and gets a dust bath while she's off.

 

[Surehatch]

Quote:
1. You can candle. It's usually recommended to wait until day 8. I usually wait until day 10.

2. Completely normal.

3. No, they don't need special feed. Just keep an eye out to make sure they're getting up once or twice a day to eat and drink.

4. Normally, they will keeping brooding until their eggs hatch. But staggered hatches don't work well. Once they have a few hatched, they often abandon the rest as if they are duds, whether they are or not.

5. Nope.

6. It's a good idea to mark your eggs - and since you have two broodies, mark them differently. This is in case another hen tries to donate. You want the eggs under one hen to have the same hatch date. You don't want donations.

Have fun!

Great questions with a great set of answers! Thank you!