Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[perchie.girl]

I thought y'all might enjoy this pic. Tipsy was given 11 babies that I hatched in my incubator. She did a great job taking care of them. I sold 5 of her chicks and 2 of them were stolen by another broody leaving her with 4. She was in a funk for a few days after the loss of her chicklets. Then the other day I went back to the coop and found this:

Her chicks are about a week old, and I guess they were under there somewhere but I couldn't see them. There were so many chicks piled under her that she couldn't even sit down, she was just kind of teetering from one side to the other trying not to fall over. When she stood up it sorta looked like a chicken and a caterpillar got together and had a baby, what with all the little legs moving around under her

adorable.....

 

[JakRat]

Will the hen I tossed back outside do ok without her baby? I was concerned that she might go and sit on another egg or something. BUT her poop is back to normal and she isnt freaking out so far in the yard. Any thoughts?

 

[artsyrobin]

mine seem to bounce back pretty quick, the one that lost her chick is running with the 'younger' crowd- the other one that lost one of her chicks but still has 2 doesn't seem to remember...

 

[artsyrobin]

dragon the nn bantam went broody, so i took one of the eggs from the other broody due to hatch in a couple days, and she got this baby.... she is a ferocious mom...will take on anyone that looks at that baby

 

[Wynette]

dragon the nn bantam went broody, so i took one of the eggs from the other broody due to hatch in a couple days, and she got this baby.... she is a ferocious mom...will take on anyone that looks at that baby

You know, I've been wondering about that - if you could put eggs that are almsot due to hatch under a hen that just went broody! That's really good to know. She's cute! I just hatched a little splash NN in my incubator. Love them!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I thought y'all might enjoy this pic. Tipsy was given 11 babies that I hatched in my incubator. She did a great job taking care of them. I sold 5 of her chicks and 2 of them were stolen by another broody leaving her with 4. She was in a funk for a few days after the loss of her chicklets. Then the other day I went back to the coop and found this:

Her chicks are about a week old, and I guess they were under there somewhere but I couldn't see them. There were so many chicks piled under her that she couldn't even sit down, she was just kind of teetering from one side to the other trying not to fall over. When she stood up it sorta looked like a chicken and a caterpillar got together and had a baby, what with all the little legs moving around under her

What a sweet pic and funny story. a chicken and a caterpillar how funny.

 

[bobbieschicks]

So far so good. She's a tiny hen and the coop is very noisy (I have multiple fans going due to the heat) but I 'saw' her broody clucking a bit and the chick is still under her and alive. She poofed up and tried to beak me when I checked so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Yeah! I'm sure it will be fine then.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Morning, fellow broody lovers! featherz - sounds good! Keep us posted!

I was able to get a quick pic of my Silver Penciled Rock broody...man, I hope her chicks hatch! She's got 9 eggs under her, but left the nest more than she ought to have...so here's hoping. My quandary is that they're due to hatch tomorrow...there are other hens and a cock bird in that coop, but I can't move them until tomorrow at the crack of dawn. So, broody will have the nest box all to herself. My plan is to move her and the chicks (assuming we get some!) into a broody cage with more room when the hatch is over. The lip on the nest box is about 3 1/2" so I don't "think" any of the chicks should be able to hop out until they're a few days old...thoughts? I suppose I could put chicken wire over the opening, but just outside on the floor (which is about a 12" drop) is the food and water for her, which I have up on a block...do you think the chicks will be safe in this nest box for 2 days?

You know it's iffy leaving chicks in a nest box 12" off the ground, there have been some who have posted 1 just this week that caught a chick in mid air falling out of a nest box that just hatched. If they are due to hatch tomorrow maybe you should think of putting up some chicken wire this eve. or in the morning she isn't going to go anywhere if chicks are hatching, then move her when you get your broody hutch setup. Just my 2 cents on the subject. Oh and she is lovely

 

[bobbieschicks]

Morning, fellow broody lovers!  featherz - sounds good!  Keep us posted!

I was able to get a quick pic of my Silver Penciled Rock broody...man, I hope her chicks hatch!  She's got 9 eggs under her, but left the nest more than she ought to have...so here's hoping.  My quandary is that they're due to hatch tomorrow...there are other hens and a cock bird in that coop, but I can't move them until tomorrow at the crack of dawn.  So, broody will have the nest box all to herself.  My plan is to move her and the chicks (assuming we get some!) into a broody cage with more room when the hatch is over.  The lip on the nest box is about 3 1/2" so I don't "think" any of the chicks should be able to hop out until they're a few days old...thoughts?  I suppose I could put chicken wire over the opening, but just outside on the floor (which is about a 12" drop) is the food and water for her, which I have up on a block...do you think the chicks will be safe in this nest box for 2 days?

I would leave her and the nest alone. The babies will stay close to momma until about the 4th day and by then she will take them out herself. 12" isn't too big a drop. My broodies took their 4 day olds down the ramp out the coop. You could put a temporary ramp in place for the babies, but I doubt they will need it. By a week old they will have wing feathers and be flying up and down that 12" distance.

Can't wait to see the chick pics!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Sigh, never a dull moment right? Sometimes I feel as though I am not cut out for this chicken thing. I had to make the hard decision today to take my speckled sussexs baby away from her and toss her back out into the flock. I just dont think she is cut out for motherhood. While her and the other broody where in our kitty pool set up she kept pecking her baby and the silkies babies. When I took her and her baby outside she did nothing really to protect it from the other girls. So I took her baby and put it under our silkie in the kiddy pool set up. Everyone seems some what fine for now. I had gotten a one month old (?) silkie to put under the SSussex (since she stepped on and killed her smaller baby, I figured a bigger one would be safe) but she started attacking that one too and the poor thing is scared out of its mind. Now it is under the silkie and while the silkie pecks at it when it freaks out, it seems fine now... jeepers and I thought this was supposed to be a fun hobby!!!

Oh sorry about the Sussex, some broodies just aren't really good at being moms.

I would be surprised that a monthly would be accepted by the mom and more importantly they would follow the mom's clucks.