Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

another hatch! A black broody has fuzzy butts! I'll try to get pics tomorrow weather and mama hen permitting.

Congrats stony, Miss Lydia has hatched some also yesterday and Charlotte has some pecking at the shell right now. I'll try for pics too.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:

(waiting for the pics .... )

 

[stonykill]

Congrats stony, Miss Lydia has hatched some also yesterday and Charlotte has some pecking at the shell right now. I'll try for pics too.

thanks and right back at ya

 

[bobbieschicks]

Congrats stony, Miss Lydia has hatched some also yesterday and Charlotte has some pecking at the shell right now. I'll try for pics too.

xs2!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Between rushing around to swim practices and summer time activities - I feel like I've missed seeing some broody/chick pics. So congrats to all the new chicks and broodies - pictures or not.

Thankfully so far Sunny hasn't gotten back into the nest to stay - so I've avoided a broody for now

- but I'm sure it's just a matter of time as she keeps acting like she wants to go broody and any day Smokey will probably go broody again - she loves that job!

Smokey's first clutch is now 18 weeks old and has just 2 of the 3 cockerels remaining as I try to decide who will stay and who will go. The Ameraucana is handsome but skittish and I saw him pecking the babies - don't care for that. I haven't heard him crow yet - but I'm certain he's a he due to feathering and size. The Wellsummer is loud but shy and seems to be afraid of the larger pullets. He's my favorite so far - I've managed to pet him a couple of times which shows he is tame. Whoever stays has to get along with the older Silkie cockerel as I'm not getting rid of Davy - he's too pretty.

Smokey's second and Topsy's first clutch are now 5 weeks old. They grow up so fast. Smokey has abandoned them during the day and at night to the roost. Her four babies sleep in a pile on the floor. Huddled into a corner for protection from the mean old AM. Topsy has her two on the roost with her at night - she's a good momma. They follow her everywhere. Both Smokey and Topsy are laying again.

Soon I will need a plan for the baby silkie cockerels - I will be giving them away to a friend - and at this point I believe out of the six babies - half are cockerels. Based on attitude, size and comb size. But time will tell for certain.

 

[Wynette]

CONGRATS Stony & Tripp - SWEET babies, Tripp!

I'm glad she took the other two as well. A little happy family now!

Thanks for the adivce on covering the broody hutch; I can't do it at night, we have to get the hay unloaded as quickly as we can because our hay guy needs the hay wagons back. Thanks, BG - hay is VERY late this year for here - usually, first cutting is the first week of June. It's probably stemmy and not great for first cutting....sigh.....

ETA: I checked the 8 eggs my silver penciled rock hen is still sitting on. 2 were clear, and the 6 that were left had/have(?) good development; they appear to be full, as in - they look like they do right before internal pip. However, I see no movement, and NO internal pips, and they are on day 25 and day 23. So, I can't think there's a possibility they'll hatch - they must have died, yes?

The good news: The Giant hen in the broody hutch is doing fantastically well staying put! Today is day 4. A long way to go, BUT - seeing the eggs that the SPR set having such good development, I have high hopes for this Giant hatch! Giant has 7 silver penciled rock and 3 naked neck eggs.

 

[JakRat]

OMG

So I posted a while back about an egg that my silkie was sitting on but I wasnt sure if it was going to hatch since she had her other babies to deal with. Well she gave up on it and I was bummed out so I decided to try something. I wrapped the egg up in a heated blanket, set the temp on high and I have left it there for about 2 days, turning it every once in a while. Well I just went down, tapped on the egg and heard a peep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How on earth did that work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited now, but I dont know what to do... Do I put the egg under her at night if it hasnt hatched? Do I place the chick under her at night after hatching??? Any thoughts?? This is such a miracle!!!!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

CONGRATS Stony & Tripp - SWEET babies, Tripp!

I'm glad she took the other two as well. A little happy family now!

Thanks for the adivce on covering the broody hutch; I can't do it at night, we have to get the hay unloaded as quickly as we can because our hay guy needs the hay wagons back. Thanks, BG - hay is VERY late this year for here - usually, first cutting is the first week of June. It's probably stemmy and not great for first cutting....sigh.....

ETA: I checked the 8 eggs my silver penciled rock hen is still sitting on. 2 were clear, and the 6 that were left had/have(?) good development; they appear to be full, as in - they look like they do right before internal pip. However, I see no movement, and NO internal pips, and they are on day 25 and day 23. So, I can't think there's a possibility they'll hatch - they must have died, yes?

The good news: The Giant hen in the broody hutch is doing fantastically well staying put! Today is day 4. A long way to go, BUT - seeing the eggs that the SPR set having such good development, I have high hopes for this Giant hatch! Giant has 7 silver penciled rock and 3 naked neck eggs.

I would DEFINITELY hold off on the day 23 egg, perhaps even the day 25. You said she spent a good deal of time off the eggs. Perhaps that has really slowed down the growth? I guess you could also try cracking one open and see if there are any signs of life?

 

[Wynette]

Thanks for the feedback, BG. I don't have them marked, so I'm unsure which are the 23-day old ones. I guess I could give her another couple of days & candle again...

Jak, I think I'd hatch it & then slip the baby under her when it's fluffed out. JMO.

 

[JakRat]

On a different note, my Speckled Sussex that I had to take her baby away from her seems to have lost her mind. Is that normal?