Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Kassaundra]

Only way to know is to try and watch how she handles them. Sometimes the broody will just ignore the chick, other times she will peck it to death. But many times she will contentedly take any chick under a day old as her own because she has a natural mother instinct.
EE are very broody bunch usually so it just depends on her temperament how she will handle the situation. My EE Smokey readily took in eggs, and she tried to take in Topsy's baby who managed to slip around the landscape fabric wall on her 5th day. But the baby knew she belonged to Topsy at that point and kept chirping for help.
Personally I would try to get the eggs from your friend on day 16 or at lockdown and move them along with the other two under her to finish hatching. Then when she's done hatching those chicks pull all remaining eggs on day 25 and candle to determine viability.
If you have a yogurt maker, some have used those to do the actual hatching phase. Others have used other makeshift ways to help keep eggs warm and hatch them without a bator.
Hope it works out, using a broody to raise and integrate the chicks is so much easier.

Thanks for all your help so far. So then should I give her the chicks in the day time so I can see how she reacts? Do I just put them under her like I would at night?

 

[Katiesduckies]

Ok, so Snowi decided to lay a egg under the coop. No big deal, we keep a rake handy because that is her usual spot. Summer came out for her daily walk and ended up under the coop sitting on that one egg! I had to go under the coop, pull her protesting feathered butt out, and put her back in the coop where she 'found' her clutch again. Is that normal for a broody oris she just extra egg obsessed?

LOL that sounds like my hen Jewel she tries to take over Mama's eggs! Mama chases her away so we decided for them to "play nicely" we are just picking up the eggs I like the ideas of the nesting boxes thank you!! this coop will be a lot nicer than the current one I hate crawling in there to clean it. I don't even get to get it that clean either

I feel bad all of your chickens are pampered compared to ours because we cant get into the coop...

 

[bobbieschicks]

Only way to know is to try and watch how she handles them. Sometimes the broody will just ignore the chick, other times she will peck it to death. But many times she will contentedly take any chick under a day old as her own because she has a natural mother instinct.
EE are very broody bunch usually so it just depends on her temperament how she will handle the situation. My EE Smokey readily took in eggs, and she tried to take in Topsy's baby who managed to slip around the landscape fabric wall on her 5th day. But the baby knew she belonged to Topsy at that point and kept chirping for help.
Personally I would try to get the eggs from your friend on day 16 or at lockdown and move them along with the other two under her to finish hatching. Then when she's done hatching those chicks pull all remaining eggs on day 25 and candle to determine viability.
If you have a yogurt maker, some have used those to do the actual hatching phase. Others have used other makeshift ways to help keep eggs warm and hatch them without a bator.
Hope it works out, using a broody to raise and integrate the chicks is so much easier.

Oh and I forgot to add that most likely she won't take the other babies, but I suppose with this level of heat they would be warm enough without extra momma heat. You could put them n an outside brooder in the coop in a wired area.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Oh BG they are adorable, but i have to say I love freddie the frizzle, (I have an Ebbie the frizzle she is blk. too bad we can't get them together.

Fred would so LOVE to meet Ebbie!!! He tries so hard but he is running with a flock of large fowl (and he even runs off some of the big boys but .... ) ... Fred's kingdom for another bantam ....

 

[bobbieschicks]

Thanks for all your help so far.  So then should I give her the chicks in the day time so I can see how she reacts?  Do I just put them under her like I would at night?

I would either sneak them under her at night (here around 8:50pm) when its just dark enough she cant really see whats happening and watch in the early morning how she handles them, or sneak them in before dawn breaks (here it would be around 5:00am) and watch how she does. Cup the chick in your hand as you slip it under her just in case the broody pecks.

 

[bobbieschicks]

We are starting to get some nice cool breezes as a storm is headed this way. I'm happy it's going to cool down.

Topsy was sitting on the floor of the coop a bit ago scooping under her breast the ping pong balls she found on the floor.

When I peaked in the window I noticed her glancing towards the nestboxes again.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Moe is hatching! Yea! Just in time for my birthday! And the grandkids! She the most tame of my games so she won't mind little faces. Bg those chicks are beautiful...love the feathered legs..like to see them feathered out too. Stoney-i'd love some Sumatra, I think they'd be a good fit in my flock. But with all the broodies this year I can't entertain the thought of more chickens! Not yet anyway.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Fred would so LOVE to meet Ebbie!!! He tries so hard but he is running with a flock of large fowl (and he even runs off some of the big boys but .... ) ... Fred's kingdom for another bantam ....

Sounds like my roos they are bantam and bantam game just can't get it going with my big EE's and Brahma girl, I had no idea EE's got so big, but did I tell ya'll they started laying the first of the week and they are all laying blue eggs. so pretty, now to see what my other 4 lay they are still too young yet. Poor Ebbs she lost her chick about a month ago and really wants to brood again but I am through for this year so I took her egg this morning. It is very hard for me to do this, and I have a cochin bantam in White that is hatching her eggs as we speak, Her name is Betty White.

If I could get another frizzle from her I would be so happy but both her eggs I put under another hen to brood turned out to be duds, she is 4 I'm thinking fertility is way down in her. It's suppose to be cooler here this week, my goodness has it been hot up into the 90's for us which is way not normal for here. Boy am I rambling. I think the heat has gotten to me, Oh and before i forget, Miss Lydia has been out half a day with her chicks she is still limping but doing much better.

Our Bear neighbor visited again last night 3rd time he has pushed the fence down and broke the fence posts. I forgot to take the bird feeder in before we left to go watch fireworks, he must have been watching from behind a tree because we were probably gone an hour and a half and he struck in the time period.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
Heat here has been frightful as well. We aren't used to this sort of nonsense. Had 2 of my best Ameraucanas go down on me yesterday, I assume, because of the heat. I was in a total panic - truly. Got them in an ice bath and then into the basement in the house. Thankfully, no losses. Horrible year. But Broody Naima seems unaffected. Blows my mind.

Looking forward to seeing Betty White's brood!!! Good luck!!

Really glad to hear Miss Lydia is feeling better!!! Hope she continues to improve!

Had Broody Naima out again this afternoon. One of her kids ended up under the coop. Long story but suffice to say -- her solution was to run back to the broody box with the other two and expect me to fix it - which I did.

(Anybody that thinks chickens are "dumb" or can't learn clearly hasn't spent any time with them. They never cease to amaze me.)

 

[aaggjg]

So I candled the eggs under Caesar and well they are growing 5 of them I think.... there were 2 newly laid ones in the nest from when I returned. I think they must be on day 15-16-17-18?? ish maybe more..... I candled in the daytime so it was really hard to see

I guess I will just wait and see what happens.... Caesar gets up off her nest to stretch , dust bathe , eat, drink & poop and my Ameraucana Mole Negro goes in and sits on her nest.... Its great as it allows Caesar to be out of the nest a bit longer. I also noticed that Caesar has been much nicer and more tolerant to the other chicks in the coop so she is ready to become a mom!