Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[chickette]

Quote:
Nope it was the first one to hatch over 24hrs ago. I noticed yesterday she wasn't really tucking him under her like she was the others and I helped him under her a couple of times so he wouldn't get cold, I guess it got warm enough yesterday 70s that he was ok. This morning though it was about 55 and I went out and he was lying in the corner of the nest shivering. She pecked at me and got upset but I took him out. I have him inside in the brooder right now but he can't walk at all. I guess it's splayed leg? I've never delt with this before but one of his legs seems to not be working. I don't know what to do now??

I am so sorry to hear about your little chick

I will tell you my experience with a similar situation. My first time incubating 28 eggs and I had temp issues making the hatch 2-3 days late. 2 hatch 1 was healthy and the other hatched but could not walk. Always lying on his side, back,and looking horrible. I dipped his beak in water and he would then drink and held him up for lengths of time during the days that followed. He finaly was able to stand then walk, and looked normal. We were all very happy for the little chick. We almost lost him 3 times in a couple of days to who knows what? He kept having issues with loud bangs in the house, cold spells, and other chicks in the brooder. He finally died one morning. He was simple sick. These things are hard and so sad, but I would do it again.

 

[Whimsy]

I am pleased to announce the birth of my GrandChicks:

This is chick one

the crew

I took all the other eggs away from here this afternoon, made her get up a little too. Sweet aren't they?

Edited because I couldn't get the pictures right!

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are adorable and congratulations..

mama is very pretty too!!

 

[smallcitychick]

Yay!!! Congratulations!

Yesterday my broody (Fanny) got up off her nest at the same time I opened the run to let the chickens free range. There was one egg that had been crushed at some point and another egg that was covered with the yellow yolk

Took the broken shell and the egg that was covered in dried on yolk out of the nest. Felt the eggs and all but 2 (that were on the outside) were toasty warm. Now that I think about it I should have removed the 2 cold ones, but oh well. So now Fanny is on a nest of 14 eggs.

Question (I posted this over on the managing your flock board too): When she got up off her nest the rest of the hens (only 4) went after her and pecked her mercilessly. Then they went out to free range. Fanny got her fill of water and chicken feed then walked out to poop and get some grass and any time she got near one of the flock she was chased off again. They don't seem to bother her in the nest all though, it was only when she got off that I noticed the hostility towards her. I tried moving her to her own broody pen (an extra large dog crate) last weekend and she wanted nothing to do with the nest in the crate (even though it was a similiar as I could make it to the one in the coop), so I let her back in the coop to brood. Am I going to run into problems?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have seen this too, I don't know what makes them run up and peck them, but when mine comes off the nest she is all puffed up and acting weird so maybe that is why. But inside the coop with all of them in there no one has messed with mama and her chicks.

 

[NottinghamChicks]

Whimsy, congratulations on your babies, they are too cute and mom is very pretty also.
Smallcitychick, my broody was picked on but not really bad. Whenever she got off the nest to join the others briefly there were two that would peck her on the head. Just a couple of times though. After she came out with all her babies and a new momma attitude they did not touch her! When they are setting they are no longer part of the cohesive group and it shows in the picking order, but it should change once she has babies to protect.

 

[sunket77]

Quote:
can you add a mix breed to this list? I have cochin silkie crossed that is (100% silkie x 100% bantam cochin) they are WONDERFUL broodies, I dare say if not better than my silkies, I have two just about a year old that have both gone broody and one is on her second round with a 2 week break in between!

 

[BarefootMom]

okay so Miss Iris kicked the other 3 eggs out (guess she got tired of waiting on them to hatch...) So she now has 3 babies. I am thinking about getting a couple more chicks for her on Saturday. Chick day is at our feed store (again) and this Saturday they have all chicks priced at $0.90 each. So I may just buy a couple for her.

Tonight we discovered a Muscovey hen sitting on about 20 eggs!! Also another hen is missing so I am assuming that she is sitting somewhere too! So EXCITING!! I love baby ducks! The eggs should be due around the 2nd week of June!! (muscovies take 35-37 days to hatch! so much time to wait!!)

 

[pontoosuc]

Update (from a few pages ago)

We have four chicks hatched this afternoon in "Mothers" nest box.
Based on suggestions (thank you) I'll move her and hatched chicks into their own
private space, inside the coop, tomorrow AM (approximately 24 hours after first chick hatched)

Once moved, should I also keep a light for them for heat? I'm thinking not a heat lamp, but maybe a lamp with
a lower wattage? My broody is a terrific mom, can I rely on that alone for heat?

We will be getting colder, around 40 something in the next few days. Coop is large.

Thank you all. Love this thread!

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

**I THINK I HAVE A BROODY I THINK I HAVE A BROODY!!!**


First EVER! She's been on the nest 2 days now, she did get confused and switched nests once though...