Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Johnn]

their so cute ... what day did they hatch for you ???

erm one oni day 21 and the other day 22

 

[Johnn]

Johnn- If looks could kill the second pic from the bottom would have been your last! Very cute babies

i know!, Thankyou, im hoping the BO chick is going to be a girl as everyone thinks the cuckoo marans a boy, I will still keep the maran as i want another cockerel now myne is getting old. But i don't want 3 as it would't be fair on the hens!

 

[bobbieschicks]

day 20 for me first broody hatch nothing yet but its still early in the morning so i will wait and see ... the hen is a little more aggressive when she sees me she puffs up and squawks at me and this is the first time she is getting mad when she sees me what does that mean she never did it ant other days ??

It means she's about to hatch her babies and she doesn't want you to interfere. Lol

 

[farmer boy]

It means she's about to hatch her babies and she doesn't want you to interfere. Lol

nice .. a hen jumped up in the pen today when i was giving the broody hen some food and water and the broody hen was getting mad

 

[rrrmamma]

I haven't had time to read this whole thread, but I have a question. I have had a hen on eggs for about 23 days. I only set 3 because I have never had a broody before. 2 got broke so she has been sitting on only one egg for 23 days. I am thinking it is not going to hatch. My question is how long will she stay broody and could I give her another clutch of eggs today. I just found a nest of 10 under the coop. ( I knew my production was down) LOL. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[bobbieschicks]

nice .. a hen jumped up in the pen today when i was giving the broody hen some food and water and the broody hen was getting mad

JK

My broodies will sometimes growl or puff more but I'm sure most of it is hormonal. And they definitely don't like sharing their spaces. Twice I've found a baby silkie in with Smokey that managed to sneak thru the wires from above. Smokey was not pleased.

Hoping you have some cute fuzzy butts soon

 

[Johnn]

Gosh my orp is getting her self up in the pecking order beat the the second hen in the pecking order out for her place, she got 5 more hens to get throguh (including Melow as one) then she is the queen. My pecking order is soo messed up. Oh and my friends chick has nesrly hacthed!

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

I haven't had time to read this whole thread, but I have a question. I have had a hen on eggs for about  23 days. I only set 3 because I have never had a broody before. 2 got broke so she has been sitting on only one egg for 23 days. I am thinking it is not going to hatch. My question is how long will she stay broody and could I give her another clutch of eggs today. I just found a nest of 10 under the coop. ( I knew my production was down) LOL. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

I have heard of hens setting for up to two or three months trying to hatch their eggs but I an not an expert here. I know my girl sat for a week before I could get her fertile eggs and then I found those were bad at the ten day mark. It took me two days to get my hands on more hatching eggs and we are now on day 15 with no issues.

A concern with the clutch you found though; do you have a good guess when they were laid? Past a certain point the viability starts to drop.

 

[farmer boy]

i have a hen sitting on a nest for like the whole morning and she wont get off them she smashed a egg because it was to far for her to grab and put under her so she smashed it lol and she is really really aggressive when she is sitting on that nest .. and my broody i hope will hatch a egg today i am going out to check on her right now i will send a message back if anything happened

 

[rrrmamma]

I have heard of hens setting for up to two or three months trying to hatch their eggs but I an not an expert here. I know my girl sat for a week before I could get her fertile eggs and then I found those were bad at the ten day mark. It took me two days to get my hands on more hatching eggs and we are now on day 15 with no issues.
A concern with the clutch you found though; do you have a good guess when they were laid? Past a certain point the viability starts to drop.

Thanks. The eggs I found today are no more than 4 days old but most likely 3 days.. A few of them are dirty from being laid in the dirt under the coop. I have a mix of ee, rir, and rsl's I think I will dry brush the dirty ones and put all of them under the broody. What do I have to loose? Wish me luck.