Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[farmer boy]

mama abandoned the other eggs because she needs to care for her babies. Her LIVING babies are more important to her than eggs. As it should be. She most likely abandoned the one you hatched yourself (never do that btw) because she knew it was weak. Broody hens have been hatching chicks for 10,000 years or more without human help. If anything our interference screws them up.
IF you can keep the remaining eggs in a warm humid spot you may be able to slip the eggs back under her tonight with the other chick. you may. no guarantee's.
I've had at least 20 successful broody hatches since this spring and well over 30 since last spring by leaving the hen alone to do what comes naturally. I ONLY get involved if it is a situation like this morning where another broody stole the new broody's 8 newborns. Then I intervene. Otherwise it is ALWAYS best to stay out of the broody's way and let her do what comes naturally.

Chickens are much better at being chickens than humans are

she left the eggs because the other chicks and the one that started to hatch got buried under sawdust when she was showing the babies how to scratch around and forage ... so i went in and hatched the baby my self i wasn't gonna let 5 babies die because of two other chicks

 

[bobbieschicks]

she left the eggs because the other chicks and the one that started to hatch got buried under sawdust when she was showing the babies how to scratch around and forage ... so i went in and hatched the baby my self i wasn't gonna let 5 babies die because of two other chicks 

Keep them warm and moist not wet. Try to put them under her tonight to finish hatching. Make sure it's dark. If she's going to reject them again the only other thing is to put them in a bator or under a broody. You might be able to make a homemade bator quickly.

 

[farmer boy]

Keep them warm and moist not wet. Try to put them under her tonight to finish hatching. Make sure it's dark. If she's going to reject them again the only other thing is to put them in a bator or under a broody. You might be able to make a homemade bator quickly.

how would i be able to do that ?? it will take a few more days for those ones to hatch like 1-2 more days ... i have no other broody hen so idk

 

[stonykill]

how would i be able to do that ?? it will take a few more days for those ones to hatch like 1-2 more days ... i have no other broody hen so idk

do you have a staggered hatch? Or were 2 early?

Mama did leave the eggs to feed the living chicks. That is nature. If these other 2 were laid late or added late she may never take them

 

[farmer boy]

the two that hatched were the before others ... i was gone away and people didn't know that other chickens were not aloud in so other chickens lay'ed eggs in there and all the eggs have babies in them so idk what to do i am gonna do every thing i can do to help

 

[stonykill]

the two that hatched were the before others ... i was gone away and people didn't know that other chickens were not aloud in so other chickens lay'ed eggs in there and all the eggs have babies in them so idk what to do i am gonna do every thing i can do to help

incubator is your best bet then. borrow buy or build

 

[farmer boy]

idk how to build one no one to borrow from and no money right now

 

[Miss Lydia]

idk how to build one no one to borrow from and no money right now

Maybe this will help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/search.php?search=Hatching+chicks+without+a+bator

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well stony I think I have a roo in my last chicks to hatch. one of them is a little sparse in the feather department. the other one looks good. so we'll see in a few weeks it's 4 weeks and 3 days old today.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

idk how to build one no one to borrow from and no money right now 

Too bad you aren't near me; I have a mini incubator I would give you if you were close enough. Little thing only fits three eggs but that would work for you. :/. They are only twenty bucks, problem would be finding someone local who sells them.


Question for the gallery; Summer's comb, wattles and face are getting pale. What can I do to help this right now? She is on day 19, would it cause issues if I kick her out of the coop to eat and drink? Temp is around 94 F today. She hasn't been getting up much.