Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[yo burrill]

Momma does know best she probably knew there was something wrong. That is what keeps a healthy flock is only allowing the strongest to survive and breed. It is still hard though. One a good note all my teenagers were still here this morning and ready to go in and eat.

 

[CarolJ]

Thanks for the help last week when I was wondering about leaving a broody in a nest box several feet above ground. She hatched her chicks, and the second morning when I went to check on them, they were all nestled close to her on the floor of the coop - just like some of you said they would. All babies survived the jump/fall from nest to floor.

I have another broody that hatched eggs the same time - and they both have their nests on the floor of the coop now - and they're co-parenting the chicks! The chicks run back and forth from one broody to the other. One broody disappeared yesterday for a couple hours. I could not find her - and I was afraid something had happened to her! The only place she could've gone was under the coop - and I couldn't see under there. She has brooded chicks before and had never left them for more than a few minutes until they were older. However, for the couple hours that she was gone, the other broody took care of all the chicks. Between the two hens, there are 15 chicks - and all 15 were under her. I checked later, and the missing broody was back - and the chicks had separated back to their own mothers. I think the one that disappeared just decided she needed a break!

Another question: When I went to clean out the nest box, there was one partially hatched egg in there. It looked like the membrane had stuck to the chick, preventing it from fully hatching. When I picked it up, it chirped - loudly. Figuring there was nothing to lose, I peeled away the membrane and the rest of the egg shell. The chick seemed perfect - chirping enthusiastically. Since the other chicks were running all over the coop, I took the chick inside and put it in the incubator since it was still wet and wobbly. Within a few hours, it was fluffed up and seemed perfectly healthy.

Is it too late to put this chick with the broodies in the coop? Right now it's with the chicks that hatched in the incubator - but all the chicks from the incubator are a different breed that I will be selling.

 

[bobbieschicks]

My teenagers decided to roost in the tree tonight instead of in the tractor. They roost to high to get them back down once they decide to sleep there. I may be a missing a few in the morning. My luck the hens will be gone.... I need to go back to standard size hens instead of the banties.

My bantam Silkies stay on the ground, the big fat LF Lavender Orpingtons will fly up sometimes, but usually they stay close to the ground. But my LF girls who are on the smaller size - Ancona, White Leghorn, Arucana and WL/EE mix will fly up high without thinking twice about it.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Well, bad news, the chick didn't make it. I shouldn't have given it back to mom. I think she pecked the half of the broken shell away. Went back to check and she had pushed it aside. Perfectly formed but too soon. I hope this doesn't mean I have a bad mom on my hands. Two have pipped, I hope she won't peck at them while they're hatching. Anyone have experience with a bad broody? All my girls, so far have been great. Should I worry?
I've had the bowl forever, I'll check and see if it says the pattern name on it.

I'm sorry for your loss. Something makes me think momma knew that the chick wasn't going to make it. I have seen other chicks peck the shells to help out chicks in the bator - but haven't seen the broody do any helping or pecking.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Momma does know best she probably knew there was something wrong. That is what keeps a healthy flock is only allowing the strongest to survive and breed. It is still hard though. One a good note all my teenagers were still here this morning and ready to go in and eat.

Yeah! Teenagers can be a pain sometimes.

 

[stonykill]

Thanks for the help last week when I was wondering about leaving a broody in a nest box several feet above ground. She hatched her chicks, and the second morning when I went to check on them, they were all nestled close to her on the floor of the coop - just like some of you said they would. All babies survived the jump/fall from nest to floor.

I have another broody that hatched eggs the same time - and they both have their nests on the floor of the coop now - and they're co-parenting the chicks! The chicks run back and forth from one broody to the other. One broody disappeared yesterday for a couple hours. I could not find her - and I was afraid something had happened to her! The only place she could've gone was under the coop - and I couldn't see under there. She has brooded chicks before and had never left them for more than a few minutes until they were older. However, for the couple hours that she was gone, the other broody took care of all the chicks. Between the two hens, there are 15 chicks - and all 15 were under her. I checked later, and the missing broody was back - and the chicks had separated back to their own mothers. I think the one that disappeared just decided she needed a break!

Another question: When I went to clean out the nest box, there was one partially hatched egg in there. It looked like the membrane had stuck to the chick, preventing it from fully hatching. When I picked it up, it chirped - loudly. Figuring there was nothing to lose, I peeled away the membrane and the rest of the egg shell. The chick seemed perfect - chirping enthusiastically. Since the other chicks were running all over the coop, I took the chick inside and put it in the incubator since it was still wet and wobbly. Within a few hours, it was fluffed up and seemed perfectly healthy.

Is it too late to put this chick with the broodies in the coop? Right now it's with the chicks that hatched in the incubator - but all the chicks from the incubator are a different breed that I will be selling.

congrats on your hatch. I knew all would be fine with your set up.

You can try slipping her the chick at night. Sometimes it works, sometimes not

 

[bobbieschicks]

Thanks for the help last week when I was wondering about leaving a broody in a nest box several feet above ground. She hatched her chicks, and the second morning when I went to check on them, they were all nestled close to her on the floor of the coop - just like some of you said they would. All babies survived the jump/fall from nest to floor.

I have another broody that hatched eggs the same time - and they both have their nests on the floor of the coop now - and they're co-parenting the chicks! The chicks run back and forth from one broody to the other. One broody disappeared yesterday for a couple hours. I could not find her - and I was afraid something had happened to her! The only place she could've gone was under the coop - and I couldn't see under there. She has brooded chicks before and had never left them for more than a few minutes until they were older. However, for the couple hours that she was gone, the other broody took care of all the chicks. Between the two hens, there are 15 chicks - and all 15 were under her. I checked later, and the missing broody was back - and the chicks had separated back to their own mothers. I think the one that disappeared just decided she needed a break!

Another question: When I went to clean out the nest box, there was one partially hatched egg in there. It looked like the membrane had stuck to the chick, preventing it from fully hatching. When I picked it up, it chirped - loudly. Figuring there was nothing to lose, I peeled away the membrane and the rest of the egg shell. The chick seemed perfect - chirping enthusiastically. Since the other chicks were running all over the coop, I took the chick inside and put it in the incubator since it was still wet and wobbly. Within a few hours, it was fluffed up and seemed perfectly healthy.

Is it too late to put this chick with the broodies in the coop? Right now it's with the chicks that hatched in the incubator - but all the chicks from the incubator are a different breed that I will be selling.

Slip it under the broody tonight - she will most likely accept it without problems. You can try slipping it under her during the day at some point when she's warming the others. The sooner the better since after a few days they won't imprint.

 

[aoxa]

Slip it under the broody tonight - she will most likely accept it without problems.  You can try slipping it under her during the day at some point when she's warming the others.  The sooner the better since after a few days they won't imprint.

Sometimes they will. I've had one single chick hatch 2 weeks after my broodies were raising babies. I put it with them, and she is 10 weeks old now. Happy and healthy and 100% broody raised!

 

[stonykill]

Sometimes they will. I've had one single chick hatch 2 weeks after my broodies were raising babies. I put it with them, and she is 10 weeks old now. Happy and healthy and 100% broody raised!

and sometimes she will kill the new one the second you aren't looking. Always a gamble

 

[Johnn]

I have a question which might be very silly.... Next year, any of my hens who go broody are going to hatch out ducklings. My question is, will they know they arent chicken chicks and be upset that they have to raise them instead??