Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

Yes, unfourtunatly the others died. No pips today though . I have a really bad feeling that it wont hatch...

Hang in there! It ain't over till its over

My Topsy has hatched late both times. She likes to make me worry.

 

[naturespace]

Hang in there! It ain't over till its over
My Topsy has hatched late both times. She likes to make me worry.

I hope she gets a baby. Otherwise, that poor momma is going to be waiting a lot longer. Not sure what happens if she doesn't hatch any.
This is my first time with a broody, so I don't know what to expect. I have 8 eggs under my broody. Hope to get a couple at least. 18 days to go.

Question to everyone: if only one baby hatches, will they be ok without hatch-mates? I know it's bad to have one chick if you are raising by hand, but with a mom, it might be better???

 

[Tammy N]

I hope she gets a baby. Otherwise, that poor momma is going to be waiting a lot longer. Not sure what happens if she doesn't hatch any.
This is my first time with a broody, so I don't know what to expect. I have 8 eggs under my broody. Hope to get a couple at least. 18 days to go.
Question to everyone: if only one baby hatches, will they be ok without hatch-mates? I know it's bad to have one chick if you are raising by hand, but with a mom, it might be better???

I had a 1 hatch with an incubator the little roo thought i was mom and would land on my hand head arm you name it . then he got jealous of my niece and that was the end of him. choice i had her eyes or him . I chose for my niece she was still in diapers he went for her face was scary. why not get a couple of day old chicks to go with her that is if she gets 1 or 2 it would help you and will fulfill her need at the same time at any rate no differnt 1 chick or 13 bakers dozen

 

[bwindell]

Here is a picture of our first chicks! She has 6 but one must be hiding..lol. We had 9 eggs in the clutch, one was not fertile, one was fully developed but did not hatch, and one hatched and she killed for some reason. So 6 is a nice number for her start with. They are SO cute!!

 

[bobbieschicks]

I hope she gets a baby. Otherwise, that poor momma is going to be waiting a lot longer. Not sure what happens if she doesn't hatch any.
This is my first time with a broody, so I don't know what to expect. I have 8 eggs under my broody. Hope to get a couple at least. 18 days to go.
Question to everyone: if only one baby hatches, will they be ok without hatch-mates? I know it's bad to have one chick if you are raising by hand, but with a mom, it might be better???

The one chick would be fine while it's with the momma - however she will leave it around week 5 and it will be on it's own. By that time you can sometimes tell the sex and decide if you want to keep it or not. As long as the chick has fully integrated into the flock thru the broody and is able to find a friend to hang with it will be fine - but of course that depends on your flock dynamics, the chicks personality and the flock ages. It's always better for them to have two at least so that the two can look out for each other. Topsy only hatched one chick this past time -so I swiped a soon to hatch egg from Smokey and gave it to Topsy to hatch & raise. It's worked out well to have them both have two chicks each. I had one egg hatch in my bator - AC resulted - but I purchased two day olds to go with her and that worked out great.

She can break the broody or give her eggs to sit on again - just make sure she's fully hydrated and given supplemental vitamins, etc. to help keep her weight up and energy to sit another 21 days.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Here is a picture of our first chicks! She has 6 but one must be hiding..lol. We had 9 eggs in the clutch, one was not fertile, one was fully developed but did not hatch, and one hatched and she killed for some reason. So 6 is a nice number for her start with. They are SO cute!!

Awh! So cute!

 

[farmer boy]

hi guys i haven't posted on this for a bit this doesn't really have anything to do with hatching but everyone here knows chickens well so i wanted to ask .... i have a pair of old english game bantams/ frizzles ... the roo ignores the hen now and goes after my mille fleurs and my little game bantam hen is lonely and she can't eat because she is so scared of my bigger hens but my mille fleur pair are fine the hen is a little bigger then my game bantam hen but she does well i think it might be cause the roo is not with her to protect her and help her ... and my game bantam roo is more interested in my mille fleur hen and he is making my breeding stock bad so i wont get any pure bred's from my mille fleurs any ideas how i can help her and get him to stop mating with my mille fleur hen

 

[Johnn]

My orpington is still doing her broody cluck :/

 

[omaeve]

hi guys i haven't posted on this for a bit this doesn't really have anything to do with hatching but everyone here knows chickens well so i wanted to ask .... i have a pair of old english game bantams/ frizzles ... the roo ignores the hen now and goes after my mille fleurs and my little game bantam hen is lonely and she can't eat because she is so scared of my bigger hens but my mille fleur pair are fine the hen is a little bigger then my game bantam hen but she does well i think it might be cause the roo is not with her to protect her and help her ... and my game bantam roo is more interested in my mille fleur hen and he is making my breeding stock bad so i wont get any pure bred's from my mille fleurs any ideas how i can help her and get him to stop mating with my mille fleur hen

PUT THEM IN A BREEDING CAGE AND LET THEM FREE RANGE IN THE RUN BUFORE YOU LET THE OTHER BIRDS OUT

 

[Chicken Frenzie]

Hang in there! It ain't over till its over

My Topsy has hatched late both times. She likes to make me worry.

Alright! Nothing yet... I was really sad . I was talking to the egg, cupped in my hand, and it wiggled!!! I put it under the broody fast!!! So, if they wiggle.. about how many hours until they hatch? Haha.... my mom thought it was supposed to hatch tomorrow, but I thought today. OH well.....