Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

So, I have a Bantam Wyandotte. Every night, I find her snuggling with my newest edition to my Bantam flock- Almost like a broody would. Normally, if the Wyandotte was lower ranking on the pecking order, this wouldn't be a weird. She's second- And the one she snuggles with is last. The Serama is probably about half her sizes and still chirps like a chick.
I'm wondering that if I left some eggs in the nest would she go broody? As far as I know, she never has. I got her from a show in August.

Couldn't hurt to try, let us know what happens. and how sweet it's like she has adopted your new bantam.

 

[perchie.girl]

Hello! New to this thread and working through it. Just received hatching eggs in the mail. How long to y'all recommend letting them rest (point side down) before giving to the broody? Some say 12 hours...is that enough?


And...is 7 too many to put under an 8 mo RIR?

I heard twenty four hours..... But then its been a while....

Oh and welcome to the thread.... LOTS of info.

deb

 

[stonykill]

Where are her chicks when she goes back to the nest box? I don't think she's gone broody again but boy they sure can fall in love with their nest box.

x2

 

[Leahs Mom]

Hello! New to this thread and working through it. Just received hatching eggs in the mail. How long to y'all recommend letting them rest (point side down) before giving to the broody? Some say 12 hours...is that enough?


And...is 7 too many to put under an 8 mo RIR?

I heard twenty four hours..... But then its been a while....

Oh and welcome to the thread.... LOTS of info.

deb

Well...so far I've heard 8 hours, 24 hours, 12 hours, and a "couple" hours!

Someone advised me to candle them to see the air sac and see if it stayed in the large part or if it was moving around. I took a light to them but I can't discern a thing

so that didn't do me any good!!!!

Maybe I should add up all those numbers and average them

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Leah's mom- it can vary. When I candled my eggs to see if the sacks had reattached I went into my laundry room since it is the only room with two doors and no windows. It was the only place dark enough that I could see what was going on. I also put the candler at an angle right next to where the edge of the air sack should have been ( about an inch down from the fat end). It just looked like a line when I did it. Tilt the egg; if the sack noticeably moves, give them four more hours at least. If it shifts but doesn't really move be careful not to jar them and place them with the broody.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: LOL Hoookayyy.. thats 15.33333 hours.... LOL. I betcha It depends on how long a distance they have traveled and how they have been handled. Hee hee seriously Id err in the side of caution. You have a couple of days window to set them.

Oh and I seriously suck at candling..... join the club.

deb

 

[Leahs Mom]

LOL Hoookayyy.. thats 15.33333 hours.... LOL. I betcha It depends on how long a distance they have traveled and how they have been handled. Hee hee seriously Id err in the side of caution. You have a couple of days window to set them.

Oh and I seriously suck at candling..... join the club.

deb

15.33333 Hours it is, then!

 

[cluckcluckluke]

My Mathilda "clook clooked" until the babies were about 9 weeks old. She did not leave their side, tho.

Where are her chicks when she goes back to the nest box? I don't think she's gone broody again but boy they sure can fall in love with their nest box.

Rachel- Yeah that's what she does, but my broody has not much interest in the chicks if they dont want to get pecked by the older hens they are the ones who have to hide under mum, mum wont defend them much. I'm trying to get the chicks to be "friends" with my older 8 week old motherless Wyndottes but they just want mum but mum doesn't want them

.
Lydia- The chicks are in with her when she goes to the nest box they follow her everywhere she makes no effort to help them get in to the nest box, they have to try there hardest to get in with her.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Rachel- Yeah that's what she does, but my broody has not much interest in the chicks if they dont want to get pecked by the older hens they are the ones who have to hide under mum, mum wont defend them much. I'm trying to get the chicks to be "friends" with my older 8 week old motherless Wyndottes but they just want mum but mum doesn't want them

.
Lydia- The chicks are in with her when she goes to the nest box they follow her everywhere she makes no effort to help them get in to the nest box, they have to try there hardest to get in with her.

Is this her first brood? Maybe she isn't a great Mum. Or maybe she is just young. I don't know. Both my broodies were first-timers and they would have faced down a dragon to save their babies. They also wouldn't go anywhere their babies couldn't go. They were obsessed with their chicks.
But those 2 hens are my only experiences with broodies.
Are they safe without her protection? Have you considered brooding them artificially?
I'm sure someone with more experience than me will chime in with some ideas.
Fingers crossed for the little nuggets!

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Is this her first brood? Maybe she isn't a great Mum. Or maybe she is just young. I don't know. Both my broodies were first-timers and they would have faced down a dragon to save their babies. They also wouldn't go anywhere their babies couldn't go. They were obsessed with their chicks.
But those 2 hens are my only experiences with broodies.
Are they safe without her protection? Have you considered brooding them artificially?
I'm sure someone with more experience than me will chime in with some ideas.
Fingers crossed for the little nuggets!

I'm not sure shes at least nearly 1 year old i got her of some one about 4 months ago and I think this is probably her first hatch ever though. The chicks are 3 weeks old so they are pretty good at running away form bullies and can fly reasonably well they are White Leghorns so there wings are 3 times the size of there bodies

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