Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[farmer boy]

my roo died he got crushed by a board .. we have this board up by the house blocking a hole under our house and a bird knocked it over or something and my mom found him this morning i feel bad he was a really good rooster never even got to mate or have chicks

 

[bobbieschicks]

my roo died he got crushed by a board .. we have this board up by the house blocking a hole under our house and a bird knocked it over or something and my mom found him this morning i feel bad he was a really good rooster never even got to mate or have chicks

Oh I'm so sorry. I'm sure he didn't suffer - it probably happened very quickly.

 

[Little Wing]

I have a hen that has been broody for two months now. She started sitting on an artificial egg so I put a couple of eggs under her. Then it seemed to grow by about an egg a day from the other hens. As she hatched them out I have taken them inside to the brooders. The eggs and chicks keep coming.SThere is usually 12 to 15 eggs under at all times. How long is it healthy for her to keep this up? Will she stop on her own? I enjoy the chicks but don't want her go down hill it being winter and all.

 

[farmer boy]

Oh I'm so sorry. I'm sure he didn't suffer - it probably happened very quickly.

ya my mom said she hoped it was quick ... but another bird knocked it over and killed up him but he was one of my first birds i raised from a chick ... and my alpha roo is already trying to take his girls

 

[bobbieschicks]

I have a hen that has been broody for two months now. She started sitting on an artificial egg so I put a couple of eggs under her. Then it seemed to grow by about an egg a day from the other hens. As she hatched them out I have taken them inside to the brooders. The eggs and chicks keep coming.SThere is usually 12 to 15 eggs under at all times. How long is it healthy for her to keep this up? Will she stop on her own? I enjoy the chicks but don't want her go down hill it being winter and all.

I would stop letting her hatch those extra eggs by marking all that are currently being sat on with a marker and then removing any that are new each day. She needs to have an end to it all - so once she hatches the last of them let her have the chicks she hatched at the end and be done with it. She will need extra protein to regain her strength - scrambled eggs are a good source.

Also - you may want to consider moving all those eggs into an incubator and candling them to see if they're developing. Give her some of the newest chicks to raise, especially if she's been sitting longer than 30 days already.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have four laying hens and no one is laying. I am hoping Pidge starts soon as I am hoping she goes broody soon after. She's a bantam Cochin from a very nice breeder, not a hatchery. And I plan on tempting her with a couple of wood eggs too.

Knowing Cochin bantams she probably won't need much coaching. lol

 

[Miss Lydia]

my roo died he got crushed by a board .. we have this board up by the house blocking a hole under our house and a bird knocked it over or something and my mom found him this morning i feel bad he was a really good rooster never even got to mate or have chicks

So sorry.

 

[Little Wing]

I would stop letting her hatch those extra eggs by marking all that are currently being sat on with a marker and then removing any that are new each day. She needs to have an end to it all - so once she hatches the last of them let her have the chicks she hatched at the end and be done with it. She will need extra protein to regain her strength - scrambled eggs are a good source.

Also - you may want to consider moving all those eggs into an incubator and candling them to see if they're developing. Give her some of the newest chicks to raise, especially if she's been sitting longer than 30 days already.

My incubators are full with Christmas Day and NYD Hatch-alongs. I think I will date them like you said and let her keep the last four or five. I'll try and step it up on the protein and greens too.
Thanks!

 

[Candyman]

I hatched 6 out of 11 under my broody hen and 20 out of 21 from incubator on 13th dec, all of them are with the broody now, she is teaching them to eat, soooooooooo cute!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I hatched 6 out of 11 under my broody hen and 20 out of 21 from incubator on 13th dec, all of them are with the broody now, she is teaching them to eat, soooooooooo cute!!

Beautiful chicks and mama, but i think you need a bigger box.

Congrats... can she keep 26 chicks under her?