Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Rachel'sFlock]

Question for you. Were the eggs you hatched this summer from your own chickens or did you have any shipped eggs?

From my own hens. Hatched 5, 3 are roos

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

I have not yet been brave enough to try shipped eggs. I hatched eggs from my flock and bought some from other BYC friends that are in my "area" so I was able to go pick them up and handle them my self. I have both used broodies and incubated them.
Hearing way to many horror stories about shipped eggs to put any money into any yet my self. But I have heard many great stories about them as well, I am just no there yet.
Are you trying shipped eggs or is any one here?

Next clutch of eggs I put beneath my broody will be shipped eggs.
My plan is to improve my flock with some heritage Black Australorps. My hatchery mutt BA Mum will happily hatch them for me.
Fingers crossed for successful shipping, but I will be ordering from some folks who have very high quality chooks, and have a reputation for doing a good job on shipping.

 

[pysankigirl]

how many eggs can a normal sized hen keep warm enough to hatch this time of year if she doesn't have to keep them warm until they are 6 weeks old (I can remove some and brood them in my house)

situation: I put 6 eggs under my broody. I broke another egg open to see if it was fertile and it wasn't so I paniced and had someone send me more eggs..which I put under her but then I candled and some of the first eggs are growing! so I have...like...12 eggs under her currently and I put a heat lamp in the coop so she didn't have to fight the cold too.

is that too many?

I am hoping I can find a bator by the time the first ones hatch and the second set I can finish out in the bator? does that sound like it'd work?

I wish another hen would go broody now!!!!

 

[gabrielle1976]

Looks like that was a fast expement , I wasnt gonna move her until my bator was open incase she woudnt set after I did, well at some point two eggs got out of the nest and she was only sitting on two both were cold, So I tried moveing her to her own place with the eggs but she woudnt set on them so I made her a nest box and put her back into the big cage and put the eggs in the nest box and she wont go in there. So how long should I give her to go set back down ? If the eggs were only heated over night and cooled this morning can I warm them up again?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Next clutch of eggs I put beneath my broody will be shipped eggs.
My plan is to improve my flock with some heritage Black Australorps. My hatchery mutt BA Mum will happily hatch them for me.
Fingers crossed for successful shipping, but I will be ordering from some folks who have very high quality chooks, and have a reputation for doing a good job on shipping.

Mine were shipped and I only had 1 out of 7 hatch. That being said, I know folks have much better rates than that. I think it has as much to do w/who at the post office is handling them.

I'm scrambling right now trying to find someone w/in driving distance to get a few "hatch-mates" to add to the nest under mom so this little one isn't all by itself. Hopefully some doors will open up here soon.

Today I put a little food in the front of the box and mom called baby to come out. Interesting...those of you who have done this before will know.... the "language" mom uses is quite different depending on what she's communicating. There's definitely a "come out here for some food right now" thing she says.

Baby came right out and mom started breaking up some larger pieces of scrambled egg that was mixed in w/the ff I put there for them. It is SO AMAZING to watch this hatchery mom - who didn't have a mom raise her - talking w/this baby and "fixing" food for it so it can eat smaller pieces.

 

[gabrielle1976]

So she is finnly in the nest i cant see the eggs so i hope she is sitting on them but i know now i wont be able to isolate her she is to destreed being away from the others . what should i do?

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Mine were shipped and I only had 1 out of 7 hatch. That being said, I know folks have much better rates than that. I think it has as much to do w/who at the post office is handling them.

I'm scrambling right now trying to find someone w/in driving distance to get a few "hatch-mates" to add to the nest under mom so this little one isn't all by itself. Hopefully some doors will open up here soon.

Today I put a little food in the front of the box and mom called baby to come out. Interesting...those of you who have done this before will know.... the "language" mom uses is quite different depending on what she's communicating. There's definitely a "come out here for some food right now" thing she says.

Baby came right out and mom started breaking up some larger pieces of scrambled egg that was mixed in w/the ff I put there for them. It is SO AMAZING to watch this hatchery mom - who didn't have a mom raise her - talking w/this baby and "fixing" food for it so it can eat smaller pieces.

Isn't Ideal hatchery close to you? I'm sure they have some friends for your baby. Maybe a chance to get some BAs for your flock! You could have loads of pretty brown eggs by Mother's Day!

I am continually astounded the way first time broody Moms know exactly what to do, from turning the eggs beneath them, to teaching their chicks how to be chickens, not having had a broody to teach them.
Nature is forever amazing!

 

[retiredwithchicks]

Did you move her at night? I moved one night before last and did it after dark and she sat right where I put her. I had tried in the summer to move the same one and it didn't work. SO, from now on, night moves.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Isn't Ideal hatchery close to you? I'm sure they have some friends for your baby. Maybe a chance to get some BAs for your flock! You could have loads of pretty brown eggs by Mother's Day!

The only Ideal that I know of is in Texas and I'm in Indiana.

I think I found a GOOD, recommended source for some chicks a couple hours south of me. Just waiting to hear back on what she has available...

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

The only Ideal that I know of is in Texas and I'm in Indiana.

I think I found a GOOD, recommended source for some chicks a couple hours south of me. Just waiting to hear back on what she has available...

Oh, sorry, friend! hah! That's not close at all!
I'm so glad you have a chance to find friends for the new peep!