Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[fisherlady]

Hello all... well I've spent more hours than I can count reading on this thread over the last couple of months because I was hoping to get a couple of broody hens come springtime.... well.... one of my hens decided not to wait and went broody a couple of weeks ago and we tried many, many times to get her back out with the rest but she wouldn't have anything to do with that!
She is a silkie so guess I should have known... that is actually why I picked up her and a couple of her silkie mix? flock mates last fall from a lady who was trying to sell off her birds.
I just didn't figure she'd go broody so soon.
Today we are planning on giving her some eggs to hatch out. I ordered 4 Australorp and 4 barred rock eggs from Meyer Hatchery They were delivered yesterday and have been 'resting', no obvious bubbles rolling around in them when I candled (though I am a total newbie at that so fingers crossed that I didn't screw that up)
I am planning to mark the eggs (actually number them I think) and give them to her later today. I have been practicing with her the last week. I have allowed her to sit on one egg a day (I marked it) and the next day I would take out the 1 day old egg when I got her out to eat and drink, then I would place a fresh egg in the nest in front of her after she had gotten back in. Each time she promptly checks it over then drags it under herself chirruppping at it the whole time like she is giving it a talking to for being a bad egg and trying to escape the nest!

Hoping all goes well and maybe in 3 wks or so I will have some 'fuzzy butt' pics to share! I'm trying to not get my hopes up with the time of year and this being our first attempt... but still

 

[gg706]

How cute!! I ordered a silver laced cochin hopefully to hatch some eggs for me if my wyandottes do not cooperate.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello all... well I've spent more hours than I can count reading on this thread over the last couple of months because I was hoping to get a couple of broody hens come springtime.... well.... one of my hens decided not to wait and went broody a couple of weeks ago and we tried many, many times to get her back out with the rest but she wouldn't have anything to do with that!
She is a silkie so guess I should have known... that is actually why I picked up her and a couple of her silkie mix? flock mates last fall from a lady who was trying to sell off her birds.
I just didn't figure she'd go broody so soon.
Today we are planning on giving her some eggs to hatch out. I ordered 4 Australorp and 4 barred rock eggs from Meyer Hatchery They were delivered yesterday and have been 'resting', no obvious bubbles rolling around in them when I candled (though I am a total newbie at that so fingers crossed that I didn't screw that up)
I am planning to mark the eggs (actually number them I think) and give them to her later today. I have been practicing with her the last week. I have allowed her to sit on one egg a day (I marked it) and the next day I would take out the 1 day old egg when I got her out to eat and drink, then I would place a fresh egg in the nest in front of her after she had gotten back in. Each time she promptly checks it over then drags it under herself chirruppping at it the whole time like she is giving it a talking to for being a bad egg and trying to escape the nest!

Hoping all goes well and maybe in 3 wks or so I will have some 'fuzzy butt' pics to share! I'm trying to not get my hopes up with the time of year and this being our first attempt... but still

Sounds to me like you've done your homework and your off to a great start, the only thing I see that maybe a problem is if she can sit 8 LF eggs, Hope so, and as far as temps, ever felt under neath a broody with your hand? it's warm as toast in there, Mama will take care of the chicks, all you have to do is supply feed and water. Let us know how it goes.

 

[groverlvchx]

so excited for you!! I'll be doing this in a year and a half. I plan to get some chicks from a hatchery to get my flock going and then let them self-propagate. Right now I have 12 mutts and 3 black orps. I don't know how many roosters...the youngest (mutts) were all hatched August 1 so you'd think I would see combs by now but the orps (3 hens that are laying--7 months old) all have bigger combs and wattles than the mutts.

They don't crow for me, either. I figure they want to remain incognito if they're roosters because they've heard the ratio is 10/1 and nobody wants to volunteer to go to freezer camp.

 

[arcy liger]

i was wondering that can i graph 10 day old chicks with a broody hen sitting on eggs and have two chicks (4 days).....
advance thanks for replies

 

[perchie.girl]

Hello all... well I've spent more hours than I can count reading on this thread over the last couple of months because I was hoping to get a couple of broody hens come springtime.... well.... one of my hens decided not to wait and went broody a couple of weeks ago and we tried many, many times to get her back out with the rest but she wouldn't have anything to do with that!
She is a silkie so guess I should have known... that is actually why I picked up her and a couple of her silkie mix? flock mates last fall from a lady who was trying to sell off her birds.
I just didn't figure she'd go broody so soon.
Today we are planning on giving her some eggs to hatch out. I ordered 4 Australorp and 4 barred rock eggs from Meyer Hatchery They were delivered yesterday and have been 'resting', no obvious bubbles rolling around in them when I candled (though I am a total newbie at that so fingers crossed that I didn't screw that up)
I am planning to mark the eggs (actually number them I think) and give them to her later today. I have been practicing with her the last week. I have allowed her to sit on one egg a day (I marked it) and the next day I would take out the 1 day old egg when I got her out to eat and drink, then I would place a fresh egg in the nest in front of her after she had gotten back in. Each time she promptly checks it over then drags it under herself chirruppping at it the whole time like she is giving it a talking to for being a bad egg and trying to escape the nest!

Hoping all goes well and maybe in 3 wks or so I will have some 'fuzzy butt' pics to share! I'm trying to not get my hopes up with the time of year and this being our first attempt... but still

I totally love that dry run idea......
deb

 

[Miss Lydia]

i was wondering that can i graph 10 day old chicks with a broody hen sitting on eggs and have two chicks (4 days).....
advance thanks for replies

I really don't think there is any way your hen or the 10 day old chicks would bond. and if you decide to try it anyway be there just in case she tries to kill them which she might.

 

[stonykill]

I really don't think there is any way your hen or the 10 day old chicks would bond. and if you decide to try it anyway be there just in case she tries to kill them which she might.

x2 I certainly would never take that risk. Most likely she will either kill them or leave them to die

 

[arcy liger]

how about 5days old chicks because mine are four

 

[arcy liger]

two more hatching ........