Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[delisha]

Can someone weigh in about timing? I've got a broody Silkie (Fancy Nancy), and a friend who has fertile Silkie eggs and Salmon Faverolle eggs that she is happy to share. (I'm so lucky!). I live in Western Massachusetts and it was so cold this week that I'm rethinking my plan of putting eggs under Fancy at the end of March.

I have one coop, 4'x8', with an attached run 8'x12'. Fancy is one of six hens. I also have three chicks on the way (Feb 17) that I'm brooding inside. I'm trying to plan when it's best to put eggs under Fancy to allow time for me to expand the coop or build a chicken tractor (or both) to allow for a bit of separation and integrate the groups slowly and safely. My issue isn't just how cold Fancy's chicks may be--or the three that I've ordered which will be feathered out and making a mess of my house by the end of April--I also want to keep in mind that I'll be doing some construction in the cold.

When would you put the eggs under Fancy?

First..you can't just put eggs under a chicken and expect them to hatch them out for you. The chicken needs to be broody and setting tight to the nest before you get the eggs. Some/most chickens never go broody.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Can someone weigh in about timing? I've got a broody Silkie (Fancy Nancy), and a friend who has fertile Silkie eggs and Salmon Faverolle eggs that she is happy to share. (I'm so lucky!). I live in Western Massachusetts and it was so cold this week that I'm rethinking my plan of putting eggs under Fancy at the end of March.

I have one coop, 4'x8', with an attached run 8'x12'. Fancy is one of six hens. I also have three chicks on the way (Feb 17) that I'm brooding inside. I'm trying to plan when it's best to put eggs under Fancy to allow time for me to expand the coop or build a chicken tractor (or both) to allow for a bit of separation and integrate the groups slowly and safely. My issue isn't just how cold Fancy's chicks may be--or the three that I've ordered which will be feathered out and making a mess of my house by the end of April--I also want to keep in mind that I'll be doing some construction in the cold.

When would you put the eggs under Fancy?

I would put fertile eggs under the broody once I'm sure she's broody. She will sit on fake eggs for some time, but not indefinitely. I have had my broodies sit on fake eggs for a couple of weeks before getting fertile eggs under them. She will sit well past 21 days, but I wouldn't want to put her body through too many long sitting times.

As far as timing goes, when you give her the fertile eggs you will start the 21 day count down to hatch.

This time I kept taking away my silky Topsy's eggs and not giving her any fakes. It took about two weeks for her to give up being broody. Had I slipped her eggs I'd be counting down to another hatch.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I would put fertile eggs under the broody once I'm sure she's broody. She will sit on fake eggs for some time, but not indefinitely. I have had my broodies sit on fake eggs for a couple of weeks before getting fertile eggs under them. She will sit well past 21 days, but I wouldn't want to put her body through too many long sitting times.

As far as timing goes, when you give her the fertile eggs you will start the 21 day count down to hatch.

This time I kept taking away my silky Topsy's eggs and not giving her any fakes. It took about two weeks for her to give up being broody. Had I slipped her eggs I'd be counting down to another hatch.

Also as far as integrating the groups and construction go, I would let the mom do the integrating and leave everyone in one coop until spring. My Silky broody likes to nest on the floor after the babies hatch. She prefers the nest box for hatching. She does a fine job of keeping her silky babies safe in my mixed breed coop (large fowl and bantam). In the spring you can take your time making the coop larger and moving groups around. During the winter I've noticed even the worst enemies will be quite friendly at 18F cold nights.

 

[Johnn]

Im not sure if my Orpington will go broody this year, i still think shes mothering Bella, shes been protecting her from other hens and wont go anywere with out her and they still sleep in the same shed and everything, do you think she is still acting like a mother to her or do yous think they are just like best friends or something? she better go broody again!!

 

[dorklingmomma]

my silkie hatched 1 egg at least 2 more are chirping in there egg yeaaa and thank you about the great advice of scrambled eggs the baby loves it

 

[Johnn]

my silkie hatched 1 egg at least 2 more are chirping in there egg yeaaa and thank you about the great advice of scrambled eggs the baby loves it

awww, what breed is the chick? looks quite big

 

[yammafarmer]

I would put the eggs under Fancy after you're all done and ready.
It's good motivation, but unnecessary stress to "get it done in time".
Good luck!

The practical info I likely need to listen to. I will try very hard to wait until I'm ready. It's so hard to wait. And thank you for the wish of luck. I've not facilitated any hatching before and I'll be nervous.

 

[yammafarmer]

First..you can't just put eggs under a chicken and expect them to hatch them out for you. The chicken needs to be broody and setting tight to the nest before you get the eggs. Some/most chickens never go broody.

All okay on that delisha. She's broody all right. I will make sure she's full on broody again though before I get the eggs. A false start would be crushing.

 

[yammafarmer]

I would put fertile eggs under the broody once I'm sure she's broody. She will sit on fake eggs for some time, but not indefinitely. I have had my broodies sit on fake eggs for a couple of weeks before getting fertile eggs under them. She will sit well past 21 days, but I wouldn't want to put her body through too many long sitting times.

As far as timing goes, when you give her the fertile eggs you will start the 21 day count down to hatch.

This time I kept taking away my silky Topsy's eggs and not giving her any fakes. It took about two weeks for her to give up being broody. Had I slipped her eggs I'd be counting down to another hatch.

Thank you bobbieschicks. How often does Topsy go broody? This is Fancy Nancy's first time, she's not quite yet a year old--I was surprised that she went broody during the winter.

 

[yammafarmer]

Also as far as integrating the groups and construction go, I would let the mom do the integrating and leave everyone in one coop until spring. My Silky broody likes to nest on the floor after the babies hatch. She prefers the nest box for hatching. She does a fine job of keeping her silky babies safe in my mixed breed coop (large fowl and bantam). In the spring you can take your time making the coop larger and moving groups around. During the winter I've noticed even the worst enemies will be quite friendly at 18F cold nights.

So you don't section off the mom and eggs? Fancy Nancy has set up shop in the nesting boxes a foot off the ground. I was thinking that I'd put her in a chicken wire cage of sorts with a nest inside the coop (at floor level) when all was ready to go. I wasn't sure what to do when the chicks hatched. Fancy is super sweet, but certainly not wimpy. Perhaps I should trust her to fend off any unwelcome attention from the other girls.