Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Jeevesrules]

My welsummer hen went broody this afternoon and so I'm am eying some fertile eggs for her tomorrow!! Hatch date will hopefully be 7th june!!! Anyone wanna be hatching buddies!! This is my first time hatching and it would be nice to have a buddy who is goin through the same thing!!

 

[wezl]

My broody has done a great job with her little one. She acted like she was still interested in sitting some eggs. I put some under her, and today she seemed very interested about getting on with chicken things. I put the eggs back in my bator. She was taking her little baby around with the other hens and everything was fine. Everytime one of the big girls or roo showed interest, she either went after them or covered the chick.
She's a little upset about it, but I caught the little one (a fast booger!) I felt I needed to spend time handling it. It's in with two comparable aged birds that are twice its size!

 

[stonykill]

Quote:
you took her baby from her?

 

[featherz]

My broody has about three days left on her eggs. 8 months old and steady as a rock. She's knocked out a bunch of eggs and has about 5 left under her - IF she hatches nothing and stays broody I have a pile of eggs in the bator due in about a week- will hopefully have chicks for her, just a bit late. Plus, she (or someone else) pecked into one egg that appeared viable but didn't get into the membrane - I taped it and put it in the bator.. just in case (it was booted out from under her already). Probably not much hope, but worth a shot.

 

[Miss Lydia]

3 days that would be the 19th featherz thats when mine are due to hatch...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
I am sure someone will be joining you Jeevesrules, congrats on your broody

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
you took her baby from her?

i hope they don't pick on it since it's so much smaller

I bet mama is very sad right now..

 

[Sudsy Chick]

Wow, gone to work for a while and several pages added! Lots of broody chickens - must be a good thing!

Quote:
Hatch day is the 24th (I think?) We put eggs under mama the evening of May 2nd - so figured it'd be the Tuesday since we put them under Monday night? I'm new to this

so hopefully I took the correct day off from work! Please tell me if I didn't!

The eggs I was concerned about were mixed back in when I checked today. I can easily tell which two the are - for now just keeping an eye on them and doing more research!

 

[Sudsy Chick]

Quote:
I'm sorry for your loss

and not looking forward to that part, especially with the kids who are older - but still sensitive. Part of life I guess...but still difficult. I hope the rest of your hatch goes smoothly.

 

[laughingull]

Day 23- still nothin but unhatched eggs and a determined hen. The good news is that the (I would say local but 45 min down the freeway aint exactly local) feedstore will have a baby chick delivery on wednesday. If dear Mrs Tiggywinkle holds out through day 25 I will pull the ol switcheroo on her Wed. night and giver her something fluffy. All I have to do is decide between Barred Rock, Rhode Island Red, Leghorn, Buff Orpington and Araucana (by which I'm guessing the feed store actually means some sort of Easter Egger)...Opinions? I am leaning toward Barred Rock, or maybe Buff Orpington, or the EE which is what the eggs were to begin with.
Now the questions...
1) Is one chick enough? Or is just one a bad idea??
2) Been reading that mama will do just fine in the coop with other hens... My coop isnt huge (floor = 8'x8'x8'x2.5' - I know strange shape) so about 42 sq feet. and I currently have 3 hens (including my broody) - is that enough space for momma and babe to take refuge from the others? Also how many chickens could the coop comfortably hold??