Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

Well I think my broody silkie is...um...not really getting it. I put eggs under her and they always end up out from underneath her. I think I might just break her because I don't think this is gonna work. That and will she fight with the other mom when her chicks hatch? I had planned on giving them both eggs at the same time.

Yeah, probably gonna break her :\

Silky is synonymous with broody so its weird to get one that doesn't do "momma" well- but it happens. My Topsy I gave away was a great broody. But Fluffy was no as keen to be a broody. Fluffy was young, but older than Topsy had been when she started brooding chicks.

I would try with fake eggs. If she won't take the bait, then I would move to another hen and let her just be a layer for eating eggs.

 

[Johnn]

relief! just got home & she is sitting quite contentedly in her nest, and didn't get up when i arrived on the scene to check things out -- so i think all is well. hurrah!! thanks so much for the encouragement!

That's great!

 

[Phoenix Farms]

Tomorrow's week two for the eggs under my hens! I candled and all twelve are forming. My bantam Buff Cochin hen and small Phoenix hen are the mommas now. They both have 6 bantam sized eggs under them. 10 Phoenix eggs and 2 Porcelain D'uccle eggs. We also have as standard black Cochin with 6 giant RIR eggs. She started with 8 but two have disappeared from under her. She isn't separated like the bantams because I don't want the larger momma and chicks with the bantam hens and chicks. We tried that awhile ago and all the bantam chicks died and the little mom gave up.

 

[Johnn]

Tomorrow's week two for the eggs under my hens! I candled and all twelve are forming. My bantam Buff Cochin hen and small Phoenix hen are the mommas now. They both have 6 bantam sized eggs under them. 10 Phoenix eggs and 2 Porcelain D'uccle eggs. We also have as standard black Cochin with 6 giant RIR eggs. She started with 8 but two have disappeared from under her. She isn't separated like the bantams because I don't want the larger momma and chicks with the bantam hens and chicks. We tried that awhile ago and all the bantam chicks died and the little mom gave up.

Oooo!, I'm one day behind you! I will be on week 2 on Sat. Good Luck with your eggs!

 

[hokankai]

Silky is synonymous with broody so its weird to get one that doesn't do "momma" well- but it happens. My Topsy I gave away was a great broody. But Fluffy was no as keen to be a broody. Fluffy was young, but older than Topsy had been when she started brooding chicks.

I would try with fake eggs. If she won't take the bait, then I would move to another hen and let her just be a layer for eating eggs.

Yeah she's just not getting it. The infertile eggs I give her are always pushed out from underneath her in a few hours. She just wants to hunker down in the run and sit on nothing...which is a waste since she was laying very well. She also acts schizophrenic now that she's broody. She looks around up high like she's looking for something and then chases the hen that's closest to her. Weird!

I don't need an unstable mother raising my chicks

 

[Phoenix Farms]

Oooo!, I'm one day behind you! I will be on week 2 on Sat. Good Luck with your eggs!

Oh cool! Good luck with your eggs also! What breeds do you have that are being brooded?

 

[lawatt]

my first broody (of four!) is "due" this sunday or so -- the next is a week from the following monday, the third just started her eggs this tuesday afternoon so she's got 20 days to go, and the last will be getting her eggs today when they arrive in the mail, so 21 days from tomorrow. or so.

and in case of interest, the breeds: i've got a few marans eggs (2 black copper, one birchen), four swedish flower hens, a whole bunch of auracanas, an assortment of cream legbars, icelandics, and bresse, and arriving in the mail today are isbar eggs -- plus a few project-bird eggs from various sources.

and this is my first-ever hatching! so excited to see how everyone turns out! although still need to work out a plan for the baby chicks once they hatch, as the hatching box that three broodies are in is elevated off the henhouse floor by about 8 inches... need to make a little ramp.

 

[Johnn]

Oh cool! Good luck with your eggs also! What breeds do you have that are being brooded?

I need extra good luck because it's the first time using my own since having another cockerel and the other 80 eggs I tried to hatch of my own were not fertile!
This is how the breeds should be because I think my old cockerel is infertile so it should be:
Cuckoo Maran Roo:

Crossed with 2 of Bella's eggs (Buff Orpington):

Crossed with one of the broodies own eggs (Buff Orpington):

Crossed with one of Daisy's eggs (Buff Orpington):

Crossed with two of my mix breeds eggs:

Crossed with one of my Ancona bantams eggs (I will be very, very shocked if this hatched because I think he is too big to mate her):

I kind of think she has screwed it up though because she keeps leaving some uncovered. Although if she does fail I put eggs under her on the second day of being broody so I could probably get away with setting some more. What breeds are you hoping will hatch?

 

[Phoenix Farms]

I need extra good luck because it's the first time using my own since having another cockerel and the other 80 eggs I tried to hatch of my own were not fertile! This is how the breeds should be because I think my old cockerel is infertile so it should be: Cuckoo Maran Roo: Crossed with 2 of Bella's eggs (Buff Orpington): Crossed with one of the broodies own eggs (Buff Orpington): Crossed with one of Daisy's eggs (Buff Orpington): Crossed with two of my mix breeds eggs: Crossed with one of my Ancona bantams eggs (I will be very, very shocked if this hatched because I think he is too big to mate her): I kind of think she has screwed it up though because she keeps leaving some uncovered. Although if she does fail I put eggs under her on the second day of being broody so I could probably get away with setting some more. What breeds are you hoping will hatch?

Those chickens sure are pretty! I have 2 Porcelain D'Uccle eggs that I got from a breeder and 10 Silver Phoenix eggs bred right here. Each hen has six so I'm hoping for a good hatch!

 

[shellyk]

I have a little partridge chantecler hen thats been broody forever and we can't seem to break her of it. Today at the feed store they had 2 day old chicks so I thought I'd see if she would adopt them. I brought 2 home and set her up in a nesting area off by herself in the barn and then gave her the chicks, I lifted up her wing and tucked them underneath and she settled down so happily that I went back to the store for 6 more chicks!! She's got them all under her now and she's purring contentedly making all the new chicken mom noises to them. I'm so pleased, it's the best of both worlds, broody raised chicks and they're all pullets!! Hopefully all will go well and she turns out to be a good mom.
I think that these extremely determined broodies are maybe the best moms?