Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[lawatt]

A lot of people put the chick food under a stool or something similar so only the chicks can reach it.

I switch everyone to grower and provide a separate bowl for calcium.

The problem with the first method is that the mother hen has a tendency to provide pieces of food for the babies and break them up for them. What if she feeds them the layer? Then the babies are getting too much calcium which can cause developmental issues.

If everyone had grower, they can all eat the same food.

got it, that makes a lot of sense. thank you!!

 

[Johnn]

Day 14 today, next Saturday is the big day, wish me luck!, I'm going to need it.

 

[OHfarmerswife]

Day 14 today, next Saturday is the big day, wish me luck!, I'm going to need it.

wishping you lots of luck!!!
Day 9 here for incubator, feeling sorry for these babies as they won't have a momma! : (
Day 6 for 2ND broody!

 

[Johnn]

wishping you lots of luck!!!
Day 9 here for incubator, feeling sorry for these babies as they won't have a momma! : (
Day 6 for 2ND broody!

Thanks and good luck to you to!, I'm so scared because I don't think they will hatch and I don't really know what to do fi they don't hatch. And chicks can be given to a mama between 0-4 days old, so if there is only 3 days between them maybes you could sneak them in!

 

[OHfarmerswife]

Thanks and good luck to you to!, I'm so scared because I don't think they will hatch and I don't really know what to do fi they don't hatch. And chicks can be given to a mama between 0-4 days old, so if there is only 3 days between them maybes you could sneak them in!

hopefully it will go better than you think!
thanks for the suggestion, I will give it a try!

 

[karlamaria]

I removed my broody twice a day to eat & drink. She hatched all 8!

My second broody is just starting, using the same routine.....she is sitting on 9.....hope it works again.

we also take our birds off the nest, she will have none of it be runs back on. She did get off today and there was a huge commotion , the mama to the chicks got on her eggs lol, left te babies and got on the nest. Talk about a fickle bird. Likes to lay not to raise had a daughter in law like that, loved being pregnant crappy mother. I got both babies with in weeks of birth. some are made for being parents, some just like going through the motions

 

[OHfarmerswife]

Just candled my silver ameraucana eggs. Out of 7 4 look viable!

Will candle again on day 14, then cull the duds.
Any suggestions?
My first time with an incubator.

 

[Johnn]

My Orpington has got into a really annoying habit. The moment I arrive to feed them, she is just getting back on the eggs after being off. She then gets off again to get some food. Are the eggs ok being left cold for 5 minutes, that's about how long she was off them when I was there and when I felt them when she got off, they had just went cold. Its due date on Saturday, really hope she hasn't screwed up. I will be shutting her broody coop's pop hole on Friday to keep Bella out (the chick from last year), she goes in to lay her egg and she's the type of idiot hen that will attack chicks to make sure they know who is boss.

 

[karlamaria]

well here is the broodys batch she hatched out last weekend. the gal was unsure what the eggs were as far as breeds, most were white eggs, one was blue, and a few were brown. rooster was a big white one lol, and she says she has barred rocks, RIR and so fourth. not sure what they are, but man 4 out of six are sure flighty and run amuck ! She said she had white birds also, Im assuming these may be leghorns. As you can see, a few have black spots on them, but only a few.wondering what they weill turn out to look like.

this is the next broody mama that will hatch out friday. I had to protect her from the other mama wanting to sit on her eggs. Today they fought over them and one died.

 

[melissaG]

My two broodies sitting on my Call Duck eggs:

Those are two gorgeous ladies!!! Good Luck with the duck(s)