Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[lawatt]

Is she a Cream Legbar or Cream Legbar cross? she reminds me of my Melow either way!

speedy is a full CL, but she didn't lay any of the eggs that she's hatching... but the chipmunk-y looking one is likely an icelandic/CL cross (icelandic hen, CL roo) -- and two of the dark ones are likely icelandic/marans crosses. one full marans egg has hatched so far, waiting on the other one -- and three bresse! plus one more icelandic cross.

 

[Johnn]

Is it odd for a broody to be more protective over the eggs than the chicks? When mine was broody, I couldn't get any were near her on those eggs but now she has chicks, she doesn't mind if I touch them, she just watches me. She does give evils to my hand if I touch them too much but still I just thought she would be more protective over the chicks. She was the same last year too!

 

[lawatt]

Is it odd for a broody to be more protective over the eggs than the chicks? When mine was broody, I couldn't get any were near her on those eggs but now she has chicks, she doesn't mind if I touch them, she just watches me. She does give evils to my hand if I touch them too much but still I just thought she would be more protective over the chicks. She was the same last year too!

don't know -- so far all of mine have been fairly tolerant of me poking around under them to check on eggs, and it's too soon to tell if they get more (or less?) aggressive once they are chicks? Speedy is actually my meanest chicken, i'm hoping motherhood mellows her out some...

 

[bumpercarr]

Is it odd for a broody to be more protective over the eggs than the chicks? When mine was broody, I couldn't get any were near her on those eggs but now she has chicks, she doesn't mind if I touch them, she just watches me. She does give evils to my hand if I touch them too much but still I just thought she would be more protective over the chicks. She was the same last year too!

Mine will let me walk around her chicks and look at them, but I can't touch them. As soon as I move my hand down towards them, she puffs up like a turkey and gets an evil look in her eye. I know it is only a matter of seconds before a hard peck is coming.

 

[lawatt]

arghh, speedy is already wandering off her nest in search of food, taking her four new babies with her but leaving the five remaining eggs behind... should i steal them & put them other Frances, who's stayed put in her nest with her four?

or should i stop being such a mother hen myself & just sit back & let her (hopefully) figure it out? (i did move the feeder thing to be right next to her nest box, so she can reach it without getting up) -- how long can an about-to-hatch egg sit unattended?

 

[Johnn]

If they are just about to hatch I wouldn't risk anymore than 20-30 mins. If she doesn't return, put them under the other broody or in a incubator if you have one.

 

[lawatt]

If they are just about to hatch I wouldn't risk anymore than 20-30 mins. If she doesn't return, put them under the other broody or in a incubator if you have one.

no incubator, and i fear it may have been longer than that by now -- but will try putting them under the other girl...

 

[Johnn]

no incubator, and i fear it may have been longer than that by now -- but will try putting them under the other girl...

Yep, just stick them under her. You have got nothing to loose now!!

 

[lawatt]

Yep, just stick them under her. You have got nothing to loose now!!

I ran down & collected all five remaining eggs -- put them in front of Frances & she immediately tucked them all underneath her, along with her four peeping araucana chicks -- only hope i wasn't too late!

edit: and here is a better picture of Frances with one of her foster araucanas:

 

[chickeneer45]

Wow... I am just really depressed right now. My first broody ever and today was her one week mark. I was going to candle them all today, but when I got home and checked on her she was sitting on three other eggs that weren't hers. The ten that were hers were still warm so I grabbed her and put her on the ten eggs hoping she hadn't been off long. Since I am new to broodies, maybe I did the wrong thing, but after a week of sitting, my broody hen just got up and walked outside the coop: clearly no longer broody. I am so upset. What am I supposed to do with ten eggs with developing chickens in them? I can't eat them, and they can't develop any further so I guess they will just die.... I am so sad. Should I just smash the eggs? I smashed two to see if they were developing after the incident and both had blood in them and I could see veins... I just don't know what to say.