Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[pinkyglory123]

After collecting eggs that are under broodys that I found developing after opening-twice-I now mark the eggs with a black magic marker. have never had problems and everything else-pencil etc wears off. I was totally traumatized opening an egg that was going to develop.

I had three of eight ebay blue splash cochin eggs hatch yesterday. one was fluffy but dead in the nest-first time mom. I seem to fairly regularly lose one that way and am not sure what happens? Probably have some more today. Silky and a silky frizzle mom. Cannot figure out how to avoid those losses-tough when you lose them when they hatch but Mom's are stuck fast on nest so figure they have they best opportunity possible to hatch and thrive.

About the polish-I hatched six off ebay. They are all feathered out and appear to have one brain among them! They never go anywhere alone and shriek when separated! They are lovely.

 

[Johnn]

Do chickens know who their family is? My mother hen has left her chicks and since then, the hens chick from last year Bella has took a liking to them. She is usually really nasty to hens below her and even some hens above her! But with the chicks she lets them hang around with her, share the feeder with her and drink with her. I think they even sleep with her because she sleeps on the floor. Bella is actually a really nasty hen and attacked them when they were young but now she likes them. I wonder if she know they are her siblings...

 

[Donna Lynn]

Today is day 21 for me. I went to open up the coop. I checked on my broody, but I did not here any peeping. I'm afraid to move her since she is in a sideways bucket and it's tight. It disturbs the eggs when I pull her out of there. Poor thing is so hungry. I keep food & water right beside her. Should I move her to check on progress?

 

[Johnn]

Today is day 21 for me. I went to open up the coop. I checked on my broody, but I did not here any peeping. I'm afraid to move her since she is in a sideways bucket and it's tight. It disturbs the eggs when I pull her out of there. Poor thing is so hungry. I keep food & water right beside her. Should I move her to check on progress?

People say not to, but i do. If you do, just make sure its quick! Treat it like a incubator, you can keep it open for too long when removing hatched chicks!

 

[Donna Lynn]

Thanks Johnn, I was thinking I would wait until mid-day when it is warmer. I'm in the Sierra Nevada foothills in California and it's cooler this morning. I figure it needs to be warmer just in case one has hatched or is pipping. I don't hear any peeping at all, is that normal?

 

[Johnn]

Thanks Johnn, I was thinking I would wait until mid-day when it is warmer. I'm in the Sierra Nevada foothills in California and it's cooler this morning. I figure it needs to be warmer just in case one has hatched or is pipping. I don't hear any peeping at all, is that normal?

I only ever heard my eggs peeping when I tapped on the egg. Don't worry about the weather, obviously it is better to do it when its warmer but if you do it quick, it will do no harm.

 

[chickeneer45]

I have a new broody! I have got seven eggs under her and I am thinking about naming them after spices or maybe the seven dwarves... We'll see. On wednesday, I am putting seven in my incubator so it will be interesting to see how many hatch from both hatches!! So excited!!! I am wondering though, the eggs in the incubator will hatch five or six days after the broody... Would it be possible to sneak one or two of them in with the broody once they are a few days old? Thanks!

 

[chiqita]

Some broodies will take chicks that much later some won't. But be very careful if you try it.

 

[Nike]

Donna Lynn don't worry if they don't hatch on day 21! Mine hatched about five days late!!! It was scary! But the chicks that hatched are nice and healthy!

I have a question for you guys though, I have to sell my chicks eventually but I don't want to take them away from mom until she's done raising them so how long does that usually take? And what are some signs that I could tell she's done raising them? It's hard because they're all separated from the main coop so I'm not really sure.

 

[CGinJCMO]

Have 3 2-week old chicks roosting on the upper roost with Mama tonight. The other 3 are huddling together on the floor without Mama. Not sure how the three managed to get up so high but they were the first ones in the coop so I guess they had time to work their way up. Hopefully the 3 on the floor do OK until they can make it up too.

CG