Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Pyxis]

Penny's got, at max, four days left on her eggs. I'm not entirely sure which day she started sitting 'round the clock, but I know that by the 11th she was glued to the nest, so the 2nd is the latest possible hatch date. I'm so excited for chickies!!

 

[chickeneer45]

Congrats! How many eggs is she sitting on?

 

[Pyxis]

She's got eleven. I'm not sure how many will hatch because I let her be and didn't candle. So it'll be a surprise!

 

[groverlvchx]

She's got eleven. I'm not sure how many will hatch because I let her be and didn't candle. So it'll be a surprise!

I have one that's on 7 who was due Wednesday (still no hatchlings) and another broody who is on 11 and due this weekend. SO hard to wait!! I don't candle, either. I smell something rotten, but they're both on lockdown so I can't check.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Ok so one of my broodies chicks are 3 1/2 months old. She is still trying to cater them. We think she may never let them go. LOL! I have someone that's going to buy them. Is it ok of they do?

The momma usually abandons them at the 4 week mark. They should be hardy enough to huddle together for warmth now if needed.

 

[bobbieschicks]

One of the eggs in my incubator hatched. I'm shocked cause the eggs where lost in the mail for a week. Then the broody pooped all over them. I took them from the broody a week ago when I gave her chicks from the broody that quit. Now I don't know what to do with the chick. Will one if the moms accept it if I sneak it in their best at night or no? All the other chicks are a week old. Ugh.

There's a high probability they will accept it especially if the mom is a silkie.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I have a broody that started roosting on the highest roost with three chicks and the other 3 stayed in the nest area.  The next night 4 were up on the roost, but this time she was on the lowest rung.  The chicks are 2 to 2 1/2 weeks old (4 day spread from oldest to youngest hatched).  The third night, 3 were back on the floor again. 
I also had the broody checking out the nest boxes today (ran one hen that just got done laying out of a box) so I wonder if she's already thinking of being done.
CG

When the broody gets up on the roost she is both showing her young where to go and helping establish their place in the pecking order. Usually the mom will not stay up if any of the babies are left below. She will keep trying though and usually by 4 weeks old the babies are on their own, either on the roost or floor.

 

[Jharper]

The momma usually abandons them at the 4 week mark. They should be hardy enough to huddle together for warmth now if needed.

Ohh they are almost as big as she is. LOL! She is never going to get rid of them we believe.

 

[Jharper]

My BA is a horrible mother! She hatched some more out during the night and she keeps leaving the others. So I let her out and she just abandons the last three eggs and the last chick to hatch. So I put them in the incubator and candled them and two of the three were moving around in the air cell.

 

[incubatingisfun]

My roundhead hen has been broody for the last 3 weeks just found the nest yesterday under one of our old trucks lifted her up and there where 13 eggs under her

sadly no roo so they are not fertile but i just bought some eggs online so if she is still broody ill give her some of those not sure if she is going to sit for another 21 days though