Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Shellz]

I use Sharpies here in Canada. I just wouldn't recommend using the color red. All are labeled non-toxic & birds in general, have weakened sense of smell. Or use a pencil - they have no lead in them these days.

 

[showbarnmom]

I used a sharpie lol

 

[tinamommy727]

Hi everyone! I have a 1 1/2 year old silkie and she has gone broody. This is my first experience with this. I was wondering how I was going to intergrate the chicks with the coop. So far I have just let her sit on the eggs and I candled a few of them, I'm seeing veins and the little dark spot so all is going well. How many times does a hen go broody? Will all my chickens act like this? I have 13, a mixture of buff orpington, austrolorp, EE's Silkies, leghorn. Do different breeds of chickens go broody and some don't? I'm going to have to move her, because the other chickens are just too curious. Will it make her stop sitting on the eggs if I move her? Should I move her to a cat carrier? any advice would be great!

 

[promiseacres]

Got my fingers crossed. My orphington hen went broody again so I ordered some eggs....moved her to the brood box with a nest and fake eggs til they get here Tuesday! Cant wait! This will be my first hatch. And hers.

 

[thechooks22]

I have a turkey hen who went broody on 13 of her eggs and i added 6 mixed bantam, 4 Large sliver laced wyandotte eggs and she still has lots of space under her ....the chicken eggs are due on the 30th and the turkey eggs are due on the 4th ...
They are going to be the first turkey babies so we are verry excited

 

[hotrodflash]

I've got a question about marking eggs. This is my first time hatching and I don't want to interfere too much. Does it matter what type of marker I use? I have some sharpies but I'm worried they will hurt the eggs or the fumes will deter the broody hen from her eggs. Any advice is good advice.

I use a red sharpie and put 2 large X's on the side of the eggs. I connect the X's at the top and bottom so I can see the mark at a glance.

 

[chickydee64]

Hi everyone! I have a 1 1/2 year old silkie and she has gone broody. This is my first experience with this. I was wondering how I was going to intergrate the chicks with the coop. So far I have just let her sit on the eggs and I candled a few of them, I'm seeing veins and the little dark spot so all is going well. How many times does a hen go broody? Will all my chickens act like this? I have 13, a mixture of buff orpington, austrolorp, EE's Silkies, leghorn. Do different breeds of chickens go broody and some don't? I'm going to have to move her, because the other chickens are just too curious. Will it make her stop sitting on the eggs if I move her? Should I move her to a cat carrier? any advice would be great!

Hi,
Hope I can help.
First , welcome.I see you are new....
Next.#1. It is up to the hen, some go broody regularly..some only do 1 hatch and that's it..............No way to predict.it's all their decision.
#2.....Very unlikely. I have 18 hens............5 went broody..................
#3.Some breeds are more inclined to be broody...Silkies as an example are generally very broody. Leg horns rarely.
#4.......Just depends on the hen and how long she has been setting..........the other chickens won't hurt her but they will likely lay eggs in her nest. This can be confusing...............mark her eggs so you can tell which ones she should have.
#5.I use a dog kennel..is the cat carrier big enough for her?????? I also use cardboard boxes.(which my hens love) with hay in them.

Most important, trust your broody, they really do know what they are doing.....Good Luck
And come back with questions if you need to............That's how we all acquire our skills.................

 

[thechooks22]

I just candled the eggs under my turkey (13 turkey,5 Large Silved wyandotte, and 6 Mixed Bantam eggs) and i think they are all developing except 1! ..... i cant wait for them to hatch!
My eggs have always had good hatch rates but never this good ....and i just found out my goose is starting to lay her clutch

 

[3 NH reds]

I am sad 2 of my chicks hatched only to be squished by the broody mum

That is sad, sorry to hear it. I have a Broody Jersey Giant that is like that. Second time this year she has been broody. First time around day 17 she was off the nest because she broke the eggs. This time she broke eggs in week one but then stole her sisters eggs. She plucked her self to brood and this time she is out on the floor and not in a small box so I hope this will work. She keeps on taking eggs and I gave her a few fake ones. We have eggs in the incubator for her, I want this to be over.

HI all...have a light brahma bantum who went broody and wouldn't STOP (nothing worked) so...we gave her some eggs to sit on, put her in our tractor and...well, there she sits. Been about 2 weeks. Kinda excited if the eggs DO hatch; they will be part olive egger part...um...something (all our roos are mix breeds...)

Anyway, few questions:

1. not sure the eggs were fertile...the olive egger only started laying about a month ago. So, if they aren't? Will she just sit there forever or will she get the hint after a while and just leave them?

2. Candeling: I don't have a "candeler"...so, can I use a flashlight? How...and how do I get the eggs from her...and how long do I have to do it before it could cause an issue to the egg?

3. She was given THREE eggs...now, she's only sitting on two. Um...where'd the other one go? (it's not in the tractor that I can see)

Thanks

She ate the one egg. They do this if there is a bad egg. I do not candle eggs under a bird. The stress can make them leave the eggs. With the Bloom on the eggs they hold well. If thee is a rotten egg she will get rid of it. The less you bother her the better it will go. My broody Jersey will attack if you go near her I had a Broody Orpington last year that would not leave some bad eggs sold to me as fertile but they were not. I had to pull her off. This was batch two of bad egggs, batch one was mail order, batch two was local. She lost weight and was looking bad.

I've got a question about marking eggs. This is my first time hatching and I don't want to interfere too much. Does it matter what type of marker I use? I have some sharpies but I'm worried they will hurt the eggs or the fumes will deter the broody hen from her eggs. Any advice is good advice.

When I marked eggs before I got a egg turner for the incubator I used a China marker, no scent and non toxic.

 

[Johnn]

My dog was running around after Daisy and her chick trying to sniff the chick until Daisy got fed up and lunged forward and grabbed his ear and give it a good pull!

I'm sure my broody Orpington has some serious issues. She is sitting in the middle nest box (for now, she has changed 3 times) and when I opened the door her chick from this year got scared and went and perched on the front of the end nest box. My broody wasn't happy (even though it wasn't on her box) and screamed. The chick didn't move, so she lunged forward and tried to peck it but missed and then when the chick was looking away, she lunged forward again and got a hold of it and like dragged it back with her so it fell in the nest box and then she started pecking it until t escaped!