Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Pyxis]

If a dog attacked my birds the owner would get one warning, if the dog came round again and resulted in the death of my birds like almost any other predator that came on my land it would be shot, sounds harsh to some but I raised a lot of these from eggs and no dog is gona mess with them.

I'm trying very hard to be nice about it, sine everyone around here lets their dogs run loose, which is fine if they don't kill other peoples' pets. But the dog is at two strikes - one more strike and he's out. If he wasn't such a friendly dog to people I would have done it already.

 

[Johnn]

Daisy and baby

 

[Johnn]

This is Sooks and her clutch she has
12 Turkey eggs due on the 3rd
6 Silver laced wyandotte eggs due on the 29th
6 mixed Bantam eggs due on the 26th

Aww I love Turkeys! It it not risky having the eggs hatch time so far apart?

 

[Jharper]

Aww I love Turkeys! It it not risky having the eggs hatch time so far apart?

It's is because the hens will leave them after a while.

 

[luvmychicken]

I think I have a broody hen. I gave her 6 golf balls to see if a she is gonna stay broody. If so I am gonna give her a few of my eggs no that I have a couple of roos. Got my fingers crossed.

 

[bumpercarr]

I just put food and water in the coop for the first couple weeks until the chicks are big enough to navigate to the outside stuff....but mine isn't 3 ft up either.

My coop is 3 feet up. I just leave them be, I put food and water in the coop until mamma takes them out. I also put a cardboard box (paper boxes are best) on the bottom under the coop so that once she brings them out of the coop, she has somewhere to take them each night until they start climbing the ramp into the coop. Most of the time, they do it within a week. This time, the two chicks that I have left (hawk problems) can climb into the coop, but mom has chosen to keep them under her in the box. Don't know why, I assume she doesn't like the other chickens being too close to her babies.

 

[showbarnmom]

Is this a pip?? I think that's the term lol. Moved broody yesterday. Pretty sure she hasn't moved off nest today, food doesn't look touched. Went to candle for the last time tonight, since they are due to hatch Wednesday. Grabbed this egg first, candled, and all I could see was black, and the edges of the veins at the air sac. Then I noticed this!

I'm so scared I did something to make her crack it. I picked up another egg, since the blue was the last to be added to the clutch, and candled quickly. Same dark, and air sac, but no cracks. Did I screw up?!? Did moving her make her crack the blue egg? Or does that look right???

 

[bumpercarr]

Is this a pip?? I think that's the term lol. Moved broody yesterday. Pretty sure she hasn't moved off nest today, food doesn't look touched. Went to candle for the last time tonight, since they are due to hatch Wednesday. Grabbed this egg first, candled, and all I could see was black, and the edges of the veins at the air sac. Then I noticed this!

I'm so scared I did something to make her crack it. I picked up another egg, since the blue was the last to be added to the clutch, and candled quickly. Same dark, and air sac, but no cracks. Did I screw up?!? Did moving her make her crack the blue egg? Or does that look right???

Hard to say. Looks sort of like a pip, usually the egg is pushed out rather than in though, at least in my experience. I never candle during the last week, too afraid of doing some damage. Did you hear any noise or see any movement? I'd just put it back and see. If you have a chick tomorrow, it was a pip.

 

[OHfarmerswife]

Daisy and baby

you have such beautiful pics of your hens! Love the blue sky &lovely countryside!!!!!

 

[showbarnmom]

Hard to say.  Looks sort of like a pip, usually the egg is pushed out rather than in though, at least in my experience.  I never candle during the last week, too afraid of doing some damage.  Did you hear any noise or see any movement?  I'd just put it back and see.  If you have a chick tomorrow, it was a pip. 

I put it up to my ear but didn't hear anything. But I had chicks in a carrier right next to me. I really hope moving her didn't do anything. Argh!!!!