Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Sydney Acres]

Quote:
That's why I didn't want to tell you!! I'm sorry. Please don't beat yourself up. Sometimes soiling does kill the embryo. Usually that happens because the bloom has been washed off, or the porosity of the shell allows too much contamination to go through, regardless of the bloom. But the bloom can protect many eggs, so it's always worth trying. But you're not a murderer. You're a new chicken keeper who cares very much about her birds, and did the best you knew how to do at the time. We all try to do the best we can, and your birds are lucky to have you because you care about them.

 

[saltandpepper2]

That's why I didn't want to tell you!! I'm sorry. Please don't beat yourself up. Sometimes soiling does kill the embryo. Usually that happens because the bloom has been washed off, or the porosity of the shell allows too much contamination to go through, regardless of the bloom. But the bloom can protect many eggs, so it's always worth trying. But you're not a murderer. You're a new chicken keeper who cares very much about her birds, and did the best you knew how to do at the time. We all try to do the best we can, and your birds are lucky to have you because you care about them.

Well, thanks, I really am trying, and I did what I thought best. Yesterday I went out and built a little enclosure right into the coop, so now she has clean bedding, her nest, and her own feeder and waterer. Hopefully she'll be happy in her new arrangements, since I pretty much built around her nest (she never even Moved!) I'll post pics soon.

Also, what do you think would be best, taking the newly hatched chicks, and keeping them until the later ones hatch, then returning them, Or hatching the later eggs in an incubator, and giving them to her at night? Which one would have less stress? Thank you so much for all the help!

 

[Scrambles55]

Jut curious, is it common for broodies eggs to hatch a day or so early? 19.5 here

Mine did. mine were on day 19, 20 and 21

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

I have eggs in my incubator set to hatch 0-2 days after my broody's eggs. Do you think it'll be possible to slip the chicks in with the others? When is the best time to give a broody new chicks? How many can she handle?

 

[saltandpepper2]

How often will a broody relieve herself? My hen has been on her nest for exactly a week now. I have never seen you go, or seen one of those huge "broody dumps" She does eat and drink though. Should I be worried? So far she hasn't even lost any weight.

 

[Scrambles55]

How often will a broody relieve herself? My hen has been on her nest for exactly a week now. I have never seen you go, or seen one of those huge "broody dumps" She does eat and drink though. Should I be worried? So far she hasn't even lost any weight.

When Rumples went broody, she would leave the nest once a day for about 15-20 minutes. That is when she would eat, drink and poop. I'm sure she is fine. I never saw broody poop until I closed her up in the coop when her chicks hatched. Egads!! The smell is awful. Her chicks are 3 weeks now and her poop is normal.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Quote:
Hopefully the people on this thread with more experience will answer this question, as I have no personal experience with either option. From a logic point of view, since the two sets of chicks are 4 days apart, I would leave the early hatched chicks with the hen, then take the late eggs to the incubator when (if) she leaves the nest to take care of the early chicks. Chicks imprint on the hen (or on who ever is taking care of them) during the first three days. If you take away the early chicks on day one and don't return them until 4-5 days later, they won't imprint on her properly. On the other hand if you leave the early chicks with her to imprint, and hatch the late chicks in the incubator, you can possibly return the late chicks to the hen in time to properly imprint. I say possibly because she may not accept more chicks after her current clutch is 4 days old, or the age difference between the early and late chicks may be such a difference that the older ones pick on the younger ones.

 

[Scrambles55]

Hopefully the people on this thread with more experience will answer this question, as I have no personal experience with either option. From a logic point of view, since the two sets of chicks are 4 days apart, I would leave the early hatched chicks with the hen, then take the late eggs to the incubator when (if) she leaves the nest to take care of the early chicks. Chicks imprint on the hen (or on who ever is taking care of them) during the first three days. If you take away the early chicks on day one and don't return them until 4-5 days later, they won't imprint on her properly. On the other hand if you leave the early chicks with her to imprint, and hatch the late chicks in the incubator, you can possibly return the late chicks to the hen in time to properly imprint. I say possibly because she may not accept more chicks after her current clutch is 4 days old, or the age difference between the early and late chicks may be such a difference that the older ones pick on the younger ones.

X2

 

[saltandpepper2]

When Rumples went broody, she would leave the nest once a day for about 15-20 minutes. That is when she would eat, drink and poop. I'm sure she is fine. I never saw broody poop until I closed her up in the coop when her chicks hatched. Egads!! The smell is awful. Her chicks are 3 weeks now and her poop is normal.

Ok, thanks, Just making sure

Hopefully the people on this thread with more experience will answer this question, as I have no personal experience with either option. From a logic point of view, since the two sets of chicks are 4 days apart, I would leave the early hatched chicks with the hen, then take the late eggs to the incubator when (if) she leaves the nest to take care of the early chicks. Chicks imprint on the hen (or on who ever is taking care of them) during the first three days. If you take away the early chicks on day one and don't return them until 4-5 days later, they won't imprint on her properly. On the other hand if you leave the early chicks with her to imprint, and hatch the late chicks in the incubator, you can possibly return the late chicks to the hen in time to properly imprint. I say possibly because she may not accept more chicks after her current clutch is 4 days old, or the age difference between the early and late chicks may be such a difference that the older ones pick on the younger ones.

Ok, well either way I'm setting the incubator up in case of an emergency. I guess I'll just see what will work best!

 

[Scrambles55]

Ok, thanks, Just making sure

Ok, well either way I'm setting the incubator up in case of an emergency. I guess I'll just see what will work best!

If the eggs are that far apart... I would leave the chicks with the hen and put the eggs in the bator. Then when those eggs hatch, put the new chicks in with mom at night. I introduced store bought chicks up to one week apart and it worked, but... Rumples is crippled and very accepting right now. Other hens might not be the same way.