Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Sydney Acres]

Well I had a broody hen die last night. She had just started showing signs of broodiness earlier in the day, and was otherwise healthy. My husband processed her, and found a golf ball size 'hoard' of feed in her throat. We are assuming she coked to death after trying to prepare to sit for a long while. Is this fairly common? Everything I've seen say they usually starve themselves...not the opposite.

Oh kelseylv, I'm so sorry. No, it's not common for broodies to die. And when they do, it typically is from such a strong brood that they don't leave the nest at all and they starve to death, or from pneumonia because they're not moving around enough. Both those are both very, very rare events, and occur later in the brood. The only birds I've heard of dying early in the brood (less than one week from the start) have been broad breasted turkeys or broiler chickens. These are commercial meat birds that don't usually brood, but occasionally will when kept as pets. Their hearts are already overworked from their huge size, and some of them just can't compensate any further to adjust to the stress of brooding. Rarely a broody will die of heat stroke because she was kept in a shed that got too hot or in direct sun and couldn't or wouldn't leave the nest. The most common reason broodies die is because they aren't always kept in a safe area, and are very vulnerable to predators.

With what you've posted, I have to question if the "hoard" of feed was the cause of death. When you say in her throat, do you mean in her crop, or in her windpipe? Clearly, any significant volume of feed in her windpipe could cause her to choke to death. But if the feed was in her crop, then that amount would be normal in the middle of the day or in the evening, unless she's a tiny little bantam. I've had my birds overconsume feed to the point of a baseball sized crop. Yes, the little vacuum cleaners are a bit uncomfortable for a few hours, but they've never died from gluttony. Most people either process birds first thing in the morning after withholding food overnight or withhold food 12-24 hours before processing, specifically so there won't be a lot of food in the crop and intestines to deal with when cleaning out the internal cavity. It's more sanitary, and decreases contamination of the carcass. So if your husband is used to processing a bird with an empty crop, he might not realize that it's normal for a bird to have so much feed in their crop when food hasn't been withheld.

Unfortunately, birds (and other animals, and people) sometimes die without an obvious reason, often while appearing to be in perfect health. Since it was her first day of brooding, it is probable that the timing of her death was just coincidental, and had nothing to do with broodiness.

 

[winteree]

Update on my Buckeye chicks.

Well the chick I rescued first on Wednesday, Little Runt, which I am chalking up to a stupid chick trick...it had fallen out of the nesting box insert and got really cold...I had found it limp and gasping Wednesday afternoon after hatching and looking well that morning...it is now doing fabulous...to the point I am hard pressed to tell which one it is...so little Runt has become part of the fine Buckeye chicks under my broody Silkie.

Next, the egg I removed Thursday AM when I replaced Little Runt, became my first assisted hatch chick ever...it has gotten surprisingly much stronger today! Saran (who was shrunk wrapped and stuck in a half egg), was very weak all day Thursday and much of Friday ...so much so I was about to write him or her off. It had also had an unhealed umbilical cord stump, I figured it either had neural damage from the imperfect hatch or possibly internal infection from the cord site. So my outlook was guarded at best, although hopeful as it had survived the assisted hatch and would peep and attempt to move. Well, after 3 full days of TLC, Chick Saver, Sulmet and Tetracyline, and lots of warmth in a brooder box, it began running around yesterday evening and today looked strong and chick like all day today...even eating chick crumble and drinking on its own!

So much so, I risked putting it in tonight with mom and the other siblings as we will have another relatively warm and dry night tonight and everyone is still pretty much on baby mode. I feared waiting too much longer as the other siblings will begin to pick up in activity level as they will be getting 4 and 5 days old...I feared they would begin to outstrip Saran for a more delicate foster situation. (I have trouble adding heat lamp fosters in with 5 to 7 day old hatchlings as the hatchlings have begun to run around a lot more by then, and mom has begun chicken lessons with the active chicks, so a shy foster usually gets trampled in the process).

Silkie Mom was very welcoming tonight. I placed Saran under her wing, but it soon pulled out and began to peep in panic. Momma kept chooking to it to climb into the feather comforter for bed while it peeped hysterically at the new surroundings. Then it got FUNNY....Momma kept dragging the big feather comforter, with all the little tucked in bed chicks, around to get closer to little Saran who kept peeping in panic and didn't know to go back under. I could see all the little feet of the other chicks trying to shift with Mom as she moved...like the scene in the Nutcracker when all the little children run out from under the big hoop skirt.

Saran wasn't catching on very quickly, so I finally picked it up again and stuffed it really deep under Momma's tail (risking a few pecks from mom) and it stuck. It's nice and dark, and if I can get it to stay there for a few hours, it should figure out that is where warmth and safety is. I plan to keep checking on and off tonight to make sure it imprints well with mom. Tomorrow will be nice and warm, so if it gets confused again, it shouldn't risk too much chill. I'll keep everybody on the Chick Saver/Sulmet water for the next couple of days...it won't hurt anyone, and it should help Saran transition better in case of any latent infection....and of course the dry chick crumble.

Keep your fingers crossed for me...I may get 4, count them 4, Buckeye chicks out of this yet!

Lady of McCamley

A photo yesterday of Saran (who looks even better today)

lol's that must have been so funny to see

 

[Sydney Acres]

Quote:
I have no idea....we only have three hens maybe...oh, and now 5 chicks

Scott's in Idaho, boomchicken's in SF bay area, and it's spring. There's a huge difference in how the natural vegetation grows in the two different climates. I'm from CA and now live in western WA. This time of year, even my 35 chickens/turkeys can't keep the yard down. I'm beating it back with a machete! And two good quality mowers, and a weed eater, But I have to agree Scott, your pictures are beautiful. Very heartwarming to see a broody and chicks out in a yard like that.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

For those on this thread following my little Buckeye rescues (and thank you for the tip on bacterial resistant infections being the number 1 cause of transition stress loss @Sydney Acres ....I am keeping the Sulmet and Tetracycline regiment up for a couple more days in the chick water for Saran and Little Runt....just in case the stress catches up with bacterial infections...keeping my fingers crossed) Lof Mc

Well, Little Saran made it through the night, probably better than I did...I kept checking every couple of hours with the brooder warm in case it pulled away and got really cold.

It still looks a bit confused, and a little rough, but it is trying to imitate the others...it looks like a confused guest on a sleep over...all rumpled and unsure of what it should be doing but trying to follow along anyway

In my personal experience, 48 hours will tell now. If I can get a heat lamped foster past 48 hours without succumbing to transition stress (or from Sydney Acres tip likely latent infection)...I may begin to breathe easier.

Here are photos of the fab 4 (Buckeyes).

The Rescues: Little Runt on left and Saran on right





The Fab Four...Oh dear, way too early to tell, but is that a little roo in the middle left? Seriously this photo makes it look like I've got 1 roo and 3 girls...but I know waaaayyyy to early to tell...however it would mean I saved 2 females...ha ha....I like that idea better than having saved 2 males to go to freezer camp

Lady of McCamley

 

[fisherlady]

For those on this thread following my little Buckeye rescues (and thank you for the tip on bacterial resistant infections being the number 1 cause of transition stress loss @Sydney Acres ....I am keeping the Sulmet and Tetracycline regiment up for a couple more days in the chick water for Saran and Little Runt....just in case the stress catches up with bacterial infections...keeping my fingers crossed) Lof Mc

Well, Little Saran made it through the night, probably better than I did...I kept checking every couple of hours with the brooder warm in case it pulled away and got really cold.

It still looks a bit confused, and a little rough, but it is trying to imitate the others...it looks like a confused guest on a sleep over...all rumpled and unsure of what it should be doing but trying to follow along anyway

In my personal experience, 48 hours will tell now. If I can get a heat lamped foster past 48 hours without succumbing to transition stress (or from Sydney Acres tip likely latent infection)...I may begin to breathe easier.

Here are photos of the fab 4 (Buckeyes).

The Rescues: Little Runt on left and Saran on right





The Fab Four...Oh dear, way too early to tell, but is that a little roo in the middle left? Seriously this photo makes it look like I've got 1 roo and 3 girls...but I know waaaayyyy to early to tell...however it would mean I saved 2 females...ha ha....I like that idea better than having saved 2 males to go to freezer camp

Lady of McCamley

They are adorable! hoping they continue to thrive for you!

 

[bumpercarr]

For those on this thread following my little Buckeye rescues (and thank you for the tip on bacterial resistant infections being the number 1 cause of transition stress loss @Sydney Acres ....I am keeping the Sulmet and Tetracycline regiment up for a couple more days in the chick water for Saran and Little Runt....just in case the stress catches up with bacterial infections...keeping my fingers crossed) Lof Mc

Well, Little Saran made it through the night, probably better than I did...I kept checking every couple of hours with the brooder warm in case it pulled away and got really cold.

It still looks a bit confused, and a little rough, but it is trying to imitate the others...it looks like a confused guest on a sleep over...all rumpled and unsure of what it should be doing but trying to follow along anyway

In my personal experience, 48 hours will tell now. If I can get a heat lamped foster past 48 hours without succumbing to transition stress (or from Sydney Acres tip likely latent infection)...I may begin to breathe easier.

Here are photos of the fab 4 (Buckeyes).

The Rescues: Little Runt on left and Saran on right





The Fab Four...Oh dear, way too early to tell, but is that a little roo in the middle left? Seriously this photo makes it look like I've got 1 roo and 3 girls...but I know waaaayyyy to early to tell...however it would mean I saved 2 females...ha ha....I like that idea better than having saved 2 males to go to freezer camp

Lady of McCamley

Looking good! I had to laugh at your comment about hopefully saving 2 females....every time I save one it turns out to be a male. I raise brahmas, so you don't know until they are about 6 weeks old what you've got!

 

[Sydney Acres]

Well, the lighter one is certainly standing tall and acting all masculine!

I found my Buckeye much harder to sex than other breeds because of their unique comb and tight waddles. Plus, I only had one, so there was no one else for comparison. Hopefully you will have at least one of each gender to see the differences. There had been a wonderful picture on the Buckeye thread showing the differences, but it's been taken down. It was posted by Laura, who used to post as Pathfinder. She no longer posts on that thread anymore, and all her pictures have been removed. I think she is one of the officers in the American Buckeye Club now.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Well, the lighter one is certainly standing tall and acting all masculine!

I found my Buckeye much harder to sex than other breeds because of their unique comb and tight waddles. Plus, I only had one, so there was no one else for comparison. Hopefully you will have at least one of each gender to see the differences. There had been a wonderful picture on the Buckeye thread showing the differences, but it's been taken down. It was posted by Laura, who used to post as Pathfinder. She no longer posts on that thread anymore, and all her pictures have been removed. I think she is one of the officers in the American Buckeye Club now.

Yes, I find if I have siblings, it makes it MUCH easier to sex the chicks as watching the genders develop side by side makes things much clearer. I've heard Buck's are harder to sex. Too bad Pathfinder's photos are gone. I did find some from another Buck poster...and of course time will tell.

Hopefully it won't be harder than trying to sex one Barred Rock...seriously folks...to my bespeckled eyesight...is that white on dark or dark on white (double barring)....geesh....it is always better to have more than one Barred developing, at least for me!

Lady of McCamley

 

[bumpercarr]

Yes, I find if I have siblings, it makes it MUCH easier to sex the chicks as watching the genders develop side by side makes things much clearer. I've heard Buck's are harder to sex. Too bad Pathfinder's photos are gone. I did find some from another Buck poster...and of course time will tell.

Hopefully it won't be harder than trying to sex one Barred Rock...seriously folks...to my bespeckled eyesight...is that white on dark or dark on white (double barring)....geesh....it is always better to have more than one Barred developing, at least for me!

Lady of McCamley

I do the same thing!

 

[jc12551]

I have a broody hatch going on! It is the BA sitting on 6 EE eggs and one black sex link egg. The sex link hatched, one EE hatched, and three more were pipping. The two not pipping were OE eggs. The only reason I know is because we had a tree fall and I had to move her to a new broody pen (that I had to build). I really hope we didn't mess up the hatch. But there was nothing else to do!