Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[shakerchick]

Some pics of the chicks:

 

[Tabatha]

So after our broody buff orp died a few day from hatching her fertilized Maran eggs last year, we replaced the flock with a lovely splash Marans, one French black Marans and a couple of blues (with copper necks). One of the blues went broody and I ordered fertilized SLEE, Olive and super blue eggs. A couple of days ago 7 hatched (the other eggs were infertile and stinky when I cracked them into the compost). So far we are planning to leave the mom and chicks with our flock of 4 total hens. We have a large coop and free range in our enclosed suburban back yard and don't really have any options for raising them separately. Has anyone had success with this? Will the chicks follow her down, and more importantly back up the ramp the the coop? We have a puller-shut door with a light sensor on the coop.

I never separate mine...except right now I have 2 broodies in the house because one abandoned eggs during a staggered hatch and the other was being bullied off of her eggs by a new mom a third her size. I think they just had too much going on (well...I had too much going on...lol). I think it is just me being a worry wort though.every other time, I've left them with the flock and things have gone great. We don't have a ramp, but do have a 6 inch step into the coop. The first couple days the hens stayed in the coop, scratching around. The next couple of days, the hens venture outside with the chicks, but stayed close to the coop. I had to help chicks inside at night for a couple of nights, but soon after, they were hopping in and out by themselves. Now, they are all over the property. I'm sure with a little help for a couple days, they will learn to go up the ramp for you.

 

[shakerchick]

We also have a second hen that went broody about 2 weeks into the 1st sitting on her eggs. Currently she is sitting on a golf ball. Not sure how she will handle the chicks or how to break her of being broody.

 

[audfish7]

I have a little contribution today. This is Mama Goldie with her first chick.

 

[elsfieldchickens]

my pekins have decided that they want chicks so i gave them 3 pekin and 4 cochin eggs

 

[poodlechicks]

The chicks are beautiful, and so are the broody mommas. Congratulations!

I'm still waiting for mine to hatch. Summer is sitting tight...

 

[chickenlisa]

Quote:
Thanks!
She's an ameraucana...I think Bantam though since her eggs have never been large. She isn't tiny though either....so I'm not sure. She isn't as big as my Standard Ams, but not small like the bantams I used to have. She lays a nice smallish bluish egg. I can't wait to see who else has hatched...she was on 11 eggs- alll from my backyard flock- BCMs, and F1 and F2 Olive eggers.

 

[little]

beautiful babies.today is day 1 for me and tilly my little white silkie. after dark i put 6 of her own eggs from her little white roo. i feel like i'm pregnant myself.you folks on this site have taught me well.thank you for patiently explaining the facts of life to me.i didn't have a clue.going on vacation on days 13 -18.kind of stress's me .any advice?

 

[Dumb Kluck]

beautiful babies.today is day 1 for me and tilly my little white silkie. after dark i put 6 of her own eggs from her little white roo. i feel like i'm pregnant myself.you folks on this site have taught me well.thank you for patiently explaining the facts of life to me.i didn't have a clue.going on vacation on days 13 -18.kind of stress's me .any advice?

Just remember, that if you are home, or if you are away, the hatch will proceed as it is going to anyway. DON"T WORRY YOURSELF! Make sure Broody has water and food within reach of the nest. I use a 1 liter plastic drink bottle with a chicken nipple in the cap & hang it near the corner of her nest. You can make a PVC style feeder in seconds flat (assuming you've a couple scraps laying 'round) and hang that near the nest also, but water is usually the biggest concern in summer. You have 20+ days till hatch so enjoy yourself & you'll have pips within days of your return

 

[ChickyChickens]

I have another broody! She is setting in the chicken coop next to one of our other broodies (HennyPenny for those who know her)

There were many chickens laying in her nest and then when she went broody they started laying next to her nest box!*So I put the chickens into the second coop and closed that coop that she was broody in! But then one of the hens dag a hole in and layed another egg next to HennyPennys nest box! Then a few minutes later I noticed that there was another hen there that just wasn't leaving the nest!Then I noticed that she was broody so I gave her some more eggs (now she has 11) to brood!
She is now very hapy and I cant wait for them to hatch!
Now I have 3 broody hens!
1= 16 eggs
2= 17 eggs
3= 11 eggs
The stupid hens laid on the floor!