Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Sylviaanne]

The reason you need to do something fast is because usually by the third day after hatching the momma will take all chicks with her and leave the nest for a new nest area.

Yes, two at a time is fine. I've never waited any length of time between putting eggs or chicks under my broodies. I've put up to eight under one at the same time during broad daylight. Of course she was a silky so that might explain it. The method of slipping eggs or chicks under a broody depends on the broody and her temperament. If she's docile you can cup the baby in your hand and slide it under her without secrecy. If she's not docile, you will want darkened surroundings and make sure she doesn't see what you did or she might think it's a nest invader. Always still cup the baby so that if the broody pecks she gets your hand and not the chicks head.

I wouldn't move the milk crate if she feels comfortable there. If the other chicks are due to hatch within a few days you could try and slip them under her at her new nest location, but if there's a large gap in ages, I would be ready to do something else with the second batch of chicks, like put them under another broody or into a brooder. Again it depends on your broodies temperament and the type of chicks you are putting under her.

I have put 4 under her today, during daylight and all she has done is to look at them and lightly peck at their beaks. She is a Salmon Favorolle, she is supposed to be a good mother by breed, right? Nice temperament? She growls and does a threatening posture toward me but the only time she came close to pecking me was when I discovered the baby that had hatched under her.

Today, I couldn't find the chick that had hatched under her, it had fallen or gotten out of the milk crate. I put it back with no problems.

If the eggs under her don't hatch soon, I will bring them in, candle them and see if there is any life, if so, I will put them in the incubator.

The chicks/eggs are barnyard mixes.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I have put 4 under her today, during daylight and all she has done is to look at them and lightly peck at their beaks. She is a Salmon Favorolle, she is supposed to be a good mother by breed, right? Nice temperament? She growls and does a threatening posture toward me but the only time she came close to pecking me was when I discovered the baby that had hatched under her.

Today, I couldn't find the chick that had hatched under her, it had fallen or gotten out of the milk crate. I put it back with no problems.

If the eggs under her don't hatch soon, I will bring them in, candle them and see if there is any life, if so, I will put them in the incubator.

The chicks/eggs are barnyard mixes.

I've never had a SF but I've read they are gentle by nature. Sounds like she's doing the same thing my silky momma does. You could give them a treat of scrambled eggs or dried meal worms, or even put a small dish of chick starter in with them to nibble on. It will give her something to show them and keep them happy.

I'm loving my 5 week old EE girls. They will let me pet them when the OE and WL chicks will not. So I think there's something to be said for mutts.

That sounds like a good plan and exactly what I would do. If they are placed under her at different times it's hard for her to bring all to hatch.

Also, you could put a piece of cardboard on the outside edges of the milk crate at the bottom to help keep the babies in for now. Just make sure they can't get trapped somehow. She will be ready to move them in a couple of days to another nest area.

 

[bobbieschicks]

They grow up so fast. Here are the five week old Olive Eggers and Easter Eggers along with the six week old White Leghorns playing in the coop.

My favorite EE is the light colored girl in the last pic. You can see the two WL boys are getting very red combs already. Caught them fighting in the yard today trying to see who will be alpha roo I'm sure. Oh and I'm slightly concerned that the Meyer hatchery OE in the second to last pic is going to be a roo as well. I had one OE die on day four so that left three. Now if one is going to be a rooster, that will significantly reduce my olive egg dream.

The OE stock comes from "crossing..Legbars, Marans, and Ameraucanas" in some sort of program.

 

[Sylviaanne]

They grow up so fast. Here are the five week old Olive Eggers and Easter Eggers along with the six week old White Leghorns playing in the coop.







My favorite EE is the light colored girl in the last pic. You can see the two WL boys are getting very red combs already. Caught them fighting in the yard today trying to see who will be alpha roo I'm sure.

How do you keep it so clean?

 

[bobbieschicks]

How do you keep it so clean?

Haha, thank you, but I always think it's disgustingly dirty.

I use Sweet PDZ glandular horse stall freshener for the base on the floor and scoop the poop daily with a cat litter scoop. I also rake it from time to time to bring the PDZ back to the top. Then twice a year I clean it all out, spring & fall. I remove everything and power wash inside and out. Then I freshen any paint as needed. I still need to paint my newest additions, nestbox perches and ladder, so I'll do that when I do my fall clean out. Then I spray it with a bug killer (I skipped this step in the spring and boy was I sorry, flies were everywhere) and then I put everything back into place. It will be deemed clean until the next time.

Two seconds later one of the nosey hens will return, scratch around and drop a huge load, and it's dirty again.

 

[lablover]

bobbieschicks, good looking group you have there!



Mine were taking a dust bath with Mom today. So stinking cute! My fav is the gray and black one in the middle, but watch it be a boy. Hopefully that black one to the right is a girl. I'm about 80% sure she's from a BR hen and the father is new hampshire mix.

 

[bobbieschicks]

bobbieschicks, good looking group you have there! Mine were taking a dust bath with Mom today. So stinking cute! My fav is the gray and black one in the middle, but watch it be a boy. Hopefully that black one to the right is a girl. I'm about 80% sure she's from a BR hen and the father is new hampshire mix.

Thank you, Awhh!

 

[poodlechicks]

Love all pics! Keep them coming!

 

[dldolan]

"The reason you need to do something fast is because usually by the third day after hatching the momma will take all chicks with her and leave the nest for a new nest area."

I've seen several people say that here, but in my experience hatching with broodies (I think i count 12 times so far) they have not moved from the place that I set up for them. Maybe because I remove unhatched eggs at day 23? But not once have i had a broody even try to move her new chicks. Hmm...

 

[Sylviaanne]

"The reason you need to do something fast is because usually by the third day after hatching the momma will take all chicks with her and leave the nest for a new nest area."

I've seen several people say that here, but in my experience hatching with broodies (I think i count 12 times so far) they have not moved from the place that I set up for them. Maybe because I remove unhatched eggs at day 23? But not once have i had a broody even try to move her new chicks. Hmm...

Well, I lost count but I think she's going to have to move when she leaves the nest, I think I put 10 chicks under her and she already had one. I still have 3 in the incubator that the membrane stuck to. I am afraid to take them out there, afraid she might peck them trying to get it off. I also still have several pipped eggs in the incubator. I will put as many out with her as I think she will take without abandoning any of them.