Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

YAY!!!! She must have started setting before I realized it... out of six. 2 have hatched so far!!! they are TINY!!! Henny is so adorable. She sits there and clucks and chirrs at them - such a good mommy.

Sweet!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Delighted to report that my second broody has hatched 8 of her 9 eggs.... the 9th wasn't fertile. I have 2 cream legbars(1 male and 1 female I think, but haven't been able to get a good look) 4 exchequer leghorns and 2 cream legbar x RIRs

My first broody has been sitting on her second batch for 4 days, so I've got more excitement to look forward to in 17 days time and fluff butts to play with in the meantime!
Also desperately need to do some more construction work on new coups as I'm starting to get overrun!

Pictures please

 

[cowhlb]

I really want a broody hen! Which one will go broody faster?
Arcana (don't know how to spell that..)
Wyandotte
Buff Rock
Buff Orp
Light Brahma
Red Star (aka Red Sexlink)
Barred Rock

 

[K Epp]

Silkie
Black Australorp
Buff Orp
d'Uccle
D'anver

Those are my broodies. The silkies are the broodiest by far.

 

[Turk Raphael]

I really want a broody hen! Which one will go broody faster?
Arcana (don't know how to spell that..)
Wyandotte
Buff Rock
Buff Orp
Light Brahma
Red Star (aka Red Sexlink)
Barred Rock

Naked Neck
Dark Cornish
Buckeye

 

[ochochicas]

I really want a broody hen! Which one will go broody faster?
Arcana (don't know how to spell that..)
Wyandotte
Buff Rock
Buff Orp
Light Brahma
Red Star (aka Red Sexlink)
Barred Rock

My most broody hens are the Marans, followed by Black australorp. The Marans are good moms. The Australorp is a bit aloof. I probably won't let her hatch out eggs again.

 

[rebrascora]

@bobbieschicks

Really sorry to disappoint but I don't have the means to take and post photos. I really must address this matter asap as I love to see everyone else's pics and feel left out not being able to share the cuteness I'm seeing today with others who would appreciate them.

I love your family shots of Buffy, Dad and the chicks.

Frances isn't doing as well as Tasha.... she's a little selfish and guzzled treats last night before thinking of offering to her chicks. I was worried that she wasn't encouraging them to come out of the nest to eat and drink and I ended up tipping them all out of the nest last night and removing it which seemed a bit harsh but I wanted to make sure they could all access the food and water. They were still within the brooder but on a flat surface rather than confined within the nest.Thankfully they are much more active today, so I think it was the right course of action. This is Frances' first brood and I just don't get the feeling of confidence that she instinctively knows what she is doing like Tasha gave me.

@cowhlb

My Tasha is a brilliant broody, so I would recommend Araucana. She hatched and raised 14 chicks in her first brood. Cast them off at 5 weeks, started laying again as soon as she cast them off. Laid me an egg a day in the nest boxes for 5 weeks and then stopped laying in the hen house and started stashing them in her secret nest and set tight as soon as she had acquired 14 again. Great natural instincts and a brilliant mother.

 

[ApiaryandAviary]

YAY!!!! She must have started setting before I realized it... out of six. 2 have hatched so far!!! they are TINY!!! Henny is so adorable. She sits there and clucks and chirrs at them - such a good mommy.

They are so cute

 

[Kathleen1115]

Hi all,
Thanks so much for this thread. I succeeded in getting one of my hens to go broody with some golf balls in the nesting box -- surprisingly it was one of the mixed breed, production red hens and not the Easter Egger who has gone broody several times before. I ordered fertilized eggs last week and they haven't come yet, but will some time this week. Even if she has already been sitting in earnest for 3-4 days, will she stay on the next long enough to hatch the chicks? It will likely be more like 28 days since she started sitting by the time the eggs arrive. Also, at what point (if at all) is it best to move her? The nesting boxes are up off the ground and it will be too high for the chicks.
Thanks so much!
Kathleen

 

[Zoeyheart]

I just had my first "all natural" chick. Peepoe my little Silkie Roo who has never ever crowed (be jealous) bred with a silkie hen and an egg hatched yesterday. I am a bit concerned about weather the chick can get what he needs if he is in the hen house. not access to water etc. Should I put them in another pen. Here she is with all her mommas. And how do I decide what hen should raise her?
?