Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[fisherlady]

I have a broody silkie. She has been on and off since December. She would sit on nothing. So I kept booting her out of the coop. But she wouldn't give it up. So I tried something new this year and I ordered fertile eggs off ebay. A dozen cochin/frizzle combos. My khaki Campbell duck laid a fresh egg so I stuck it under her too. Another new things for me. Yesterday I woke up to a fresh duckling. I was so excited. I had been candling it so I got to watch it grow. It was so neat. So far I have 3 chicks and a duckling. Can't wait for the rest to hatch.

Congrats on the new hatchlings... She must be a pretty big silkie if she was able to cover 12 eggs + a duck egg! How long has it been since the first chicks hatched? Usually if all eggs are set at the same time they tend to hatch within a similar time frame (usually within 48hrs from first hatch to last).... there can certainly be a 'johnny come lately' but after 2 days you would need to consider pulling left overs and placing them into an incubator to let the broody concentrate on the ones already hatched.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Have you got any new chicks yet?

I didn't hear anything this afternoon, so I just went back out to check...and YES! I hear peeping! Not just one voice but at least several.

I won't lift to check for another day, but hopefully I will see some fluffy beaks poking out tomorrow to get an idea of how many have hatched.

My last best guess at day 14 candling, of the 5 set, there were 2 of the Isbar developing and at least 1 of the OE Marans/Isbar if not 2 of those (so dense REALLY hard to tell)...pretty sure the last Isbar was a dud.

So hopefully I will see 2 Isbar and maybe 2 OE's.

My new broody is sitting tight!

Thanks for asking

Lady of McCamley

 

[fisherlady]

I didn't hear anything this afternoon, so I just went back out to check...and YES! I hear peeping! Not just one voice but at least several.

I won't lift to check for another day, but hopefully I will see some fluffy beaks poking out tomorrow to get an idea of how many have hatched.

My last best guess at day 14 candling, of the 5 set, there were 2 of the Isbar developing and at least 1 of the OE Marans/Isbar if not 2 of those (so dense REALLY hard to tell)...pretty sure the last Isbar was a dud.

So hopefully I will see 2 Isbar and maybe 2 OE's.

My new broody is sitting tight!

Thanks for asking

Lady of McCamley

Will look forward to pictures soon!

 

[KrystalRose]

So, 7 of 7 of the eggs have hatched. Unfortunately a couple days apart, but never the less. The last one's egg got crushed today after it started to pip out by mom on accident so my hubby did an emergency chick removal, it seems to be doing ok, there was a little more blood in the shell than the other shells had but last time I checked on it, it was fluffing out and peeping and able to sit up, so my little runt might make it after all. I will take more pictures and post them, because everyone likes fluffy butts!

 

[fisherlady]

So, 7 of 7 of the eggs have hatched. Unfortunately a couple days apart, but never the less. The last one's egg got crushed today after it started to pip out by mom on accident so my hubby did an emergency chick removal, it seems to be doing ok, there was a little more blood in the shell than the other shells had but last time I checked on it, it was fluffing out and peeping and able to sit up, so my little runt might make it after all. I will take more pictures and post them, because everyone likes fluffy butts!

 

[KrystalRose]

 

[rebrascora]

@Hayduke27

In your situation, I would fasten a screen or heavy flap over the broody's nest boxes so that other birds can't get in and they can't get out. It also gives them peace and quite and darkness to be in their broody trance. Place small dishes of food and water in the corners of the nest for them and once a day, go out, open it up and encourage them to have a comfort break that you can supervise. After 20 mins or so encourage them to go back onto their nests and fasten them in. After a few days they get the idea that when the door opens and the light comes in, it's time to go out and stretch their legs. It's funny to watch their crazy behaviour as they come out flapping and squawking like whirling dervishes!
Something as simple as a piece of heavy duty cardboard pinned to the top of their nest boxes with a few small holes punched in it so they are not in complete darkness. Then you can just lift it like a flap to let them out and drop back down. When they show signs of going back to the nest, prop it up and wait. If they don't go into the right nest, wait for them to settle in another nest and then pick them up and put them in the right one and close the flap or remove all the eggs from any other nests whilst they are out, so that when they return, the nest with the eggs is the one they will chose. If you do it this way, you control when they come off and you can time it to do clean up chores top up feeders etc so you are not just standing about waiting. I always make sure to give my broodies special treats whilst they are out having that break so that also trains them to come out once I open the flap. It takes a few days to get into a routine of it but after that it's a doddle. They will probably be more happy with this arrangement than the current situation because they get more privacy.

As regards when the chicks hatch, I was ridiculously overly protective the first time because I hadn't seen a broody in action. Lower pecking order broodies either step up and become dragons or teach their chicks to avoid confrontation. Both are useful lessons. Make sure the chicks have somewhere they can duck under that the bigger hens can't get under and I usually put chick crumbs in there for them so that the rest of the flock can't scoff them all.

 

[vpatt]

[qgladuote name="Lady of McCamley" url="/t/457488/old-fashioned-broody-hen-hatch-a-long-and-informational-thread/24190#post_14850325"]
I didn't hear anything this afternoon, so I just went back out to check...and YES!  I hear peeping! ​ Not just one voice but at least several.

I won't lift to check for another day, but hopefully I will see some fluffy beaks poking out tomorrow to get an idea of how many have hatched.

My last best guess at day 14 candling, of the 5 set, there were 2 of the Isbar developing and at least 1 of the OE Marans/Isbar if not 2 of those (so dense REALLY hard to tell)...pretty sure the last Isbar was a dud.

So hopefully I will see 2 Isbar and maybe 2 OE's.

My new broody is sitting tight!

Thanks for asking 

Lady of McCamley
[/quote]



I'm glad things are going well!

Yippee

e

 

[vpatt]

Jessica decided to go back to the coop last night leaving the two chicks to fend for themselves. I got them out of the brooder nest after dark and placed them on the roost with her and they are fine this morning. Of course, I first tried to catch them before it was completely dark......I'm sure you can picture it.

Another inch of snow and it is still falling this morning. I really don't mind the snow....but now that I have chickens I feel bad for them. I only got them in the fall so I can't wait to experience them thru the summer.

 

[chicknmania]

Jessica decided to go back to the coop last night leaving the two chicks to fend for themselves. I got them out of the brooder nest after dark and placed them on the roost with her and they are fine this morning. Of course, I first tried to catch them before it was completely dark......I'm sure you can picture it.

Another inch of snow and it is still falling this morning. I really don't mind the snow....but now that I have chickens I feel bad for them. I only got them in the fall so I can't wait to experience them thru the summer.

Is she letting them stay under her at night? If it's going to be sub zero and they are newly hatched, you might want to consider bringing them inside. they do need help staying warm, until they get fully feathered. That is, if you can catch them1