Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Faraday40]

Like I said. See if porridge does the trick. I would also add olive oil, fish oil, castor oil, omega oil, veggie oil. Maybe you can eye drop it on the side of the beak so she gets some when she opens her mouth. I use the side of the beak sometimes to get them drinking and knowing what water is for. If you have salmon oil, omega oil capsules, these would help smooth it down and increase immunity.
Stress formula for chickens is on amazon. It is a better booster for the immune system than electrolytes. If your electrolytes have all the vitamins and minerals in high doses that might be good. High Stress is different though. Take away the shavings yet? Molasses good idea, also honey.

My broody, Batman, was teaching them to eat shavings while their food was scattered every where already. What doesn't kill them such like maybe nahhh!
I have not had this happen to me and not dealt with it personally. Also, try the chicken sickness websites. Don't know if they can help in a chick size problem though. I will dig up what I can.
You can put her up in a heated box to monitor her. At four days old she should be at 95 degrees F until tomorrow. Starting Friday, keep the box at 90F for a week and 5 degrees less per week until you know she is eating and defecating normally. Boost her water every day changing the water.
Normally chickens eat anything but yours ate too much of the wrong thing. That's why you were caught off guard. I hope I can be of help till she gets better. Keep us up to date. thanks

Sorry about the stress of an ill chick, but I had to smile at this name. In a similar manner, our son named his chick "Firefighter." (I thought it was male & would be leaving in 4 weeks, so I didn't care what he named it.) Turns out not only was Firefighter a female, she lays the biggest eggs almost daily.

 

[kilby]

Oh, I knew she was a hen. There are just so many black hens running around now I thought it appropriate for at least one.

 

[thumper362]

Found this when I got home from work

 

[Ren2014]

So sad to say the little one didn't make it. Thank you to everyone who offered suggestions and well wishes. I will make note of everything for future reference.

 

[thumper362]

Sorry to hear that your baby didn't make it. I too have lost a few and it is always sad

.

 

[Ren2014]

Sorry to hear that your baby didn't make it. I too have lost a few and it is always sad

.

Thank you.

 

[sapoho]

Howdy folks! I hope I can get some opinions!

I just got 18 Serama eggs in. Nine of them have good looking air cells, 2 are slightly loose, and 6 are detached/rolling/loose.

I have a Silkie who went broody for the first time a few days ago, and a bator that has been priming this last week.

Would y'all suggest 6-9 of the good air cells go under broody and the rest to the bator since they need time sit and hopefully reattach?

Should I let the good cells sit before I stick them under her as well?

Out of three previous bator attempts, I have had one good hatch (Delawares). The two failed attempts were both Silkie eggs that appeared to have been handled pretty roughly in transit.

Any opinions and thoughts are welcome!!

 

[fisherlady]

Howdy folks! I hope I can get some opinions!

I just got 18 Serama eggs in. Nine of them have good looking air cells, 2 are slightly loose, and 6 are detached/rolling/loose.

I have a Silkie who went broody for the first time a few days ago, and a bator that has been priming this last week.

Would y'all suggest 6-9 of the good air cells go under broody and the rest to the bator since they need time sit and hopefully reattach?

Should I let the good cells sit before I stick them under her as well?

Out of three previous bator attempts, I have had one good hatch (Delawares). The two failed attempts were both Silkie eggs that appeared to have been handled pretty roughly in transit.

Any opinions and thoughts are welcome!!

I don't know your coop set up and if she may be disturbed by other hens where she is setting ....
My choice would be.... put all of the serema eggs in the bator, give your hen 4-6 dummy eggs which are clearly marked (they should be swapped out every couple days)
In 10 days you can candle the bator eggs and choose 6 to give to the hen if she has stayed on the nest and the eggs she has been setting on remained safe in her care....if she has had multiple broken eggs or been pushed off of the nest by other flock mates you will need to give her a safer nest set up before giving her important hatching eggs.

For a first time broody 6 eggs is plenty, 4 if she is a smaller bird...she won't care that they are from the incubator...remember to mark them if there is any chance of anyone laying in her nest.

 

[Faraday40]

The one time we hatched bantam eggs side by side in both an incubator & under a broody, the broody won. They had equal % hatch with standard size eggs. I never tried shipped eggs with a broody, so I'm not sure how that variable would affect the results. (Broodies will turn frequently, so the air cells may not re-attach.) Also, one test doesn't have much reliability, so take it with a grain of salt.

Your idea of splitting the eggs is a good one. I read that serama eggs are more difficult to hatch. I would definitely start at least the worst eggs in the incubator & candle to see if the air cells improve. Shipped eggs can be very tricky & a new broody is another whole set of variables.. The above idea is a good one. If still developing & the broody's setting well, move some under the broody for the last week.

 

[sapoho]

I don't know your coop set up and if she may be disturbed by other hens where she is setting ....
My choice would be.... put all of the serema eggs in the bator, give your hen 4-6 dummy eggs which are clearly marked (they should be swapped out every couple days)
In 10 days you can candle the bator eggs and choose 6 to give to the hen if she has stayed on the nest and the eggs she has been setting on remained safe in her care....if she has had multiple broken eggs or been pushed off of the nest by other flock mates you will need to give her a safer nest set up before giving her important hatching eggs.

For a first time broody 6 eggs is plenty, 4 if she is a smaller bird...she won't care that they are from the incubator...remember to mark them if there is any chance of anyone laying in her nest.

She's the only adult hen in there. She's in a coop with her roo and 4 younger unrelated silkies, and none of them even go inside the nesting area (and not old enough to be laying or sexed yet). We haven't had any broken eggs when she was laying.

That sounds like a good plan! Thank you!