Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[CayuseRanch]

Well, I don't think I am going to have a very good hatch. Tonight is the end of day 21. The first chick that came early passed, the second one that came last night is doing well, but of the other 12 eggs in there, two have a small dot I think its called a pip that have been like that for several hours and one that looked like that last night, is now missing half of the outside shell but has a thick white membrane on oneside and I think momma squished the other side. No movement or noise from within.

Hoping to wake up in the morning to a big surprise and have a bunch of babies. During candeling 10 of them had movement at day 11, although some were bigger than others, but I have not candeled them since. Is it possible that it will be a spread out hatch? If so how long do I wait before removing all the eggs? then what do you do when you remove the eggs? Just throw them away? Disect them?

I was hoping with momma doing all the work that it wouldn't be stressful for me but I sure am worrying alot and second guessing myself.

 

[Fuffy]

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I hope it all goes well!

As you know, I have been trying to get me some buff sussex for 1 1/2 years now, by means of broody, so don't give up

Mama hen knows when to leave the nest. If she takes her baby out to forage and stays out for a while, then I would get rid of whatever eggs are left.

I candle them to see what was wrong, but I don't fancy cracking them open!

And I bury them in the muckheap afterwards

 

[Zoomom]

I would wait a couple more days or until Momma hen takes the other baby off of the nest, too. I had 1 hatch a day early, 3 the next day, then the other 2 didn't hatch, but Momma didn't leave the nest for another day after that.

Good luck.

 

[Cindilou]

Yay! There is a baby chick in with her mama. We couldn't see any others yet. Mama is still puffed up but took some food that we put next to her.

 

[Chicklette 1]

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NEED is not the operative word here with chickens!! LOL

 

[Cindilou]

Mom's looking a little pale. We put some food and water in for her and put the door on the pet carrier just in case one of the other curious girls bothered her. This one seems to have come a little early but she just snuggled up under the hen. There are still about 8 eggs under her. Is there anything else we humans need to do or just wait until there are more hatched?

 

[Crabella]

And we have lift off! I mean another chick.

Broody Momma #2 hatched her first sometime during the night. It's a little camera shy so photos later. Hoping at least 2-3 more sometime in the next 24 hours.

I don't know about the rest of you, but every time a chick hatches, I feel like a little kid getting a puppy for Christmas.

 

[JulieNKC]

I was just curious, If I have a friendly broody will that make her chicks more friendly? I see posts all the time about how brooder raised chicks are friendlier. My BO momma though, will call the chicks and come running up to me when I come out. Her and the chicks crawl all over me looking for food. It's pretty sweet, she gets all puffed up and acts scary for about 2 seconds, then decides she likes food and she'll save the monster chicken act for someone else and starts begginf for treats instead. Will this teach the chicks to come up to me cause I mean food too?

 

[Crabella]

Any animals that I have had, babies tend to imitate momma. I would think her chicks would be friendlier than most broody raised chicks. My broody gets a fluffed and calls the chicks to her. When I go in, they now run to momma and hide. However, if I sit quietly and lay a trail of food they will gradually come closer. I plan on working with them so they are friendly. I don't care so much if they want to hop in my lap, I just do not want to have to chase them all over creation every time I need to put them back in their pen after free ranging.

 

[JulieNKC]

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That's what I'm hoping. It's really kind of cute, the momma is kind of confused I think. She fluffs and growls and charges at me, then stops and starts clucking the babies over. The babies run from me, but once mommas over with me they are climbing and pecking all over me. She's only 8 months or so, guess being a teenage momma she's not sure if she should be a momma to her chicks or cuddle with me, lol. At least with the silkie the chicks have a 2 parent family, she picks up for the BO's slack. Although sometimes I see the silkie underneath the BO too, along with all the chicks. Good thing she's a big chicken, but it must be pretty crowded under there.