Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Faraday40]

I tried to move her into a cardboard box that I could just pick up and take to the garage for hatch day. When I got home she had switched nests and the eggs were cold. She was in the wrong nest for a maximum of 12 hours. When I candled them I saw movement in 2 out of 3 eggs. I didn't pull the egg that did not squirm. I want them to hatch so badly!

An embryo doesn't have to squirm to be alive (but it's certainly exciting when they do!) I only toss an egg when I know it has quit. For example: If I'm on day 14 & only have about 7 days of growth. If embryo is only slightly smaller or perhaps sleeping when I candle, I leave it there.

 

[southernBelle79]

Candled day 15. Eggs look darker than yesterday. I can't see the maran eggs at all. Everything still stinks. Eggs and mama. I wiped them gently with a baby wipe and did the same to momma where I could see the yucky (from the oozy egg) in her feathers. I don't think I made progress on her with the little wiping I did. She needs some serious cleaning. The nest seems totally clean as well. But what I did was put some dookashi bedding in there plus every herb I could find growing in my garden: eucalyptus, cinnamon basil, oregano, sage, lemon balm, catnip, two types of lavender, patchouli, and rose petals. I have heard not to put herbs in the box when babies are born so I guess I can remove them. Just hoping that everything works out and whatever is on her feathers doesn't harm eggs or chicks. I hate the stench. Also hoping it is really just from the other egg that I took out and not from a bad egg that I can't tell is bad. This is only my second hatch. First time with maran eggs and first time collecting my own fertile eggs.

 

[horselover1999]

I found a hen in the nest box with the broody. She had stepped on an egg and cracked it. When I found them they had just finished eating it. The broody is now in a dog crate in the garage. Now she keeps moving her nest around. I put in a cardboard box as a nesting box and she freaked out. How can I get her back on her eggs?

 

[fisherlady]

I found a hen in the nest box with the broody. She had stepped on an egg and cracked it. When I found them they had just finished eating it. The broody is now in a dog crate in the garage. Now she keeps moving her nest around. I put in a cardboard box as a nesting box and she freaked out. How can I get her back on her eggs?

The more you mess with a broody the more likely you are going to cause problems. They are best moved to a new nest before you give them eggs and then only need checked a time or two for clear eggs. Moving her now may not work but your best chance will be to cover her crate with a darkening sheet or blanket (be careful to allow fresh air circulation) and then leave her alone for a day or so to see if she resettles. It's hard to say if her current clutch will still have a chance.
Take some time and go back a few months on this thread and read up on hatching with broodies, the broody hen thread is another good resource. You are better off to prepare for the situation beforehand (when possible) rather than trying to fix it later. The good news is that even if this hatch doesn't work you will have another chance soon because your hen will most likely try again.

 

[fisherlady]

Well Gracie gave us 3 chicks for Thanksgiving! This is her 4th hatch this year.

 

[horselover1999]

Now there is a cardboard box with a side cut out in the back left corner.

 

[Faraday40]

Well Gracie gave us 3 chicks for Thanksgiving! This is her 4th hatch this year.

Adorable! Gracie must be having a very Happy Thanksgiving.

I like how your silkie looks with a clean face so you can see her eyes. Do you do any special grooming or are there diff types of silkies?
Most of the time i see pics of silkies that look like furballs with beaks - like below. Can your Gracie see better than the others?

 

[fisherlady]

Adorable!  Gracie must be having a very Happy Thanksgiving.

I like how your silkie looks with a clean face so you can see her eyes.  Do you do any special grooming or are there diff types of silkies?
Most of the time i see pics of silkies that look like furballs with beaks - like below.  Can your Gracie see better than the others?

Thank you, I believe that there are different strains as far as amount of fluff but Gracie was a rescue from a really, really bad living environment (along with Janeway and Pidgy who are both frequently pictured here with chicks)
I don't 'follow ' the silkie breed, per se, but I'm With you on the preference for the clean face. She sees very well and has safely free ranged with chicks now for the 3+ years we have had her.
I am not positive she is a 'purebred', though I think she is, but she would be a poor hatchery example in the looks department, but we absolutely love her no matter what her breeding.

 

[Faraday40]

My daughter's been asking for a silkie for a while now. I just don't care for the fuzzy, hidden face & feel it would not do well here. I've seen some pretty mixes, but with a mix, you never know how it's going to turn out. Oh well. Maybe some day I'll give in.

This year I allowed DD to finally get a Dominique. Then because only one hatched, we had to pair it up with one of our broody's chicks. Now we have the 2 BFFs (a Dom & a Sebright) I technically never agreed to keep the Sebright, so her name is Trouble, & the Dom is Bubbles. DD argues that the tiny Sebright is so small, she shouldn't count in our numbers. Up until recently, we've only had the docile, x-large breeds. Our bantam orp, Cookie, (who's kind of large for a bantam & has been on this forum many times before) was our only bantam. I'm discovering that the little chickens have A LOT of personality. See pics below. They make me laugh when they mirror each other.

Is either breed known to go broody? One frequently broody hen in our flock is plenty. LOL

 

[southernBelle79]

My daughter's been asking for a silkie for a while now. I just don't care for the fuzzy, hidden face & feel it would not do well here. I've seen some pretty mixes, but with a mix, you never know how it's going to turn out. Oh well. Maybe some day I'll give in. This year I allowed DD to finally get a Dominique. Then because only one hatched, we had to pair it up with one of our broody's chicks. Now we have the 2 BFFs (a Dom & a Sebright) I technically never agreed to keep the Sebright, so her name is Trouble, & the Dom is Bubbles. DD argues that the tiny Sebright is so small, she shouldn't count in our numbers. Up until recently, we've only had the docile, x-large breeds. Our bantam orp, Cookie, (who's kind of large for a bantam & has been on this forum many times before) was our only bantam. I'm discovering that the little chickens have A LOT of personality. See pics below. They make me laugh when they mirror each other. Is either breed known to go broody? One frequently broody hen in our flock is plenty. LOL [COLOR=B42000] [/COLOR]

That last pic would make an awesome Christmas card. So cute.