Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[mandzz]

Help!

Today is hatching day and this one came first, but she kicked it out half hatched. Do i help it or leave it to her and chance to live?

There's a forum about helping them hatch....hands on hatching I think???

 

[AutroandCuckoos]

I tried to listen but havent heard any peeps. I picked it up to see if i could find a beak and i did and it moved so I moved it back under the moms wing. She moved it again away from her. Its still moving a little. My husband says to let nature play out :-( we do not have an incubator and the plan was to let her do it. I guess we'll see in the am....

 

[AutroandCuckoos]

Thank you I'll look for it!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Slight disclaimer because this is the third time today I'm posting this....I'm really worried and my son is like an anxious Papa. Here's the tragic poo story.

omg what an afternoon! Our broody girl has 11 eggs under her and for whatever reason she moved them to the center of the crate last week, but still laying on them. problem was, with the plastic tray under her the bedding moved aside and her legs couldn't grip so she was laying get in the splits. I kept thinking she would work it out now but no. Today she stood up but pretty much wobbled on a circle and then sat down and pooped something nasty....like dead things nasty, my nose hath been assaulted! So the eggs and she had poo everywhere. We are at day 21! I made her a cardboard box with and opening, put in new bedding (thinking that would help with her eggs), tried to clean her and cut off nasty feathers....between gags and wiped the eggs with a wet warm rag. I tried not to turn or handle the eggs much.....anything else I need to do? So worried about the eggs, the list Brahma belongs to my son and he's been so excited...ugh

OOOps, I know that had to be a mess. You probably done all you could do. Broody Poop is a stinking Mess. All you can do is hope they hatch. Maybe educate yourself so with the next broody this does not happen again. I might be wrong but I am going to guess-----were you feeding her something while she was on the nest, like food, or treats or had her food next to her nest so she could eat from the nest?? If So, that will create a problem, worse problem when its hatch time because one of two things is going to happen. She will poop in the nest or will get off the nest even though the eggs are about to hatch or hatching to poop---which is not good at all. I have set 70+ broodies in the last year or so, not a one pooped in the nest, but their food and water is away from them several feet and I Do Not Offer any food, treats while she is setting they will be fine without being fed in the nest.

As you see a slick bottom nest is Not a good nest for a broody---I do not like them for any nest---- so something would need to be done with that if you have another broody wanting to set in one. If I had plastic bottom nest I would modify them by adding something in the bottom like a piece of plywood, sand, a piece of hardware cloth, etc, etc. Good Luck!!

 

[mandzz]

thanks, she has to get up to get her food and water. I read many different point of views on that topic. she has been broody for probably 6 weeks. it took us awhile to get eggs. she has gotten off to poo before, and tried this time. I think her legs had fallen asleep from how she was sitting. The crate has a plastic bottom, but there was a tub inside for her to nest in, she just chose not to use it. not time ull put something on the bottom I guess.

 

[mandzz]

OOOps, I know that had to be a mess. You probably done all you could do. Broody Poop is a stinking Mess. All you can do is hope they hatch. Maybe educate yourself so with the next broody this does not happen again. I might be wrong but I am going to guess-----were you feeding her something while she was on the nest, like food, or treats or had her food next to her nest so she could eat from the nest??  If So, that will create a problem, worse problem when its hatch time because one of two things is going to happen. She will poop in the nest or will get off the nest even though the eggs are about to hatch or hatching  to poop---which is not good at all. I have set 70+ broodies in the last year or so, not a one pooped in the nest, but their food and water is away from them several feet and I Do Not Offer any food, treats while she is setting they will be fine without being fed in the nest.

As you see a slick bottom nest is Not a good nest for a broody---I do not like them for any nest---- so something would need to be done with that if you have another broody wanting to set in one. If I had plastic bottom nest I would modify them by adding something in the bottom like a piece of plywood, sand, a piece of hardware cloth, etc, etc. Good Luck!!

ok so we did remove the water and food. She had one chick hatch and die, and she took it out of the nest box. She's panting though. Do I need to worry about her getting dehydrated?

 

[PD-Riverman]

ok so we did remove the water and food. She had one chick hatch and die, and she took it out of the nest box. She's panting though. Do I need to worry about her getting dehydrated?

OK---make sure she has food and water---but not where she can get it while in the nest. In a small pen set-up I put it as far away as I can. If I was to let her set in one of the nest in the main coop say---with the other chickens around---"I" would not do any food or water difference from what she was use to before going broody(but I always move my broodies). I just make sure the sun is not shining directly on her nest or if the sun was shining on the side the building and she was under a top on that side----and the Sun was causing her nest to warm up----sure I would hang a old sheet or tarp to block the sun for shade----other than that----let her take care of herself. As long as she has water >>>>>over there>>>> she will get off and get some and eat and poop. Good Luck

 

[mandzz]

Ok, so originally she had to get off the nest...but then move the eggs closer to the food and water+slippery bottom and that's what =pooptastrophe. So she moved the dead chick away from the nest and then was looking for the food.....which I had removed. I will put it far away from her nest box, but I'm afraid she'll get off the eggs again and today is day 22. So just be clear, food and water far away and if she gets up... .oh well??

 

[mandzz]

OK---make sure she has food and water---but not where she can get it while in the nest. In a small pen set-up I put it as far away as I can. If I was to let her set in one of the nest in the main coop say---with the other chickens around---"I" would not do any food or water difference from what she was use to before going broody(but I always move my broodies). I just make sure the sun is not shining directly on her nest or if the sun was shining on the side the building and she was under a top on that side----and the Sun was causing her nest to warm up----sure I would hang a old sheet or tarp to block the sun for shade----other than that----let her take care of herself. As long as she has water >>>>>over there>>>> she will get off and get some and eat and poop. Good Luck

Also, she's got a tarp on so I did that right! Lol....food and water in the opposite corner is OK even if she gets up and it's day 22?

 

[PD-Riverman]

Also, she's got a tarp on so I did that right! Lol....food and water in the opposite corner is OK even if she gets up and it's day 22?

Don't let the tarp block the air flow to her nest-----just place it where it blocks the sun from causing her "more" heat.


My broodies don't get up. I have done a lot of studing/watching my hens in the last 2 years. To My memory, none of them get off the eggs the last 2/3 days---that's why I feel its important to not put feed right at the nest-----if they eat they got to poop----either in the nest or they have to jump off the nest during the hatch----which would Not be Good ""HERE"". Let me say this---some yesars back I fed at the nest----after some serious Pooping in the nest---I did some Thinking on this----now I do not have poop in the nest or hens getting off the nest the last days to poop. How Do I Know they do not get off the nest some might ask???? All my broodies are put in private hatching pens----when its "lock-down" time I put the feed in a perfect pile, the waterer had been changed to a chick waterer and I know where the level is on it and I check out the dirt floor for poop etc. If a Broody got off and pooped, I would see it, if she touched the feed pile I would see that as well as if she drinks some water. So I would know if they got off----they don't.

Hate its day 22-----did I ask you if you count the day you put the eggs under her as day 1 or if the next day 24hrs later is day 1????