Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[mandzz]

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????

I totally see the whole putting food on the other side. She just seemed really "off" when she brought the dead chick out of the nest ad suddenly started checking around for food. She was wonderful before this whole mess! I just don't want her off for at least another 24hrs. We put the eggs under her late at night, so I counted the next day as day 1....am I 1 day off? That's would be great!

Thank you for your help...3 books, countless blogs and I'm still learning lol

 

[PD-Riverman]

I totally see the whole putting food on the other side. She just seemed really "off" when she brought the dead chick out of the nest ad suddenly started checking around for food. She was wonderful before this whole mess! I just don't want her off for at least another 24hrs. We put the eggs under her late at night, so I counted the next day as day 1....am I 1 day off? That's would be great!

Thank you for your help...3 books, countless blogs and I'm still learning lol

I know-----if she has been off the eggs for hours----there might not be any Luck this time---but there might be. So many changes towards the end. No----we had a big debate over days and when it was all over we were both right---just different ways of saying it. You are right---if you put the eggs under her at 10pm, 24hrs later is a complete day. It would probably be easier if we made Hrs a standard----yep I set her 77hrs ago---LOL get the calculator and see how many days that has been.

I hope she is not off the eggs though----if she has been off for 12/15/ 24 hrs in the last day or so-----that's Not good!.

Hatching with a broody or a incubator should be fun----not stressful, Keep in mind Books does not mean the Author is a chicken "Pro"----might not have ever hatched a egg with a broody or incubator----might be!!

If you decide after this is over to set another hen----there is a lot of knowledgeable people on here-----but if you rather 1 on 1----send me a PM---I will walk you through it from collecting the eggs to after the chicks hatch but do so before you set her and ALWAYS collect ALL eggs From Under ALL hens EVERY Day-----NEVER pass a Nest Because a Hen is on it-----doing this will make your setting/brooding/ hatching go so much smoother. If you want---get you a few fake eggs from Tractor Supply etc to stick under a hen you feel is going broody, but still collect the other eggs every day till you get ready to set her with the eggs you have collected to do so----not using any eggs she has been setting on all day. Good Luck

 

[h2oratt]

How does the hen compensate when it's over 100 degrees? How does she cool the eggs?

 

[Coop de Grass]

How does the hen compensate when it's over 100 degrees? How does she cool the eggs?

Great question!!!

 

[fisherlady]

How does the hen compensate when it's over 100 degrees? How does she cool the eggs?

The nesting material is not as warm as air temp, so she frequently stands and turns the eggs to allow the side against the nest to cool. Extremely hot days aren't common in my area but do happen and I have seen the hens do this. They just sort of hover over the nest for a while rather than set on it. During hot weather my hens also take longer breaks.

 

[PD-Riverman]

How does the hen compensate when it's over 100 degrees? How does she cool the eggs?

I feel she sets on them to shield them from the heat as well as she takes breaks if its not hatch time---to lay on the scratched cool dirt to cool off some them comes back and sets on them. I have seen my broodies doing this on really hot days and they always hatched good. Of course I make sure their nesting boxes are in the cool of some shade.

 

[yardturkey]

I put 12 eggs under my Australorp hen last night /img/smilies/smile.png I have just left her in the coop with the others, and will rig something around the nest to stop the babies being able to get out until I can help them out. I didn't want to move the hen to a broody box, as the last time I tried I broke the broodyness and I'd already ordered the eggs and don't have an incubator.


It's 21 days til hatch, right? So that should have them hatching around the 22nd of this month. This is my first hatch, I'm so excited /img/smilies/big_smile.png

In my research for incubators and broody hens I thought it might be nice to have a centralized thread for people who are interested in hatching eggs using the broody hen method.  This thread is not meant to put down incubators, as they are a very useful tool, but to share knowledge and experience with each other on how to hatch eggs using a broody hen.


I will attempt to edit this post to include tips and FAQs on some of the best methods and tips to use when hatching eggs using a broody hen.  If you have any knowledge please share it.  If you know of anything that would be useful to add to the FAQs or tips please PM me.


We can also use this thread to share pics and hatching details with each other.

I am not sure how many people are interested in doing this but I thought it would be neat to see how many people use this method.
It would seem a lot of people are interested in using this method.  It allows for a more natural hatching and raising experience and helps provide a more sustainable flock.

Thanks to everyone for making this thread a success.  Sharing of knowledge is what we humans do best and the vast information in this thread is helping improve a lot of peoples flocks.

Please take a moment to review the FAQs below.

if the eggs got cold but if she wasnt off them for more than a day they can actually still hatch, a bantum can sit on 10 comfy & a large fowl will cover 20.

as i said previously i have a blue orp sitting on 15 eggs atm & i didnt think she would of handled that many but once i put them under her & she got comfy on them i now now she can sit on alot more than i gave her.

. my broody hen has been setting on 13 eggs 5 hatched. Will she continue to set on eggs even with the 5 new baby's?

 

[yardturkey]

im in new zealand & we are at the end of our laying season atm, our buff orp has gone clucky 4 times this past season & ive taken her off the cluck everytime.

i did have a banty cross that would not break so i gave her some eggs. as the nesting boxes are raised & the other hens kept laying on top of her i built her a broody box with a run & then i built another bigger run that slides up to it for when the chicks are a bit bigger. all made out of scraps lying around.

as all the chickens are free range they would often come & visit mum & babies but couldnt get in to harm them ( neither could the cats ). once they were big enough to free range aswell the older flock were used to seeing the little ones so integration was fairly easy.

i ended up weaning them at about 8 weeks as miss banty was very aggressive with people if you got too close to the babies.

once they are away from the mother they go into the juvenile coop

currently the broody box has a blue orp in it with 15 eggs due on the 10th march.

this is the broody box when miss banty was in it - minus the extra run

& this is the juvenile coop

help all my eggs didn't hatch at same time now I have 5 chicks and 6 eggs not hatched yet what happens now?

 

[fisherlady]

help all my eggs didn't hatch at same time now I have 5 chicks and 6 eggs not hatched yet what happens now?

Were they all set at the same time? Hatches can take a couple of days to complete even when they are all set at the same time. If new eggs were added to the clutch after the hen began setting it creates what we call a sraggered hatch, which is a poor scenario for the chicks and eggs.
Prepare a back up incubation plan for the remainder of the eggs in case the hen decides to get up with the first chicks that hatched. Hens often remain on the nest for 2 days after the first hatches but it can vary from hen to hen. If you see that she gets up and starts feeding chicks the you may need to grab her remaining eggs and finish them in the incubator, with the hope that you can graft the chicks back to the broody after they are dry.

 

[h2oratt]

Seriously concerned for my broody today. It is 104 and I haven't seen her drink or eat. She is off the nest trying to scratch in the dirt and dust bathe I assume so she can cool down the eggs. I prayed the dirt witth some water as it is bone dry. Sure hope these eggs will survive and her. Forecast is for 100 the next 4 days. I have all my other chickens under misters and redwood trees.