Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[PD-Riverman]

This is very interesting! Are there any types in which you have experienced eggs/chicks being accidentally buried? My first ever broody (a hybrid) had a straw/hay nest, and when I emptied the nest out I found a dead chick buried under straw/hay, I'm not sure what the reason for this was, but she was LF and hatching out bantams, I suspect the nesting material may also have been too deep (allowing this to occur)!

It must be the way "we" make the nest. I have hatched out around 150 broody hens in the last 3 years alone and have Never has a hid egg or dead chicks under the hay. I do not make it to deep or to shollow making sure to pack the corners of a square nesting box. I have great hatches with my broodies and rarely loose a chick.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

I know that somewhere in this tome is buried the answer to my question but I dont have the time to search so I am hoping some of you will respond. I have a BCM hen sitting on just purchased BCM eggs. 13 to be exact. I have left her in her nesting box with the other hens coming and going. I would like to leave her there so the hatch occurs with the rest of the hens and my roo present. Is this a disaster waiting to happen? Should I sequester her and the eggs in a separate but included enclosure? My hens have had no experience with chicks but I would like to think that the mother and the roo would keep any funny business from any other hens to a minimum. Any opinions would be much appreciated. Thanks.

I keep my girls in the general population. I mark the eggs that are set to hatch and remove any additions from the flock daily. Often a more dominate bird will run mama off the nest to lay but mama will wait close by or do her broody run while the other lays and then resume her position with the invader is finished. At about day 18 I put up a barricaid to keep out other birds. I do this to protect the chicks as they are hatching. In the past I had a rather clumbsy girl crush some newly hatched chicks. I put food and water in the barricaid so mom can get up and get a bite if she needs it. I keep the barricaid up until the chicks are fluffy and climbing all over mama, then I open it up when I have time to watch and see if she takes them to ground.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[oregonkat]

Thank you for the responses, I like the idea of the barricade at day 18. My BCM hen/broody seems to be keeping the other layers away and making them lay in the other nest boxes.

Keeping fingers crossed for a large hatch.

 

[h2oratt]

interesting! Is this for any specific reason or just convenience?

Not sure. It's just what I always used in the laying boxes so I used it for the broody s also. I guess it would be more expensive than hay. I started with it in the brooder when I first got chicks.

 

[Johnn]

strength

 

[ObeyTheYeri]

One chick hatched yesterday on day 20 and now the refrigerator egg is hatching today but isn't due till Sunday.

 

[ObeyTheYeri]

Refrigerator chick didn't make it.

 

[oregonkat]

Wow, absolutely beautiful little fuzzies. Awesome. Thanks for posting.

 

[ameliadanielle]

Ok, now my first time silkie mix broody has pooped the nest. Her food and water are on the opposite end of an 8ft pen. She's also either broken or eaten 2 of her 10 eggs. Apparently my hens are just not great broodies. The only ones I can count on for good hatch rates and guaranteed no nest pooping are my buff orpingtons.

 

[ObeyTheYeri]

The first born chick has a broken leg.