Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Violetsfeathers]

I have a Cochin bantam that has been broody for a month or two. I want to give her eggs but
The hens I want to hatch from are not laying enough.

Raspberry

 

[skgray]

Got two game bantam pullets sitting on their first clutch of about a dozen eggs each. One in a 5g bucket nest on our patio and the other made her own nest in the bushes.

 

[NysiaAnera]

I have a Cochin bantam that has been broody for a month or two. I want to give her eggs but
The hens I want to hatch from are not laying enough.

Raspberry

Awe, that's a bummer. She is pretty though!

 

[NysiaAnera]

Got two game bantam pullets sitting on their first clutch of about a dozen eggs each. One in a 5g bucket nest on our patio and the other made her own nest in the bushes.

Yay! Do you have any pictures?

 

[NysiaAnera]

Well, the hen who lost her first clutch of eggs, and had 2 clutches taken over by other hens, left the nest yesterday. I am not at all happy with her right now! I brought them all inside and threw together a very quick makeshift incubator. I just used what I had onhand, so it is not complete, but so far it seems to be working out. I need to wash it out better and get a few more parts to get it set up better. On candling, 1 was infertile, 11 were developing, but 3 have cracks, and I think only 2 may still be alive. Of course, the last time I thought only 1 chick was still alive and 3 were iffy, all 4 hatched, so all 11 are in there. I will candle again tomorrow night (day 10) and check for progress. Hopefully we will still get some chicks from them.

And my cats always find the best heat sources and sleep on them (heat lamp, heat vents, laps). This one is Grace.

If upon candling again I find that only a couple are still alive, I will probably just add them to the clutch that is a day behind. I would MUCH rather have a broody momma raise them!

 

[NysiaAnera]

Well, I am pretty sure they are all gonners. I wasn't 100% sure what I was seeing in a few, so I will leave them and check again in a couple days. AND we might have another broody! An Australorp was in a nest box today and acting the part. So we will see what she decides throughout the next day. That will put us back at 3.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I have another broody serama whos sitting on 12 serama eggs i recently hatched 4 in my btor and 2/4 are silkied! Got 4 more in my bator due friday

 

[nchls school]

I have another broody serama whos sitting on 12 serama eggs i recently hatched 4 in my btor and 2/4 are silkied! Got 4 more in my bator due friday

Depending on the size of the serama, you might find that 12 eggs is too many for the hen to cover. All of mine seem to have better hatches when I limit the clutch size to 8 or less; when given more eggs the hatch has always been poor.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Depending on the size of the serama, you might find that 12 eggs is too many for the hen to cover. All of mine seem to have better hatches when I limit the clutch size to 8 or less; when given more eggs the hatch has always been poor.

My seramas like hatching large numbers lol theyve hatched 20 chicks before and if more get layed whatever doesnt hatch ill put in my bator but shes covering them all nicely some i know are not even fertile as ones a new layer

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I candled her 13 eggs 6 were growing...two looked younger but growing 5 were empty or to early....so i took 7 put them in my bator 5 that either were to early or not fertile and two that were prolly on day 3 might give her those two back