Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Tiss]

Oh no! I just got back from the library and went to check on the girls. Red seems to have gotten confused as to which nest is hers and was sitting on top of the eggs the other hens laid this morning.

I'm not sure how long she was off her nest (the other eggs sure were hot) but it couldn't have been more than 3 hours. I guess it's probably a good thing it's 90 degrees here today too. I sure hope her eggs are okay.

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

What happens when broodies keep laying eggs? I put two fertile eggs under my Buff Orp hen (first-time broody). Of course I forgot to mark them. Several days later, I see she has seven eggs! She is alone with a brooding banty that lays small eggs so I know the BO laid them. So should I be counting 21 days from the day I gave her the two eggs, or do they not really brood them till they feel they have a full nest?

And, if I had marked the originals and removed the daily eggs, would she just keep laying?

 

[Gold Griffin Chicken Mom]

Tiss, as you said it is hot out. The eggs should be fine.

The Dark Cornish Mama brings her babies out at first light. They run back to Mama for warmth, but by the afternoon they just hang out near her.

Twinkle gets off her eggs to eat breakfast. I have yet to catch her off the eggs for very long. We have had days in the 90s and nights only down to the 70s. The incubator in the house has extra eggs for Twinkle and I'm experimenting with openning the lid occasionally. House humidity is staying in the 50s and 60s. I've seen the incubator as low as 30%.

 

[Firefly]

Quote:
Thanks so much for responding, Miss Lydia! I pulled out a huge airline style pet carrier that my 100 pound Lab used to travel in and cleaned that out. It should give them plenty of room at least for the first week. I have a large doghouse and run attached to the regular coop that I plan to move them to, but right now the chicks are so small I'm afraid they'll scoot right through the fencing.

The second egg is almost finished hatching! The chick is squirming around on its side but still had a big piece of shell stuck to it's back. I'm amazed this one hatched at all...it cracked on day 12 and had a pretty decent dent in it, but I used melted candle wax to seal it up. Gotta love this forum!!

Tiss-- this broody was off her nest for two hours one day and the chicks (so far) are hatching just fine. The hot weather does help!

 

[Tiss]

Quote:
Thanks for the reassurance. I swear I was not this paranoid about my human children!

 

[Fuffy]

Oh I hear you Tiss!!!!

A C section was NOTHING compared to broody hens!!!

 

[Firefly]

LOL No kidding! Twenty one days might as well have been nine months... it sure felt as long at times!

I wanted to post my experience here in case it helps someone else. Chick #2 hatched, though the repair I did did cause it to have some trouble breaking out. A large thin sheet of inner membrane was attached to the back, and where the wax was the shell was very hard and stuck tight. I carefully picked that off with a fingernail, a little at a time and then stuck baby back in with Mama (I didn't want it to be out too long and get cold.) About 1/2 an hour later I went back out and with a rag gently wet the area with the membrane on the back with warm water. I slowly peeled it off (I'd read you have to be very careful not to rupture the delicate skin). It came off fairly easy but the chick was shivery, poor thing! I put her back under mama ASAP, and now we'll just wait and see. She sure was feisty, squirming and giving me an earful while I worked. Mama was funny too-- she had her neck craned out watching me like a hawk! Chick #1 came out to see what the hubbub was, too.

Here's a pick of chick #1, an Ameracauna/Speckled Sussex Mix. I'll post better pictures when I can get them (when Mama lets me!). A million thanks again to everyone in this thread!

 

[zebserema]

haha thats a pretty bird

 

[aubreynoramarie]

cute!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Thanks so much for responding, Miss Lydia! I pulled out a huge airline style pet carrier that my 100 pound Lab used to travel in and cleaned that out. It should give them plenty of room at least for the first week. I have a large doghouse and run attached to the regular coop that I plan to move them to, but right now the chicks are so small I'm afraid they'll scoot right through the fencing.

The second egg is almost finished hatching! The chick is squirming around on its side but still had a big piece of shell stuck to it's back. I'm amazed this one hatched at all...it cracked on day 12 and had a pretty decent dent in it, but I used melted candle wax to seal it up. Gotta love this forum!!

Tiss-- this broody was off her nest for two hours one day and the chicks (so far) are hatching just fine. The hot weather does help!

Well that airline kennel should do the trick.. so excited to hear about the one with the candle wax making it out with a little help. and sweet picture..