Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[PD-Riverman]

I went out yesterday morning to find the non broody hens trying eat a chick. I checked the nest boxes and found 2 hens back in mama's box again. Decided it was worth the risk to move mama's eggs to the brooding pen. I very carefully moved her remaining 10 eggs to the new nest and tried keeping mama calm as I moved her and set her on the eggs. I finished the fencing yesterday afternoon and crossed my fingers.

I just went out and looked in the door and was surprised to see a little head sticking out from under mama's wing. I'm thrilled! I didn't expect to see any chicks until later today. I'm not going to disturb her but I'll bring my camera out next time and see if I can get a pic.

Super happy first timer!

I am sorry you were having trouble. So many have trouble with broody hens with the flock, some don't. I have had really torn up mother hens that were defending their babies when left with the flock and quiet a few dead chicks---even seen them die from a peck while I was standing there. I made up my mind a few years back----no more. Now and in the last several years I move all broodies to a private hatching pen----usually before I give them their eggs I choose for them. I keep some fake eggs. In 3 years I have set over 150 hens, all 150+ hens had great hatches. None of the 150+ mother hens have had to fight, none torn up. No dead chicks from other hens pecking them---I will never go back to the old way. Good Luck!

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Its confirmed. Not gonna disturb mama to much right now but I did lift a wing and saw 3 for sure. Took one out for a second to get a pic then right back it went. So loving this!

This is the best part, and the hardest part! Hope she has lots of little chicks. It is so much fun to watch her taking them around and showing them the world.

 

[Pstock44]

This is the best part, and the hardest part! Hope she has lots of little chicks. It is so much fun to watch her taking them around and showing them the world.

It's been interesting and a big learning experience. So how is it before mama takes them out of the coop and into the pen. I have put food and water in the coop for them so they have easy access for awhile.

Any other advice? I plan to keep them with mama til they're big enough to mix with the flock.

 

[Pstock44]

Last update for today. Wife helped me check on mama and chicks. 8 out of 10 so far. Noticed one was still wet so obviously just hatched. They all look bright eyed and healthy. So happy its going so well.

 

[Pstock44]

Forgot the pic.

 

[NysiaAnera]

Its confirmed. Not gonna disturb mama to much right now but I did lift a wing and saw 3 for sure. Took one out for a second to get a pic then right back it went. So loving this!

What breed is the chick you took out?

Forgot the pic.

Congratulations!! I am pretty sure this is why it is SO addicting. The babies are adorable!

 

[NysiaAnera]

Well, I kind of messed up a little yesterday! I went out and discovered the Brahma momma with the late chicks off the nest. The eggs were cold to the touch, and there were 3 pips. One I could see the chick, and it was not moving. I thought the momma had given up, so I removed the eggs for candling and either disposal or adding to the incubator. Turns out the three were alive and well! So into the incubator they went and all three hatched and are great. But I went back out later, and momma was back and in a different nest. So today we did a switcharoo, and gave her 10 eggs from the incubator that were going into "lockdown" tonight. We also moved a Buff Orpington whose eggs just started day 18 into a nest we could screen, and put up two maternity screens for 3 hens. When their chicks are about done hatching, We will sneak the ones inside under someone.

The one on the far right is the one I thought had given up. We threw together this double screen tonight because we din't have screens for these nest boxes yet.

The one in the middle we moved tonight so we could put the screen up. The Buff Orpington on the far right here is Buffy.

 

[Pstock44]

What breed is the chick you took out?
Congratulations!! I am pretty sure this is why it is SO addicting. The babies are adorable!

They are all Orpington chicks. I have one Gold Laced and four Buffs, the Roo is a Blue Orp (Batman). We did have a White Ameracauna Roo for awhile but the Batman was very dominant and didn't let the other one breed with the hens. I'm going to say all the dark chicks are his, the others probably are too but maybe one or two light ones are not. Would like one colored egg layer for our grand kids.

I agree, it is very addicting, I wish I had more room. We'll let them all grow out till we know what we have and then keep a couple pullets. We also have three Silkie chicks that are 25 days old. They're the wife's favorite breed.

 

[thebyrdsx5]

Hi! This is my first time trying the Brody hen method. I bought some Icelandic eggs but my cheap incubator was hard to keenstable. My Silkie wanted to sit so I just laid one in front of her at a time and she would pull it under her! She was sitting on non-fertile eggs. I got a new Silkie rooster so then I gave her some fertile Silkie eggs to hatch. When she went broody another hen decided to go broody so she shared her eggs!

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

This is the best part, and the hardest part! Hope she has lots of little chicks. It is so much fun to watch her taking them around and showing them the world.

It's been interesting and a big learning experience. So how is it before mama takes them out of the coop and into the pen. I have put food and water in the coop for them so they have easy access for awhile.

Any other advice? I plan to keep them with mama til they're big enough to mix with the flock.

Whenever I have broodies, I always keep them with the flock. It is chancy this way, if the Mama doesn't guard them well or is a submissive hen, the babies can get pecked by the other chickens. It depends when she will take them out, but it is usually a couple days at least. When I had a hen hatch out Abbie's a couple months ago, it wa over a week before she took them outside because of the cold. This current broody group will probably go out sooner.

It's perfectly fine to keep her and the chicks separate from the rest of the flock. I would recommend that you have her and the chicks so that the rest of the flock can see them, so that there is no need for full reintegration, if that makes sense.

My only other bit of advice would be just to make sure there are no places that the chicks can get stuck or sneak away from the mother. True are so tiny and can squeeze through such tiny spaces. The Mama hen usually will not leave the others to find one that is lost. This is only an issue for the first week or two.

Forgot the pic.

So cute! Congrats!

Well, I kind of messed up a little yesterday! I went out and discovered the Brahma momma with the late chicks off the nest. The eggs were cold to the touch, and there were 3 pips. One I could see the chick, and it was not moving. I thought the momma had given up, so I removed the eggs for candling and either disposal or adding to the incubator. Turns out the three were alive and well! So into the incubator they went and all three hatched and are great. But I went back out later, and momma was back and in a different nest. So today we did a switcharoo, and gave her 10 eggs from the incubator that were going into "lockdown" tonight. We also moved a Buff Orpington whose eggs just started day 18 into a nest we could screen, and put up two maternity screens for 3 hens. When their chicks are about done hatching, We will sneak the ones inside under someone.

The one on the far right is the one I thought had given up. We threw together this double screen tonight because we din't have screens for these nest boxes yet.

The one in the middle we moved tonight so we could put the screen up. The Buff Orpington on the far right here is Buffy.

That looks so confusing! I dotni know how you are keeping track. I have a few broodies, and I just gave them all eggs on the same day.

Hi! This is my first time trying the Brody hen method. I bought some Icelandic eggs but my cheap incubator was hard to keenstable. My Silkie wanted to sit so I just laid one in front of her at a time and she would pull it under her! She was sitting on non-fertile eggs. I got a new Silkie rooster so then I gave her some fertile Silkie eggs to hatch. When she went broody another hen decided to go broody so she shared her eggs!

.

Aw that's so neat. You may want to candle the eggs after about 4-5 to make sure they are developing. At this stage, you will only see veining, and maybe a dark dot.