Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Lady of McCamley]

Hello all, newbie chicken owner, well not so new, have had chickens for two years. But it is the 1st time I have a broody with fertile eggs. Super excited. My black silkie has refused to move since Tuesday. She has 7 eggs under her. Crossing my fingers for a successful hatch.

Silkies make the best broodies. They are awesome.

Good luck with your hatch. Trust her instincts, and I'm sure you will.

LofMc

 

[thebyrdsx5]

Idk how to work the quote button!

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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.
So cute! Congrats!
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.
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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.

Thanks! They are actually at Day 19 now! I keep thinking when I go out there I will hear peeping!

 

[thebyrdsx5]

Sorry idk how to work the quote thing!

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

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.
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Lol I used to write down the date the eggs were set under which hen on a calendar, and then just remember the order by which nest box they were in. Now I use the Hatchabatch app, so all I have to do is look at it. It also gives me reminders of the progress. All I need to remember now is the order they are in, and that I still go by which nest boxes they are in. Oh, I do also take close up pictures of their faces straight on and profile so I know if they switch up, or I can find them if they have been off the nest for a while so I can make sure all is well.

I hadn't heard of that app, thank you! I just downloaded it. I have a feeling it will come in handy for the future.

Hello all, newbie chicken owner, well not so new, have had chickens for two years. But it is the 1st time I have a broody with fertile eggs. Super excited. My black silkie has refused to move since Tuesday. She has 7 eggs under her. Crossing my fingers for a successful hatch.

Congrats! Please keep us updated!

Sorry idk how to work the quote thing!

No problem. You may hear peeps on day 20, but don't get too worried. My first time broody took a couple days longer to hatch out some eggs.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Co broodies! Yes, that's a turkey and a chicken. A big chicken too! Haha. So four girls are all sitting on eggs. I wonder how hatch day will go!

 

[thebyrdsx5]

I'm using the Hatchabatch app too! I should've named my batches with the chicken names though because I jut put Silkie! And now my third Silkie decided to sit. She only has two eggs though.

 

[bald Rooster]

For the last couple days, my one year old white leg horns been sitting a lot. I took all her eggs and she roosted like normal.
Today all that changed and she never got off the nest she has about 5 good eggs under her and I will try to add 5 more tomorrow and then stop.
If I lose ten eggs its no big deal as I have way more then I need.
I am a little worried about the hen she is just a year old.should I stop her?

 

[AnRamire]

Newbie question. I just came home from work tonight and found dried egg yolk on all of f the eggs my hen was on. I dont know what i should do. Do i leave them? Can i clean them with a cloth and warm water? Or has all been lost and i should just chuck them?

 

[TeeMom]

For the last couple days, my one year old white leg horns been sitting a lot. I took all her eggs and she roosted like normal.
Today all that changed and she never got off the nest she has about 5 good eggs under her and I will try to add 5 more tomorrow and then stop.
If I lose ten eggs its no big deal as I have way more then I need.
I am a little worried about the hen she is just a year old.should I stop her? 

I had a 9 month old successfully hatch out 4 chicks and she was a good mother. I have an 11 month old pullet sitting on 10 eggs now and so far she seems very steady. Good luck!

 

[TeeMom]

Newbie question. I just came home from work tonight and found dried egg yolk on all of f the eggs my hen was on. I dont know what i should do. Do i leave them? Can i clean them with a cloth and warm water? Or has all been lost and i should just chuck them?

I would just wipe the eggs with a dry cloth, clean up the broody a bit if needed, change out the nesting material and cross your fingers. Plenty of chicks have hatched from dirty eggs!