Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[aliren]

Thanks both I think I'll wait then as I have no idea I wasnt' sure if day 5 would tell me anything anyway!

Congratulations on your successful first hatch - would love to see some pics! Hopefully I'll be back with a similar story in just over 2 weeks

 

[aliren]

Thanks it was more worrying then I thought but we got through it, just to sort out next coop & run the hutch is a bit small for so many chicks, really wasn’t expecting that many to hatch, 7 still waiting on last egg but it’s now day 24.

 

[aliren]

Thanks it was more worrying then I thought but we got through it, just to sort out next coop & run the hutch is a bit small for so many chicks, really wasn’t expecting that many to hatch, 7 still waiting on last egg but it’s now day 24.

Can’t get pictures to load so will try later

 

[room onthebroom]

Would really love to know your thoughts on the candling if I should do it today?

If your shells are dark, don't be too disappointed if you cant see inside. I just hatched one that I was never able to candle.

 

[PouleChick]

If your shells are dark, don't be too disappointed if you cant see inside. I just hatched one that I was never able to candle.

Good to know - thanks! I guess that will very much be the case when I get some Marans next time I have a broody. The others are quite pale - maybe the blue ones will be trickier.
How often do exploding eggs happen?
Does everyone candle eggs that are under a broody?

 

[fisherlady]

Good to know - thanks! I guess that will very much be the case when I get some Marans next time I have a broody. The others are quite pale - maybe the blue ones will be trickier.
How often do exploding eggs happen?
Does everyone candle eggs that are under a broody?

Not everyone candles, I try to somewhere around day 10-12, usually catch it when broody is out for a break but I have no trouble just getting them out from under, checking, setting good ones in a hat or basket and the clears somewhere else, when I can't feel anymore under her I just shove the good ones back under, or put them in front of her chest and she arranges them herself.

 

[Faraday40]

How often do exploding eggs happen?
Does everyone candle eggs that are under a broody?

In the incubator I candle once a week. (Day 7 to check for development, day 14 to check air cell changes & development, day 18 to predict pip placement and lay eggs that side up.) Each time I remove clears or quitters if I find them. I had an egg explode ONCE and it ruined the hatch because it happened as eggs were pipping. That's what convinced me to remove eggs when I know they're not going to hatch. I don't think exploding eggs is common, but it was a horrible experience to have all those chicks die when it could have been prevented.

With a broody, I only candle once between 1/3 to 1/2 way through. The main reason is to remove any bad eggs so she can focus on the good ones. I have had crushed egg contents all over my broody & nest. I simply wiped off the goo & let her go back to incubating. I did not wash the hen & eggs - just removed the stickiness that I could & replaced some bedding. I think it was caused by a weaker shell or clumsy chicken. The remaining eggs hatched & she managed to preen herself. I have seen a hen push an egg out of the nest. Perhaps they can tell if an egg is a dud or maybe it was dumb luck. There's a lot less work with a broody, she's fully automatic, and then you get the entertainment as she raises the chicks for you. No brooder to clean!

 

[PouleChick]

Not everyone candles, I try to somewhere around day 10-12, usually catch it when broody is out for a break but I have no trouble just getting them out from under, checking, setting good ones in a hat or basket and the clears somewhere else, when I can't feel anymore under her I just shove the good ones back under, or put them in front of her chest and she arranges them herself.

The whole she is out for a break feels like a good way to do it for me but I can't work out what to do once I have the eggs - if I go back inside and find somewhere dark she'll be panicking by the time I get back and I dont' want to scare her so much she stops sitting but if I try to do it by the coop I won't be able to see in the light. She doesnt' really trust me too much yet (I've only had her about 6 weeks and I think her preivious owner didn't hang out much with the chickens or handle them so she thinks I'm wierd and scary!). I'm going to leave it a bit longer until around day 10 I think so have a few days to work out my strategy!

I had an egg explode ONCE and it ruined the hatch because it happened as eggs were pipping

Oh that is so sad.

I don't think exploding eggs is common, but it was a horrible experience to have all those chicks die when it could have been prevented.

Poor little loves! This is why I want to do it even though I dont' want to do it as I'm not sure I'll be able to see anything / know what I'm looking at and I'm scared of upsetting her but better to try I guess!

With a broody, I only candle once between 1/3 to 1/2 way through. The main reason is to remove any bad eggs so she can focus on the good ones.

Sounds like a solid plan., I'm going to just do it once too I think and I'll hold off to day 10.

There's a lot less work with a broody, she's fully automatic, and then you get the entertainment as she raises the chicks for you

Exactly - I did look at the incubator thing but decided for our family this is the way to go just can't wait!!!

So should I keep it simple and just look for the blood ring on this first attempt at candeling or should I try to look for more?

 

[Faraday40]

I candle at night, - only spending about 10-20sec looking at each egg - so it doesn't chill the eggs or disrupt the hen. Our candler is just a flashlight, so it helps me find my way into the coop. (I cut & taped some craft foam to the end of a little LED flashlight. It works great to make a seal against the eggshell instead of making an "O" with fingers.)

Slip egg out, candle, mark air cell (so I know I candled), replace, and grab next egg. All you need to see is veins, maybe a blob shadow. You can see a lot through white eggs. (Here's DD candling a white egg from one of her past 4H projects)

If I'm teaching or have visitors that want to see egg candling, I'll quickly bring the eggs into the house. I either use a foam egg carton or basket with a warm towel to carry them. I try not to chill the eggs. Of course those eggs/embryos are a lot more hardy than people think. I had a hen get off the nest and return to the wrong one for a couple hours.....when it was snowing outside. I thought for sure she killed all of them. Nope. They simply had a delayed hatch date.

 

[fisherlady]

The whole she is out for a break feels like a good way to do it for me but I can't work out what to do once I have the eggs - if I go back inside and find somewhere dark she'll be panicking by the time I get back and I dont' want to scare her so much she stops sitting but if I try to do it by the coop I won't be able to see in the light. She doesnt' really trust me too much yet (I've only had her about 6 weeks and I think her preivious owner didn't hang out much with the chickens or handle them so she thinks I'm wierd and scary!). I'm going to leave it a bit longer until around day 10 I think so have a few days to work out my strategy!

Oh that is so sad.
Poor little loves! This is why I want to do it even though I dont' want to do it as I'm not sure I'll be able to see anything / know what I'm looking at and I'm scared of upsetting her but better to try I guess!

Sounds like a solid plan., I'm going to just do it once too I think and I'll hold off to day 10.


Exactly - I did look at the incubator thing but decided for our family this is the way to go just can't wait!!!

So should I keep it simple and just look for the blood ring on this first attempt at candeling or should I try to look for more?

If you want to candle during the day and don't have a darker corner in the coop just drape a large towel over your head and arms, it doesn't have to be fancy and it doesn't have to be pitch black dark...you are just looking for clears or obvious blood ring or slushy eggs which indicate early death of embryo. If you aren't sure then only pull clear ones and put a question mark or two ?? on any you aren't sure of so if they don't hatch when the others do you can just pull them or if you get a chance you can recheck them around day 18 if you want.