Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[fisherlady]

I'm sorry you had to cull it. But glad your hen has a nice clutch to brood. She will be a happy girl now with a job to keep her busy.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Trouble now has 7 happy, healthy orpington chicks. I had two eggs that she started sitting on but did not know the hatch date. They hatched & were added to her little family.

Sadly, I had to cull the herniated chick. After 24 hrs, it looked a little worse. It was very active and tried climbing out of the wrappings & cup. It looked like some intestines as well as the yolk sac were hanging out, so I decided to stop any further suffering.

It's got to be the hardest thing to kill a chick.

 

[Faraday40]

It's got to be the hardest thing to kill a chick.

It is very hard.... but seeing it die slowly from starvation would have been worse. It never ate or drank. It never even make that 1st green poop, so I suspect the intestines were being pinched.

 

[Faraday40]

Trouble's chicks are doing great. 1 week old now.
(They're in a quick-n-easy chicken tractor for some grass time during the day to protect them from hawks.)

 

[beetandsteet]

Jumping into this thread--I have a broody Sex-link hen who's a week away from her babies hatching! I separated her from the rest of the flock and put her in a dog kennel. I cannot wait for those cute little fluffies!

 

[Faraday40]

Jumping into this thread--I have a broody Sex-link hen who's a week away from her babies hatching! I separated her from the rest of the flock and put her in a dog kennel. I cannot wait for those cute little fluffies!

Welcome & make sure to post pics of the happy family once they hatch. I find allowing a broody to raise chicks is the easy way to do it.

I didn't think sex-links went broody, but I guess since your hen can't read, she doesn't know that. LOL

Here's the look I get from my hen "Trouble" every time I tell her that "Sebrights are not a broody breed." She's a very determined little hen!

 

[Faraday40]

Trouble's orpington chicks are now 4 weeks old. Let's play, guess that gender!
1 = ?
2 = female
3 = obvious male
4 = male
5 = possible female
6 = possible female
7 = ?
* and this blue orp is the only one I considered keeping. The comb/wattles have a touch of color but not obvious like #s 3 & 4. This chick came from Jewel's line, which has been known to give females with early big pink wattles.

The only guesses I feel confident about are chicks 2, 3, & 4.

 

[BullChick]

Aretha Franklin. What can I say? She wants her own family. Her babies will be hinnies... if they hatch.
June and July were wet. Lots of storms. She was inside the duck pen, but it’s on the bare ground. I’m not sure how wet her nest got. It’s just my only guess on a reason for failure. One baby on the first try, but it didn’t live long.
She is in a new location. Under a roof by the backdoor, and it’s dry. Our predators are low, so I’m not fussing about that. I really do want her to succeed.

 

[fisherlady]

Hoping she does well! Now if freezing weather just holds off a bit....

 

[fisherlady]

Trouble's orpington chicks are now 4 weeks old. Let's play, guess that gender!
1 = ?
2 = female
3 = obvious male
4 = male
5 = possible female
6 = possible female
7 = ?
* and this blue orp is the only one I considered keeping. The comb/wattles have a touch of color but not obvious like #s 3 & 4. This chick came from Jewel's line, which has been known to give females with early big pink wattles.

The only guesses I feel confident about are chicks 2, 3, & 4.

I agree on the ones you stated as 'obvious' so far, but the rest are too close to call and genetics may cause a swing either way. I have had large combed hens and small combed roosters in the past, so won't be able to guess further till saddle feathers start to come in at about 10 weeks. All I know is the most curious/endearing/friendly ones inevitably end up being roosters that have to go....