Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Tbird84]

Yep! That's how many of my Ginger Red OEGBs hatched last night into this morning! So happy! Congrats all the other chicken moms!

 

[boxermom]

Woo Hoo!!! Congrats!!!!

 

[Fuffy]

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Well done that momma hen!!!!

 

[Fuffy]

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Good luck

 

[StormyMoon]

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Good luck

Thanks,

She is sitting tight checked on her this morning to give her fresh water and feed she is pretty zoned out .......she is doing her business.

 

[ams3651]

Just found my RIR hen broody this morning, this is her 3rd year but the last 2 she waited till May. I posted a question earlier about weather cold eggs will hatch. I took several small pullet eggs from her as they were very small, there are some other eggs in the coop but they are very cold, its only 23 degrees here. Will they hatch if I give her those? What about the eggs Ive had on the counter in the house for 3 days?

 

[Fuffy]

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In general I would go for fresher eggs. But if left to her own devices, momma hen will not start brooding until she has laid a whole clutch.

I have heard that you can get eggs to hatch which have had a day or two in the fridge. But I can't say I've tried it.

Best advice would be try it and see, and if it doesn't work try something else next time.

(Guess that's not all that helpful)

Good luck and do keep us posted

 

[Eatin'Dirt]

I have 3 Australorp hens & 3 Cochin hens & non have become broody.....

 

[Buckeyes-R-Us]

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When placing "cold" eggs under a broody hen do it one or two eggs at a time....wait about 6-8 hours and do it again! I've had broody hens abandon a nest that had too many "cold" eggs placed in them. Last year I experimented with near frozen hatching eggs, they were left out over night in 20F temps brought indoors allowed to warm to room temp and went into the bator the next day. Out of 24 eggs 20 hatched....3 candled clear after day 7 and the one that didnt hatch was fully developed but dies in the shell. I'm not suggesting everone "freeze" or refrigerate hatching eggs but I wanted to test it for myself. Perhaps if an egg remains frozen for several days rate rates might be significantly lower??? I've never found any research on this personally.

Good luck,

 

[JJchiknshak]

I have a duck that goes broody OFTEN. In fact she just went broody again this morning.

Last year she went broody, and would not quit, so I gave her 5 chicken eggs. 3 of them hatched.

Links to origonal posts about this. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=335569
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=346481

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=346850

I still have 2 of the babies... well they aren't babies anymore.