Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[fluffycrow]

She's still sitting! Her condition is much better this time round, I'm attributing that to the difference in age

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Update on my broody brood.

Ramblin' Rose has made it into the old right side coop, which we had put up a baby ramp, finally. She decided to do so about 5 days ago when a light rain came in. I heard her make it up the ramp that evening as the bramble babes chirped very loudly while they figured it out. She keeps a close eye on them all day long. The rest of the flock is terrified of her and basically leaves her to her corner of the chicken yard.

Miss Bar has decided to take up residence with her 5 babes in the main coop. She has them all up on the roost (photo below). You'll notice something unique about her set up. That one babe (I'm sure it is the same one) is ALWAYS off somewhere else. I'll count 1, 2, 3, 4, then have to look for 5, whose got its beak into something. My guess is she flew up holding a wing of this little one and told it to sit still or else.

My skunk attack chick is now 8 weeks old. Pretty sure its female. Looking very Cream Legbar-ish from its heritage. They are in the old right coop above Ramblin Rose's gang.

Still not sure what I'm going to do with 10 extra chicks...when I was planning on 4 or 5. Right now I'm seeing 1 rooster and the rest hens...but that will change as they grow I'm sure.

All tucked in for the night.

LofMc

 

[fluffycrow]

And here she is! She did it

 

[Perris]

Look, there's a big wide world out there!

 

[rural mouse]

Beginning of July, my blrw x (ccl x cm) disappeared. My GW broody in the coop (3rd time)

Followed her.

Found her.

The 2 brown eggs are not hers. The rest are hers.

Late July

2 days after she came off the nest.

Last night, 2 weeks old, still has all 5. Still attacking any below her in the pecking order, warning off the others, including the roos and me.

 

[Jmcintosh23]

I put 10 eggs under my broody silkie cross last year. That was my first time hatching anything.

It was such fun that I have just ordered 10 Buff Sussex eggs for her. They should be here by Wednesday. Can't WAIT!!!!

Has anyone tried leaving their broody hen with the flock? I would be worried that the other birds might kill the little chicks. I'd love to hear!

Well I wanted to try it this time and it was half successful.. 5 eggs made it
. But one was in the middle of hatching out when it was squished by the hen and so then there were 4 and I wasn't sure what to do but they only lasted about a couple days each.. I should have taken them out poor babies. I think they got stomped on by the other hens
.we have Rhode Island reds and I don't think they liked the chicks very much.. can other australorps reject other australorps chicks?

 

[Perris]

hello @Jmcintosh23 - welcome to BYC
This latest clutch of mine lost one half way through hatching too; sad, but it happens. I have not had other hens or roos attack chicks, so I have little to contribute on why it might have happened to yours. Were they in everyone's favourite nest box?

 

[Jmcintosh23]

hello @Jmcintosh23 - welcome to BYC
This latest clutch of mine lost one half way through hatching too; sad, but it happens. I have not had other hens or roos attack chicks, so I have little to contribute on why it might have happened to yours. Were they in everyone's favourite nest box?

Hi thank you. Yea She was on the end of the 5 nesting boxes.. the coop is higher off the ground so maybe the chickies were afraid to go out down the ramp..idk maybe there wasn't enough room for them to find bits to eat..and the roosts are above the entrance.. so Everytime one got jumped they might have gotten trampled I. Couldn't say. I wish I could sit and watch their behaviors happening but I can't.

 

[DA in AZ]

I have heard some people say remove the hen and other say they have left it with the flock but it seems the majority removes the hen. I plan on removing my white cochin and try and get her to hatch some eggs for me.

Remove. I had a broody hen hatch another hen’s eggs in a nest box, in a coop, with the rest of my flock. This was the first time raising chickens and I wasn’t experienced and unaware. I assumed that the chicks would be fine after hatching. Eight chicks were hatched, two were attacked after being hatched. I was able to save seven of the chicks but one was killed. I moved them to a brooder heater, hand fed them and they survived. They are all 2 yrs old now I just wanted to warn anyone who is planning on leaving a hen to hatch chicks with the flock.

 

[DA in AZ]

I put 10 eggs under my broody silkie cross last year. That was my first time hatching anything.

It was such fun that I have just ordered 10 Buff Sussex eggs for her. They should be here by Wednesday. Can't WAIT!!!!

Has anyone tried leaving their broody hen with the flock? I would be worried that the other birds might kill the little chicks. I'd love to hear!

Remove. I had a broody hen hatch another hen’s eggs in a nest box, in a coop, with the rest of my flock. This was the first time raising chickens and I wasn’t experienced and unaware. Eight chicks were hatched, two were attacked after being hatched. I was able to save seven of the chicks but one was killed. I moved them to a brooder heater, hand fed them and they survived. They are all 2 yrs old now I just wanted to warn anyone who is planning on leaving a hen to hatch chicks with the flock. This article doesn’t mention dangers when leaving the hen and chicks with the flock. And I had just assumed that the chicks would be fine with other hens.