Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Chiko]

My Australorp, Harriet, needs to go broody NOW!

 

[stonykill]

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she needs to hang out with my Sumatra's. 13 broody's so far this year. And only 10 hens...

 

[stonykill]

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Pulled one over on ya

Glad to hear Mama S took it in, where do you suppose the original mama is? and with how many more?

a missing nest..... ohhh boy, that could be A LOT of chicks! I found fresh broody poop

in the general area where I think her nest MIGHT be. Honestly, the weeds are so high on that part of the property, I'll never find her. If I were going to be home tomorrow I just would have kept the little fuzzy butt in the house for the night, and given her the little one back tomorrow when she was out with her other babies. BUT I won't be home all day until Friday. And my Sumatra's bring there less than 1 week olds in for the night around 4 to 5. When I get home.
So far so good with adopted mama Sumatra. I'll have to move her nest to the floor of the shed before I lock her up tonight. Being the little one will need to eat and drink.
Hopefully I'll catch a glimpse of the new mama soon, and see how many little fuzzy butts she has......

well that was a complete failure. Mama tried to kill it. I'm not even sure if the little fuzzy butt will make it. She is in the house now. Drank a little. Only time will tell now.....

 

[kcfuerst]

I had one broody hen, aged two years, who last year abandoned her single baby and I had to give it to my second broody. This year she went broody again, so I gave her a dozen Trader Joe fertile eggs. She broke two from stepping on them, but the other 10 are due this Saturday (IF ANY HATCH). In the meantime, the second broody is sitting along side now. Here's a picture of Mystery, a Delaware.









I have no clue whether the eggs are viable or not. The two that broke had a blob in the middle, so who knows. Having to make sure they are hand-fed food and water so they don't get too skinny. Can't wait until Saturday to see what happens.

I will leaver her in the next until babies come, then move her to her own area on the floor. This seems to work best with my setup.

 

[Niss]

On the advise you folks kindly gave I ditched the cardboard box and my broody is in a 3x3 hay linded cage. I give her food qnd water in there, but I've not seen her drink.
Tonight I moved her out to have a stretch and let her drink from the big waterer. She had pooped on all but two eggs and had a little greenish shmeer on her butt. Is she okay? Will the eggs still hatch? I changed the bedding, but had read cleaning the eggs is counter productive. Any advice? Her comb is starting to fade and the chicks are due 8-2...can she keep going?

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Green poo can mean she is not getting enough to eat. The eggs will still hatch but I'd try to get her to come off the nest at least 2 times a day especially in this heat. maybe offer her some boiled egg and some type of electrolytes to keep her hydrated. there combs do go pale but she'll bounce back after the chicks hatch.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Keep us updated on how it goes K8tieCat.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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a missing nest..... ohhh boy, that could be A LOT of chicks! I found fresh broody poop

in the general area where I think her nest MIGHT be. Honestly, the weeds are so high on that part of the property, I'll never find her. If I were going to be home tomorrow I just would have kept the little fuzzy butt in the house for the night, and given her the little one back tomorrow when she was out with her other babies. BUT I won't be home all day until Friday. And my Sumatra's bring there less than 1 week olds in for the night around 4 to 5. When I get home.
So far so good with adopted mama Sumatra. I'll have to move her nest to the floor of the shed before I lock her up tonight. Being the little one will need to eat and drink.
Hopefully I'll catch a glimpse of the new mama soon, and see how many little fuzzy butts she has......

well that was a complete failure. Mama tried to kill it. I'm not even sure if the little fuzzy butt will make it. She is in the house now. Drank a little. Only time will tell now.....

Aww stony I am sorry, I hope it makes it. will be thinking about it

hope you can find it's mama soon.

 

[Tiss]

Thanks for the tip on the Oxine, Miss Lydia. I remember a lady at TSC bringing it up a few months ago and I'll for-sure order some. I got the 2nd floor of the kids' playground/fort converted into a coop this afternoon and the new pullets will be moving into there for quarantine.

Mama Red seems very happy to be in the little bitty coop in the run with her 4 remaining babies and Mama Gwen's chick is growing into a nice little Blue Orp pullet. I need to post some pics on the "What Gender" thread, but my money is on girl.

I'm still wondering how I just went from 12 to 24 birds.

 

[vegaschick]

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I love them all BUT am VERY partial to Casino.

She is the broody mama queen. I got her from friends whose yard she showed up in with chicks. Roulette is actually her grownup girl. She's an incredible forager and fierce as a mama bear! She tried going broody again but I had to break her cuz of the heat.