Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

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You have to treat both mama and chick and nest. as soon as chick is dry remove mama and chick clean out all bedding and dust inside real good put in small amt of new bedding then dust mama hopefully the dust from mama will be enough for chick to be safe at least for a couple of days, because you'll need to repeat this again in about 5 to 7 days to kill nits that will hatch out. That why you don't want to add a hole lot of bedding. When one of my chicks was hatching her chick I went out several times and lifted her up and got to see diff. stages of hatch. As long as the pip hole is open so it can breathe I'd say it's safe. It's when they are still pipping and can't breathe that it's dangerous because the membrane can dry out and they can't get through and they sufficate. So just make sure it is pipped all the way through both egg and membrane. Just don't take mama completely off the egg so she can still provide humidity. You can even spray warm water over the egg except in the pip hole not there.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

I didn’t expect to be joining this thread but apparently, my hen had other ideas – I have a seriously broody 2 year old red sex link (red star) – not on the list of expected broodies! She has been sitting hard for 10 days now, on fertilized eggs for 8 days. I picked up 4 OEs for her to sit on and the bonus 5th egg is a frizzle! Candled the eggs on day 6. Couldn’t see clearly into the olive eggs but the frizzle is definitely cooking. I moved her into private quarters this afternoon. She immediately flattened herself over the eggs and growled. This hen is usually my friendliest but as a broody, she is a savage. I hope that means she will be a good mom. I had NO idea a hen could get herself so flat and fluffy. She gets off the nest every other day, storms around the yard puffed up like a cabbage, wings dragging – clucking like mad. She picks fights, dust bathes, grabs a snack and a drink and, of course, that major broody poop. Everything done at a run. If all goes well, hatch date should be August 27. I don’t really need any more birds but who can resist a broody? Certainly not me!

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Congrats... and a frizzle ♥ my dh looks at my tiny frizzle and says "thats not a chicken" I just love that little thing. Let us know how it goes..

 

[stonykill]

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Fuffy they are so cute. My 2 that are 8 weeks are still with mama too, ain't it cute. Thank goodness mine are both pullets.............




Stony, one of my pullets from first hatch of season [April 6th] is thinking about laying, i noticed her in the coop a couple of times and she has been hanging out with one of our roos and today she was inside the coop singing with the other hens, it's so cute. Congrats on your eggs and your lil roo.

yeah, these girls have been hanging out a bit each day with Sammy, the head rooster. And I've heard them singing the egg song off and on for a few weeks. Now if only the Pekin females would start laying.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just went out to clean coop and guess what i found?...

would love to get a pic of her but they are so fast, can't keep them still.

 

[Miss Lydia]

These are my last 2 chicks that are still with mama, they are both pullets and are 8 weeks old. They think I am the ax murderer.

 

[zebserema]

my silkie cant seem to get rid of her chicks they are 7 weeks old fully feathered and can fly and they wont leave her alone should i help?

 

[JP101010]

So i got off of work early , thank goodness! Megg the egg has been chirping all day. Hubby says he felt an opening in the egg but we are so worried about lifting mama to check it.. Still waiting patiently , looks like its gonna be a looooong night.

And thankyou miss lydia for the lice treatment advice. I will pickup some sevin dust in the morning and treat her and the cage after the chick is out and dry.

 

[stonykill]

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[BooBear]

Well, it looks like I only got 2 chicks from the shipped eggs I put under my broodies. They are really cute. They may get over momma'd as they have 2 mommas looking after them.

Saphire is still trying to hatch the last 3 eggs though. Today will be day 24 and I am not very hopeful on the last eggs.