Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[slurrywidow]

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I'm new to this too.

Started in December with a started flock of 5 and then this Spring I got chicks. I'm constantly trying to read what I can and learn by watching.

kgdubois - I'm the same way with trying to tone down the excitement. My DD (she just turned 9) is my chicken partner and she will tell me how excited she is and I find myself answering "Me too! BUT we just have to wait and see how nature turns out...." I know her heart (and mine!) is going to be broken if something goes wrong. So I just hope for at least one little baby.

Niss - I looked at the calendar again last night and was shocked to see how young my broody actually is! I got her as a day old chick on Feb 23 so that makes her only 27 wks old. That's barely 7 months? Is your 5 mo old laying eggs yet? I've heard being broody is contagious...

And congrats SadieSue!! x3 about pics! I love the baby pics.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Looks like chicks are popping out all over the country ya'll CONGRATULATIONS everyone!! [sorry for the caps] but I got a little excited..

 

[kgdubois]

@sadiesue -- so glad the chickies made it & all are good with the hen!! this is so awesome to read, and very encouraging for me

i'm working on my first hatch now, and i love reading about situations that turned out well!

@slurrywidow & Niss --

i am already happy knowing i've got someone to talk to/with about our first hatches!

my broody is sitting tight on her falsies, and this evening is my transfer time. i have all the eggs in the incubator (put in there this morning) so they'll be nice and warm when i sneak them under her

she is so cute when i check on her, she gets all puffy & growly, but has not pecked (yet) ... i hope she stays this sweet for the duration.

i did have one question for y'all -- how many day behind am i? i will be starting my count today, so if i've calculated correctly, my "due" date is September 23rd, right? my son is 18 months old, and he LOVES going with my husband or i to turn the chickens out to free range. my Cuckoo Marans rooster (Clucky -- we thought he was a hen!) is very good with my son, but has spurred my husband on his legs a few times...have y'all experienced anything like that?

thanks!

 

[jennifersouza]

My brooder is setting on 10 eggs. She acts like a nut when she takes her daily break! She growls hecka loud, like a dinosaur, runs from her nest screaming and almost flying. Then she dashes around the yard, growling and doing everything she does on her break- dust bath, eats, drinks water, poops, all the while growling here and there. Our rooster gets activated, standing up very straight and also growls a bit. Frankly, he stays on high alert the whole time she's off her nest.

Is this normal? Is everything OK?

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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Sounds EXACTLY the same as my broody. She is now running around doing much the same thing with 3 one week old chicks working hard to keep up with her. (More clucking now as she teaches them were the food is.) Some of her antics scared the crap out of her babies at first but they seem to be getting used to her now.

Don't know if it's normal but it worked here!!

Good luck with your hatch!!

 

[jennifersouza]

Thank you for your reply! I was seriously concerned....she's so nutty and is not like this at other times. Let's hope I have the same outcome as you.

 

[JP101010]

quick update: Megan is doing great ,and the other egg that would have been her sister , exploded under Miesha today-

she tried eating the gray froth , i hope it doesnt make her sick , i know it made me sick lol just watching her
we candled it yesterday thinking we would have to get rid of it ,but hubby swears it rocked in his hand (must have been the pressure from it rotting

) so we thought , how horrible would it be to throw it out if it might hatch (we never marked the date that she started sitting on it)

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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[Jloeffler]

x2!!!

 

[shepan2]

How long does it take for an egg to explode? I'm planning to toss all eggs not hatched by day 23...a rotten egg would be soooo very bad (for everyone)...I've candled each egg but only the light brown egg shows a chick. The others are all dark green and I can't see anything...