Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[upcdayz]

Today is day 18 for my broody Serama hen to be sitting on eggs. From candling a few days ago I know that several are quitters, but there are at least two eggs that look like they're developing along they way they should, as far as I know. This is my first time attempting to hatch anything. I have the hen on her nest, and her boyfriend in the garage since they are small birds. All my others are large fowl so didn't want to mix them together. The Serama's coop isn't finished yet, so that's why they're in the garage. I do have a tower heater in there for them.

Should I take the hen and her eggs out of the nest and place them all in a brooder now? Or just leave her in the little nest?

 

[Blarneyeggs]

So we are fairly new to the whole chicken game, getting day old chicks from e-fowl this March and now we are completely hooked. An impulse buy at Tractor supply of 6 Golden Comets (that turned out to be.... I think white leghorns) has completed our flock. So when one of the leghorns went broody, we didn't know what was up. We broke her from her first brood by putting her in 'time out' the weekend of Hurricane Irene -that was an adventure. And now, as she has gone broody again and mostly because I couldn't say no to my son, we gave her eggs to hatch. It is now day 22, we moved her midway through incubation out of the main coop and into a large metal dog cage that is in the run. We put lots of straw down, covered it with a tarp and put some bales around the outside for insulation. She stayed off the eggs longer than I'd like the first day we moved her, but is on them most of the time since. My husband went to candle an egg yesterday and told me it moved in his hand. This gives me hope. I'm not sure what he saw upon candling, and don't think he was either.

I am very nervous because... Um yeah, it's cold out there. We are in Southeastern PA, the low temp is hovering just above freezing for the next week or so. Am I bringing her and the chicks inside... If this is a successful hatch?

BTW the kids have named her 9,10. As in: nine ten, a big fat hen.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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If she is safe then I'd just leave her. keep us updated.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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She will keep the chicks toasty warm. remember she is wearing a down coat. might be able to hear peeping today if you can get close enough to listen, which your kids will love. but becareful not to bring any eggs out from under mom is they have pipped, she is keeping the humidity just right under her and removing the egg can cause shrink wrapping which will hinder the chick from breaking through the membrane. Sounds like it's close. Let us know and have the camera ready!!

 

[Arielle]

Hatching is so exciting even if it's someone else's hen !

Hope all goes well. Mama is very warm.

Our BO did well her first time. Our BA is giving it a go too now with a selection of EE eggs. I guess I should candle at the end of the week and remove the quitters.

 

[Skittlez]

Well Broody Betty hatched her eggs. 4 out, 1 more to go. Here is a pic of the new additions. She had 2 EE eggs, 2 barred eggs, 1 ? egg. I thought it was a cochin egg, but the little one has 5 toes. Maybe my EE roo is the daddy? He has 5 toes. Betty is a sizzle and has 5 toes, but this is not her egg. So who knows. Anyway, the new babies.

Only 1 more broody to go!

 

[Blarneyeggs]

How very very precious! And right on the dining room table? That-a-girl! My hubby would kill me <hee hee>

 

[Skittlez]

Yes, the dining room table.

My hubby is very tolerant. The only time he fussed is when he wanted a shower and there were 4 ducks in the tub. Ooops. Broody Pebbles baby is a week old now. Here is a new pic. Pebbles is getting restless, so I will move her and baby to the big brooder.

 

[Jloeffler]

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That is so cute! I've heard that Silkies make great adoptive moms but that is adorable!

 

[Skittlez]

That is so cute! I've heard that Silkies make great adoptive moms but that is adorable!

This is Pebbles first duckling. She has taken to it like she would her own. She clucks and purrs to him/her. I love listening to her. The baby doesn't mind she is a chicken either. So far my silkies will raise anything I give them. They definitely do not discriminate.​