Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[stonykill]

I just went out to fill the OWB for the night, and it is snowing like gangbusters. It better stop NOW! lol

 

[1Chick Magnet]

bwains... lol

omg.... now I am going to think of that when I feed them tomorrow morning.

 

[1Chick Magnet]

I just went out to fill the OWB for the night, and it is snowing like gangbusters. It better stop NOW! lol

it is supposed to go south of us.

 

[Dooner]

UPDATE to original post 6468: Well, I received the fertilized eggs in the mail and placed them under her in the small coop in the garage. She sat nice for a week then I noticed her in the lower part of the coop. I placed her back on the nest and restricted her to a smaller area. When we check now she is not on the nest,the eggs are cold and she is pooping in and out of the nest. One egg was cracked so I tossed it and cheked the egg. There was a blood spot but no embryo. I opened up her area again and cleaned up the poop and nest. I wiped/washed off the eggs and put fresh shavings. In. Should I wait a couple of weeks or should I just chalk this up to experience? Please help.

No one has responded, I REALLY need some advice PLEASE!

 

[upcdayz]

It doesn't sound like your hen is broody.

Edited to add that fertilized eggs aren't likely to stay viable for a couple weeks. The hatch rate goes down considerably after about 10 days.

 

[Dooner]

I think i waited too long before getting eggs for her to sit on. She had tried hatching a golf ball for a couple of weeks before I realized what was going on. I wonder if they have a built in timer to realize they have sat long enough?

 

[upcdayz]

If your hen was broody, she's still be sitting - on golf ball or eggs - or even nothing. I doubt your hen was broody to begin with. Sometimes hens take a long time to lay an egg. That may have been what she was doing. I have one hen who sits in the nest for up to 2 hours just to lay her egg. Sometimes I think they just like sitting in the nest because it's quiet there. A nice place to rest. Sorry about your purchased eggs.

 

[jak2002003]

One of my Japanese Bantam hens went broody for the first time. I had been saving up some eggs from the other hens and put 6 under her.

Well she the worst broody I have ever had. First few day everything OK. Then she decided to give up for the day. However, later that night she was back on the nest. I was worried the eggs would have died, but I decided to see what happened.

A week later she pushed 2 eggs to the corner of the next box and they went cold. Again everything OK for a few days. Then she pushed one egg away and it was cold when I checked.

This morning she had pushed an egg out of the box onto the floor. Quite a feat as there is a lip to the next box. She does not seem to enjoy the task. Now down the last 2 eggs. I am not hopeful she will manage to hatch out any!

I have never had a broody act like that, even when it was their first clutch. Guess all hens are different after all!

 

[michaelinnc84]

Your getting eggs? That is so awesome and I am so jealous! LOL. Now tomorrow I am going to be hunting for Sophies nest to see if she has been laying any without me knowing. I wont get the eggs though because I want her to sit.

Hey stony i found 5 duck eggs today boy did they have them hid good. I steamed them and fed them to the dogs, but my young duck went into the chicken coop and back into the floor nest so I just left her there for the night. I'm thinking she my go broody before any of my chickens do

Quote:

 

[stonykill]

Your getting eggs? That is so awesome and I am so jealous! LOL. Now tomorrow I am going to be hunting for Sophies nest to see if she has been laying any without me knowing. I wont get the eggs though because I want her to sit.

I've been getting 3 to 4 eggs a day since January 1st from my 4 pekins. Egg laying fools. Helps pay for their feed, the pigs...lol