Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[khaosity]

Hi Everyone!
I'm a first time duck egg hatcher with a first time broody and I would like to ask a few questions of you knowledgeable folks if that's cool.

I've got a broody rouen who has been sitting for the last month or so. We didn't really plan for this but we were out of town for two weeks earlier in march when she suddenly decided to sit and now it seems as thought shes got a few eggs in there at different stages. It seems like they're all relatively close together at least thou. Anyway, yesterday one of the eggs with a larger air cell internally pipped! I'm super excited and have been doing my best to make mom comfy and calm (she's in a sectioned off area of the duck house with her own light, food, water and some leg room) but I went out to check them this morning and none of the others have internally pipped yet and that one is still just, well, it looks like its flapping around in there and hasn't externally pipped AT ALL yet. And she's still been turning them.

So my questions are:

Should I consider moving the eggs to a homemade hatchery since my broody is a first timer? I don't have one yet, but I could whip something up today.

I've heard some of you say that if an egg is internally pipped for more than 24 hours and hasn't externally pipped at all then the baby can suffocate so some of you suggest to make a super tiny hole in the top so the baby can breathe?

Maybe the other eggs are a few days behind so she's at their schedule? In which case, maybe I should just bring the two that seem further advanced (much larger air cells) inside?
Also, the two with the larger air cells are my rouen's and the rest are my cayuga's (there are 13 eggs). Is it possible that they just develop differently since they come from different mothers or are they definitely at different stages?

Does anyone know what the success rates are for a first time broody vs an incubator? I really don't know if she knows what she's doing but I'm not sure I know what I'm doing either, lol.

Anyway I'm sure I'll have more questions, but thanks in advance for your help. I'm going to be heartbroken if we don't get ANY ducklings.

 

[JakRat]

So one baby is out, another I think is pipping, but the other 2, no signs. They were supposed to hatch at 19 days (serama eggs), which is today. The one running around is a day early. Do I need to be worried???

 

[JMidJr]

I have a broody! It's a little sooner than I expected/hoped for, but I'm excited to see how this goes. She's been sitting solid for about a week (maybe a few days more); comes off the nest at treat time each day, during which she poops, eats, drinks, and then right back to the clutch of golf balls she's brooding.

Tomorrow I get some WL and RIR eggs from a nearby breeder, which I'll put in place of the golf bales during treat time tomorrow. Then we'll see if this young pullet is able to successfully brood a clutch!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi Everyone!
I'm a first time duck egg hatcher with a first time broody and I would like to ask a few questions of you knowledgeable folks if that's cool.

I've got a broody rouen who has been sitting for the last month or so. We didn't really plan for this but we were out of town for two weeks earlier in march when she suddenly decided to sit and now it seems as thought shes got a few eggs in there at different stages. It seems like they're all relatively close together at least thou. Anyway, yesterday one of the eggs with a larger air cell internally pipped! I'm super excited and have been doing my best to make mom comfy and calm (she's in a sectioned off area of the duck house with her own light, food, water and some leg room) but I went out to check them this morning and none of the others have internally pipped yet and that one is still just, well, it looks like its flapping around in there and hasn't externally pipped AT ALL yet. And she's still been turning them.

So my questions are:

Should I consider moving the eggs to a homemade hatchery since my broody is a first timer? I don't have one yet, but I could whip something up today.

I've heard some of you say that if an egg is internally pipped for more than 24 hours and hasn't externally pipped at all then the baby can suffocate so some of you suggest to make a super tiny hole in the top so the baby can breathe?

Maybe the other eggs are a few days behind so she's at their schedule? In which case, maybe I should just bring the two that seem further advanced (much larger air cells) inside?
Also, the two with the larger air cells are my rouen's and the rest are my cayuga's (there are 13 eggs). Is it possible that they just develop differently since they come from different mothers or are they definitely at different stages?

Does anyone know what the success rates are for a first time broody vs an incubator? I really don't know if she knows what she's doing but I'm not sure I know what I'm doing either, lol.

Anyway I'm sure I'll have more questions, but thanks in advance for your help. I'm going to be heartbroken if we don't get ANY ducklings.

Okay you have a duck sitting not a chicken it takes ducks longer to hatch so just let mama do her thing, even first time mama do awesome jobs. Best thing is to just try to remain clam and not mess with her too much, if they are a few days apart she will probably see it through to they all hatch. no difference in rouen and cayuga as far as hatch times. 13 eggs are alot so just give it time, Ducks can take 24 -48 hrs to hatch. go to the duck thread and you'll get alot more info. I have a muscovy sitting on 7 eggs so i know it can be nerve wracking waiting but it's better if you don't interfer at all. and

now don't forget to post back and tell us all about the hatch along with pictures...

 

[Miss Lydia]

is today day 19?

So one baby is out, another I think is pipping, but the other 2, no signs. They were supposed to hatch at 19 days (serama eggs), which is today. The one running around is a day early. Do I need to be worried???

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a broody! It's a little sooner than I expected/hoped for, but I'm excited to see how this goes. She's been sitting solid for about a week (maybe a few days more); comes off the nest at treat time each day, during which she poops, eats, drinks, and then right back to the clutch of golf balls she's brooding.
Tomorrow I get some WL and RIR eggs from a nearby breeder, which I'll put in place of the golf bales during treat time tomorrow. Then we'll see if this young pullet is able to successfully brood a clutch!

I bet she'll do a great job. Congrats and keep us updated..

 

[JakRat]

is today day 19?

for the serama eggs it is. The farmer I got them from said that they hatch at day 19 so I put them under her later than the other eggs. It is day 21 for the polish egg and last night that was the one that tapped back to me.

 

[Miss Lydia]

for the serama eggs it is. The farmer I got them from said that they hatch at day 19 so I put them under her later than the other eggs. It is day 21 for the polish egg and last night that was the one that tapped back to me.

I wouldn't give up on them at all, Elvira hasn't has she? Some pip and zip fast others take their own sweet time, so try to relax and just give them time.

and the one that has hatched will get the others going to.

 

[JakRat]

I wouldn't give up on them at all, Elvira hasn't has she? Some pip and zip fast others take their own sweet time, so try to relax and just give them time.

and the one that has hatched will get the others going to.

No giving up! I am just new to this so I have no idea what to do I am of course letting her do everything. I think that it is nap time at the moment.

 

[Miss Lydia]

No giving up! I am just new to this so I have no idea what to do I am of course letting her do everything. I think that it is nap time at the moment.

For Elvira or you? LOL and don't worry if the chick isn't hungry or thirsty, they live off the yolk for a couple of days.