Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

Okay my broody hen has been sitting on her eggs since Sunday now and she seems to get out of the nest to poop and eat etc, at least once a day. Today I let all my chickens out of the run to free range around our property. I have her in her own pen/cage in the coop but today when all the girls were out ranging I could tell she wanted out of her cage she was off her nest for half an hour and I could tell she just really wanted out so I opened the cage. she went for a quick stroll but was back on her nest in a few minutes. While she was off of her eggs I thought I would take a look to see in any were broken etc. they are all in tact but I noticed she must have pooped the nest a bit because two or three of the eggs have quite a bit of poop on them. Is this okay? I here that the eggs a porous and I know you don't want to leave and exploded egg in the nest but should I clean these eggs off or just let them be? this whole experience is very nerve racking and exciting at the same time

I just want it to be three weeks from now already lol.

don't wash the eggs, just try to wipe them off the best you can, they will hatch better with poop than if you wash them. take a dry clth and try to get as much as you can off then just leave it alone.

 

[JakRat]

the first baby is out a lot right now!

http://ustre.am/J1F7

the next one out is in the egg under her breast.

 

[perchie.girl]

Ok everyone. I am trying to get this stray rooster in my pen! I finally broke down! The thing that made me crack was the fertile eggs! I want babies!!!

So hopefully he will find his way into the pen I locked the girls up and opened to run door..... maybe he will be smart enough to find his way in.

I know this isnt broody hen related but you guys seem like experts will that rooster terrify my hens? They have never had an roo make "contact" with them.

Will he be over the top? I dont want to hurt/scare them....

Thanks! OH and congrats to all the new babies!! I have been enjoying the pictures/videos!

sorry... you are just cute... He might at first. What kind is he do you know?

deb

 

[JakRat]

Baby #2 is out!!!!!!!!!

so precious! its still wet I didnt hear anything so I got worried. I stuck my hand under her wing and felt little feet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you go my link and go down to the videos "new baby out" its probably about 10 min in. I show it off to the camera!!!

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/silkie-hatch-cam

and now its my bed time... I am sleepy

 

[JakRat]

its 13 min in

 

[thailand]

So sorry about the chick, and hope the rest of your hatch goes good, keep us updated...

Well as posted earlier, day 18 a dead chick arrived/exploded outside the nestbox with Mama looking on - I'm not sure what happened exactly? Then day 19 the same thing happened only this time the chick was in the nestbox. Excuse my ignorance and graphic question, but I'm trying to understand this. Can anyone tell me what an exploded egg should look like? Both of these chicks were fully formed, maybe a little smaller than expected but not by very much. Both eggs had mostly been cracked into little pieces (which is why I'm thinking exploded egg??), both chicks had pieces of egg still stuck to them. Both had egg yolks visible. There was some blood in both cases. Anyone help me understand what's going wrong here please? Exploded eggs or just simply died hatching? Or is my broody standing on them and crushing them perhaps?

Now, she's nearing the end of day 20 and there is absolutely NOTHING happening. No pipping or anything else. It seems odd doesn't it that two chicks would hatch in this way and then nothing?

The temperatures here are soaring and it's stinking hot. I've got SIX fans on in the barn to try to keep everyone cool and keep the air moving. The humidity is shocking.



Thanks everyone

 

[flitter]

I'd sure like an opinion on how many day olds the "BYC experts on broodys" think would be reasonable under a Silkie. The day old breeds will be RedCap, Spitzhauben, Dominique... all rather small LF. Doms are definately the largest. They should arrive the second week of April. When the calendar turns to May they should be @ 3 weeks old... not fully feathered yet but getting big. I'm thinking 3-5 but maybe that is too many?

 

[Niss]

I'd sure like an opinion on how many day olds the "BYC experts on broodys" think would be reasonable under a Silkie. The day old breeds will be RedCap, Spitzhauben, Dominique... all rather small LF. Doms are definately the largest. They should arrive the second week of April. When the calendar turns to May they should be @ 3 weeks old... not fully feathered yet but getting big. I'm thinking 3-5 but maybe that is too many?

I don't know. I'm going to try 7, which is probabley too many, but TSC only sells lots of 6. If she doesn't seem to have then covered I will move the cage to the garage and add a heatlamp.

Did any one note that math? I have one chick as of this morning, a cute little yellow one with fethered legs like mom. Nothing from the other egg.

 

[Niss]

Thank you for the beautiful pictures! This hen looks so much like my Fluffy Britches, who was also an EXCELLENT mother! BTW, you grass seems really green.

Thought I'd share some pictures of momma and her chicks, they are almost a week old, my how time flies!

 

[flitter]

Oh, wow! That's tough. I'm sure someone who knows more than I do will come on with an answer but until they do I'm wondering if the eggs/chicks might have been defective in some way. That's why the hen put one outside the nest and she missed the second one? I think they can explode like that if bacteria got into the egg (not sure). With luck you'll get a good hatch of the rest on day 21. I sure hope so!

Well as posted earlier, day 18 a dead chick arrived/exploded outside the nestbox with Mama looking on - I'm not sure what happened exactly? Then day 19 the same thing happened only this time the chick was in the nestbox. Excuse my ignorance and graphic question, but I'm trying to understand this. Can anyone tell me what an exploded egg should look like? Both of these chicks were fully formed, maybe a little smaller than expected but not by very much. Both eggs had mostly been cracked into little pieces (which is why I'm thinking exploded egg??), both chicks had pieces of egg still stuck to them. Both had egg yolks visible. There was some blood in both cases. Anyone help me understand what's going wrong here please? Exploded eggs or just simply died hatching? Or is my broody standing on them and crushing them perhaps?

Now, she's nearing the end of day 20 and there is absolutely NOTHING happening. No pipping or anything else. It seems odd doesn't it that two chicks would hatch in this way and then nothing?

The temperatures here are soaring and it's stinking hot. I've got SIX fans on in the barn to try to keep everyone cool and keep the air moving. The humidity is shocking.



Thanks everyone