Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

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

I'm so sorry to hear 2 now, but I'm thinking something was wrong also, last year I had a broody sitting on eggs and 2 hatched and had something terribly wrong with them, they didn't look like they had gone the whole 21 days but they had, she managed to kill one of them before I found her and was trying to kill the other one but I got it brought it in the house but even though it lived for close to a week it never looked like a fully formed 21 day hatchling. It finally just went on, We may never know why these things happen but sounds like something was going on in the egg. Hopefully you'll see some live healthy chicks in the next day or so. I really don't think your broody would have crushed them unless she can't move around really well inside the nest and has too many eggs. If you watch a broody with her eggs she is very gentle. The humidity and temp under mama she is regulating as well.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Congrats!!! waiting for pics

its 13 min in

 

[JakRat]

Congrats!!! waiting for pics

Yes I will have to do that today. The serama eggs are still not responding to my taps and dont have that "hollow" feel that the other two had before they started wiggling. It seems as though they havent absorbed their yolk yet. Maybe I got my days off... The first baby has started to eat and drink when I bring it over to mom. So I am not to worried about him. He is tenacious! At what point would the mom give up on the other two eggs? Would I need to take them away?

 

[Glasshen]

Mama's chicks are 5 and a half weeks old, and I think she is starting to ready them for being more grown up. Yesterday she would spend time with the other girls her age, leaving the youn ones on their own. I don't really blame her, their constant peeping would drive me crazy. Last night, though, she has them all bedded down with her in their little box within the crate in the coop. This morning Mama was up on the perch level greeting me with the other big girls. Her chicks were still in the crate, and being quiet for a change. So fun to watch them parent. This morning Mama has been going between the two groups.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Mama's chicks are 5 and a half weeks old, and I think she is starting to ready them for being more grown up. Yesterday she would spend time with the other girls her age, leaving the youn ones on their own. I don't really blame her, their constant peeping would drive me crazy. Last night, though, she has them all bedded down with her in their little box within the crate in the coop. This morning Mama was up on the perch level greeting me with the other big girls. Her chicks were still in the crate, and being quiet for a change. So fun to watch them parent. This morning Mama has been going between the two groups.

yep time to be on their own, and I'm sure she has prepared them in every way possible for this adventure.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes I will have to do that today. The serama eggs are still not responding to my taps and dont have that "hollow" feel that the other two had before they started wiggling. It seems as though they havent absorbed their yolk yet. Maybe I got my days off... The first baby has started to eat and drink when I bring it over to mom. So I am not to worried about him. He is tenacious! At what point would the mom give up on the other two eggs? Would I need to take them away?

I'd give them a couple more days, she may just push them aside on her own. if not she'll leave them when time to start teaching her younguns.

 

[JakRat]

I'd give them a couple more days, she may just push them aside on her own. if not she'll leave them when time to start teaching her younguns.

well she got up to move closer to her food and was off them for 30 min!!! i hope they are ok... when i put them by her new spot she hurried them under her so I think she may have just been a bit frazzled by the whole thing. The new little one has furry legs!!!

I tried taking a few pics, but the flash scared the baby.

 

[Tripp16]

Mama's chicks are 5 and a half weeks old, and I think she is starting to ready them for being more grown up. Yesterday she would spend time with the other girls her age, leaving the youn ones on their own. I don't really blame her, their constant peeping would drive me crazy. Last night, though, she has them all bedded down with her in their little box within the crate in the coop. This morning Mama was up on the perch level greeting me with the other big girls. Her chicks were still in the crate, and being quiet for a change. So fun to watch them parent. This morning Mama has been going between the two groups.

See this is the day I am worried for! I have gotten so used to seeing her with chicks that when she is done raising them I think it will be weird seeing her just by herself. Right now she isnt even thinking of leaving her 1 week old chicks but I know in a few short weeks the time will come. :/ I will be more upset then she will!

Although I cant wait to see what they look like all grown up I dont like to let them grow up.

 

[Tripp16]

well she got up to move closer to her food and was off them for 30 min!!! i hope they are ok... when i put them by her new spot she hurried them under her so I think she may have just been a bit frazzled by the whole thing. The new little one has furry legs!!!

I tried taking a few pics, but the flash scared the baby.

She sounds like mine. My girl seemed a bit disoriented when they all were ready to start moving around she began shoving them all back under her. It is probably because this is her first hatch. She is a great momma now she just has to get used to have little babies under her all the time. Dont worry she will be fine.

 

[audrey02026]

It's 2 days left to hatch day for my Silkie. I am a bit worried as I have ordered the eggs from MPC and haven't had much luck with their eggs. I had seven in an incubator and after candling a week or so ago I only had one that looked good and one iffy. I checked her eggs quickly and again maybe two looked good so I gave her my two and left her two but haven't candled since then so I have no idea if any will hatch. I do have some eggs in my incubator that go into lockdown on 4/1. I was wondering if none of hers hatch by then should I switch a few for the ones in my incubator that will be going into lockdown so she can have babies or would the change affect the eggs ability to hatch? I guess I could always try and wait to see what hatches in the bator and give her live chicks instead....what would you do??