Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

Oops! I forgot to include this! Sorry, sorry. lol

you don't have anything to be sorry about, some of us talk ducks on this thread. I am going to give you this link and hopefully it will help. I have had ducks sitting on eggs for quite a few years noiw and I don't even mess with the eggs, At the begining I will count to make sure others hatven't been laying in her nest that way she won't have eggs that won't hatch till way after hers do. but other than that I just leave her alone and let her take care of it all. I know it's worrisome but it's better not to intervene if you don't need to.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/343252/how-long-do-ducks-take

 

[JakRat]

If your going to keep mama and chicks in till Monday why not let the eggs alone till then, she'll either leave them herself or by then you can toss them. What other breed of chickens do you have? my little bantam hatched her chicks in our small coop but when she brought them out for their first day, that night mama moved them right into the big coop with everyone else. and it has been great, no problems. If your chickens free range then best thing would be to let them all out together and then they have a chance to see mama and new chicks on a more neutral ground that evening she'll probably just take them right in the coop, my mama has hers in a corner everyone else is on the roost.

Yeah I think I will, I just was unsure of what was going on in there and how you can tell if an egg is dead or not. I was just curious because she wasnt sitting on one egg and it was cold, but that was the one with the veins. She is still sitting on the other egg, but still, no sounds from that one and it is day 21 for those!!!! Our coop doesnt have easy access for chicks. It is an A frame that they hop out of during the day and go up stairs at night. I was thinking next week of making a little box for her in the bottom. She is a silkie so I am not worried about her getting cold in 50 degree weather and she can keep the babies warm. I just want to make sure that it is predator proof. We did just clean the coop out too, so no worried there. I just dont want her going upstairs and leaving the babies down!!! or maybe they will figure out the ramp??? Sigh we will just have to see.

 

[Morganwood]

All this baby chick pics are making me want some more and more!!! I went out this morning and our best broody wasn't on her eggs..she wasn't even in the pen...some how she escaped! The eggs were cool but not cold...do they stand a chance? I'm guessing hatch day this weekend or early next week. I put them in the incubator in hopes they might be ok. Any ideas? Do they stand a chance? She has barely moved since she set so she was my best hope. I'm so bummed.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yeah I think I will, I just was unsure of what was going on in there and how you can tell if an egg is dead or not. I was just curious because she wasnt sitting on one egg and it was cold, but that was the one with the veins. She is still sitting on the other egg, but still, no sounds from that one and it is day 21 for those!!!! Our coop doesnt have easy access for chicks. It is an A frame that they hop out of during the day and go up stairs at night. I was thinking next week of making a little box for her in the bottom. She is a silkie so I am not worried about her getting cold in 50 degree weather and she can keep the babies warm. I just want to make sure that it is predator proof. We did just clean the coop out too, so no worried there. I just dont want her going upstairs and leaving the babies down!!! or maybe they will figure out the ramp??? Sigh we will just have to see.

It can take them a while to learn a ramp, bobbies chicks had some problems with that. I have ramps going into my coop also but the one they are using is short and not steep. Making a small place for them to go for a couple of days till they get their footing outside is probably a good idea. do you have a small dog crate you could set up that would be safe. iam using one for a broody duck right now.

 

[Miss Lydia]

All this baby chick pics are making me want some more and more!!! I went out this morning and our best broody wasn't on her eggs..she wasn't even in the pen...some how she escaped! The eggs were cool but not cold...do they stand a chance? I'm guessing hatch day this weekend or early next week. I put them in the incubator in hopes they might be ok. Any ideas? Do they stand a chance? She has barely moved since she set so she was my best hope. I'm so bummed.

Yes they do, alot of us have had broodies get off the eggs for one reason or another and found the eggs even cold and they have still hatched. Wonder what made her get off. when the hen gets off to go eat poop and drink she can be off the nest 30 ,mins or more and the eggs cool down so don't give up hope.

 

[KirkKoop]

A few new pics of the babies in the new outdoor pen we built for them to enjoy during nice weather

 

[JakRat]

Yes they do, alot of us have had broodies get off the eggs for one reason or another and found the eggs even cold and they have still hatched. Wonder what made her get off. when the hen gets off to go eat poop and drink she can be off the nest 30 ,mins or more and the eggs cool down so don't give up hope.

Thats good to know. It is just weird that I had one hatch early, one on time, and then these two just havent made any noise, havent rolled, or anything. The red veins and their weight are making me hopeful that they are just not ready to come out yet.

 

[Miss Lydia]

A few new pics of the babies in the new outdoor pen we built for them to enjoy during nice weather

That is a very nice day run for mama and chicks. she is lovely as are her babies..

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thats good to know. It is just weird that I had one hatch early, one on time, and then these two just havent made any noise, havent rolled, or anything. The red veins and their weight are making me hopeful that they are just not ready to come out yet.

Either these chicks are still going to hatch or they have died in the egg for some unknown reason or they quit early again probably never know. the only way your going to know what happened if they don't hatch is to open them up before tossing them, but hopefully they will surprise you and hatch. I t was hard for me to do that the first few times but it is the Only way you know what could have happened.

 

[Morganwood]

Thank you! I don't know why she left. The rest were there all sitting together, she had a nest on her own in the corner. After all the mistakes we've made I figured she'd be the one to give us some chicks. She didn't even get off her nest when we put wire around where all the broodies are. I'd go find her but with 50 black hens that's not so easy. Last time one of the broodies got out she ran up and down the fence desperate to get back in. It's a mystery. At least I have hope, the eggs aren't goners.

Yes they do, alot of us have had broodies get off the eggs for one reason or another and found the eggs even cold and they have still hatched. Wonder what made her get off. when the hen gets off to go eat poop and drink she can be off the nest 30 ,mins or more and the eggs cool down so don't give up hope.