Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Peach2u]

LOL well I been lucky all the other girls have come by to see what the fuss was about. None have hurt the chicks. In fact the grand hen of the flock has started guarding the broody and her chicks. The rooster has been on high alert also. My corgi pup got too close and she went after her it was funny. She has also jumped in the pool with the chicks. She just barks at them. I don't think she know what to do with them. They squeak and the run. But they don't wont to play with her.

Livia is just watching! Mama didn't like it.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Wow. It's been 4 weeks since Smokey's babies hatched and she's still a force to be reckoned with! I guess my silkie pullet got too close and Smokey keeps hunting her down now.

 

[Weasleymum]

OK!!! I'm joining the thread! I have a hen that went broody, found her some fertile eggs through Craigslist (whatever would we do without it?), and last night attempted the big switcheroo-- put her and the fertile eggs into the new mini-coop DH built for her.

SO. She hasn't been off the nest since then, heading towards 24 hours now. Should I kick her off so that she'll eat, or just wait and let her do her thing?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ok so I set eggs under my broody on March 10th about noon time. I also had some in an incubator in the house. I candled on about day 10 or so and found that mine were all clear but two....one iffy and one developing....so I candled hers as well. She had 5 and two looked good..was hard to tell how good as I tried to do it quick and was outside at night but 3 nothing was going on So I took out here 3 eggs that were no good and gave her the two I had that looked ok. I'm not sure if yesterday was day 21 or if it's today but I keep checking on her and there is nothing going on. Do you think it's time to give up? I have more in the incubator that should hatch on April 4th. If these do nothing I will try and give her some of these babies at night so she thinks her hatch.

How many babies can a silkie handle do you think?? And will she know if I give her more than chicks than she has eggs right now??? I guessing chickens can't count and she will not know the difference.

I'd give the eggs under her a couple more days. if they don't hatch then slip newly hatchlings under her, but you don't want to take her eggs away too soon if your going to slip chicks under her. my bantams can usually handle 4-5 bantam chicks fine. Hope some hatch for her and you.

 

[Miss Lydia]

OK!!! I'm joining the thread! I have a hen that went broody, found her some fertile eggs through Craigslist (whatever would we do without it?), and last night attempted the big switcheroo-- put her and the fertile eggs into the new mini-coop DH built for her.

SO. She hasn't been off the nest since then, heading towards 24 hours now. Should I kick her off so that she'll eat, or just wait and let her do her thing?

I wouldn't mess with her for a few days so you know she is good and settled, then give her the option of coming out for a break if she wants. I put food and water close by so she can eat and drink and not have to go far. Since my broody is inside the duck house closed up I do take her out once a day and she runs around screaming, big poopy and eats and right back on the nest. All the best and keep us updated/with pics

 

[Miss Lydia]

Woke up to two fuzzy butts peeking out from under momma!

So excited! I will try to get pics! They were already dry so guessing they came early in the AM or last night.

Congrats!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

My coop is divided into 2 sections, so my buff hen and her Australorp chicks are in one side and 3 big Buffs on the other. (chicks are about 2 weeks now) The other day I left the dividing gate open for a few minutes and the 3 big innocent Buffs wandered over to see if there were any good treats next door, well, Henny-Penny immediately attacked them and started pecking one on the back of the neck so hard! It was pretty funny because the big dummies had no idea what was going on, they had not even looked at the chicks! Such surprised faces! Back to their side with the gate closed.

poor girls.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They sure are pretty and thats alot of chicks... Congrats on both parts!!!

Babies first day out! My BO sat on 14 eggs. 5 did not hatch. I left them in for 2 extra days just to make sure. Today I removed the 5 eggs mama Buffy flipped out. But at the same time I replaced them with 5 chicks that hatched in an incubator. I took the 5 smallest chicks out of the 50 I had in the kiddie pool. She was quick to claim them! They seemed happy to be there instead of the kiddie pool with the other 50 chicks. So final count for this season 45 in the pool and 14 out with a broody. I have 3 people already interested in my cast offs in 2 months. I will keep 1 rooster to go with my currant rooster unless the new splash maran is a rooster in which I will keep and get rid of old one. I have room for about 20 new ones unless I sell off the 1 year old EE"s. The end out come is I will have a bunch of babies left. The Rooster is a Splash Maran the hens I hatched from are Ameraucanas, EE,BCM, and giant silver laced cochin.

Buffy sharing a dust bath with Gretchen the EE. She is taking care of some of her offspring. None of the babies are buffy's

LaMar is watching this new family members closely.

All but 1 is a shade of gray.

The only yellow with yellow legs chick and the only Xcochin mix Super fuzzy legs. It also has the largest body.

 

[audrey02026]

I'd give the eggs under her a couple more days. if they don't hatch then slip newly hatchlings under her, but you don't want to take her eggs away too soon if your going to slip chicks under her. my bantams can usually handle 4-5 bantam chicks fine. Hope some hatch for her and you.

Ok That's what I'll do but if nothing hatches by the time my others hatch in 4 days I will slip her some chicks...so when i give her the chicks I can take the eggs out then right? or should I still leave them for a couple days after that.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ok That's what I'll do but if nothing hatches by the time my others hatch in 4 days I will slip her some chicks...so when i give her the chicks I can take the eggs out then right? or should I still leave them for a couple days after that.

Wait till night then take the eggs out if none have hatched then slip the chicks under her, she'll be so proud in the morning when she has the chicks hatched out, she won't know the difference. If the eggs are on day 25 then go ahead and toss. still hoping for some to hatch for ya though