Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[thailand]

Here we go again....only 6 days left till hatch day. Last time, out of 15 eggs had 3 dead chicks hatch and all the others turned out to be clear/not developed.

This time,Eleanor is only sitting on 1 egg (pretty sure it's fertile). Hoping for a live chick (and not a rooster please!!)

 

[HighNDryFarm]

Hi everyone. I've been waiting for one of my EE's to go broody and I finally got my wish. In addition to her, her best buddy did too!

Problem is, they're in two of six bins of the laying boxes. They have loudly persuaded all the others to lay their eggs in the bin furthest from them or in random areas around the farm!

I guess I need to move them. Sounds like no one does well letting them hatch in the laying box in the coop but I'm wondering if I can move them next to each other? They're buddies. I think the second went broody just because her buddy did.

Right now they're separated by about a foot tall divider. I could add some wood to give them more privacy and keep them less accessible to the others but it would be tight for when the chicks and the two could get who's is who's confused.

So if/when I move them, can I move them together? How far apart would I keep the nests? I only really have one place that's easy to get to and can close out the others. It's a stall in our barn where I've put the broodies and chicks I've found in hidden nest!

Any suggestions?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi everyone. I've been waiting for one of my EE's to go broody and I finally got my wish. In addition to her, her best buddy did too!
Problem is, they're in two of six bins of the laying boxes. They have loudly persuaded all the others to lay their eggs in the bin furthest from them or in random areas around the farm!
I guess I need to move them. Sounds like no one does well letting them hatch in the laying box in the coop but I'm wondering if I can move them next to each other? They're buddies. I think the second went broody just because her buddy did.
Right now they're separated by about a foot tall divider. I could add some wood to give them more privacy and keep them less accessible to the others but it would be tight for when the chicks and the two could get who's is who's confused.
So if/when I move them, can I move them together? How far apart would I keep the nests? I only really have one place that's easy to get to and can close out the others. It's a stall in our barn where I've put the broodies and chicks I've found in hidden nest!
Any suggestions?

By all means put them in the barn as long as it's predator proof. I'd do the move at night and then close them up for a couple days till they accept the new place. as far as how apart, keep them close if their buddies just make a little separation between their nest boxes for some privacy.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here we go again....only 6 days left till hatch day. Last time, out of 15 eggs had 3 dead chicks hatch and all the others turned out to be clear/not developed.

This time,Eleanor is only sitting on 1 egg (pretty sure it's fertile). Hoping for a live chick (and not a rooster please!!)

I hope you get a great hatch Thai, be waiting to hear..

 

[hokankai]

I have a question for you guys. My hen is on Day 4 of incubation and I'm having some more eggs sent to me that will be incubated in an incubator. They will be a couple days to a week behind of the other chicks. Will mama accept them anyway? I'd really like everyone to be raised together. She's hatching silkies and I'll have some frizzled cochin chicks to add to her clutch.

 

[moodlymoo]

I have my first broody she is a little bantam frizzle cochin less than a year old. She really wants to hatch I believe as she refuses to get out of the nest box, ripped out all the feathers on her belly, and goes all freakazoid on us when we look in the box. My biggest fear is that she refuses to stay in a safe nesting area away from the rest of the flock and she is so tiny I dont know how many to let her sit on. Can you help with some advice

 

[hokankai]

Can you block her off somehow so that she can stay where she is but not be bothered?

And my little cochin is TINY and is doing well with 7 silkie eggs under her. She could probably take a few more as well.

 

[Farmin Momma]

soooooo... I have a broody EE setting on 8 eggs. Due in one week, candled tonight and all look good at the moment. Problem is that she keeps breaking eggs... I find the shell and some goopy residue behind. I have had to resort to wiping off the remaining eggs, since I was worried they would suffocate with all that stuff on them. Any clue why she is breaking them? Is she just a klutz, or could she be doing it on purpose? Today I had to clean them again, and all that was left was a little bit of chick down stuck to the other eggs. Mama is in a foursquare coop by herself with food and water sitting right next to the nest, shavings on the bottom of nest box and hay for her to make the nest. Thanks!

Well, that could mean 2 things. One that she is accidently breaking them and then cleaning up her mess. Or I have been told that they know if the embros are dead or not and if they are they will break the egg and eat it to get rid of it.

Woot! It's Day 3 here and I've got 4/7 fertile and developing, 2/7 that look clear, and 1/7 that I'm witholding judgement on.

Good enough for me! Here's hoping they make it to hatch!

Good luck to you on that hatch, it is always so exciting!

I stuffed all my incubator chicks under my broodies last night.. Chicks and mommas were all quiet when I went to bed, but I need to go to work today. I hope they are all ok when I get back!

Well have a good day at work, try not to be to distracted by visions of lil baby chicks! They should all be just great!

 

[Fuffy]

Ummmm...so how did we all do when the hen abandoned the eggs?

I think Hermione was off the eggs for about 2 hours before I cottoned on!!!

When I first noticed, the eggs were not cold to the touch...just sort of my boy temperature.

By the time I had put the incubator together and got it all set up they were cool to the touch and she still wasn't on them and not showing any signs of wantin to either

So I have a new and untested incubator with 12 eggs: 6 Silver Dorking and 6 blue copper marans. The remaining 4 eggs I put under my little heinz pullet who happens to be broody. Anything to save them, I guess.

Hatch day is this Thursday. Does anyone think they will make it?

And am I already on lockdown for the 'bator? Do I just go away and leave it? Do I have to turn off the egg turner? I thought it would be best to get them warmed up all over, as it were!

ARGH!!!! HELP!!!!

 

[karlamaria]

hi all got a question please..
my chicken had 2 eggs hatch, she is doing wonderful, but there is three eggs under her still and no pipping and today is day 23. ( the others hatched on day 18 !! how long do I keep these eggs under her, and when to take away?

also the weather here is cool,40/ 50's during the day and rainy, and at night in the low 30s
I would like to move the mom and her chicks when its all done out into a coop, but am worried its to cold. what do you all think?
I got this coop, but it does not have a pop door that closes, just stays open, not sure I like this , how would I fix this? here is the coop ...http://www.chickencoopsource.com/ch.../precisionpetproductshenhousechickencoop1.cfm

purchased just for mommy and her chicks.. ( will add them to my big coop when there able to go there.