Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[carolinasculpture]

Hi! Probably a dud. Could you candle it to see how much air pocket there is?
Great thread! Wish I had seen it 3 weeks ago when I started a broody!

 

[aaggjg]

Yeah so ummm Nugget today she's not so broody ..... What she is is fickle!!

Good thing I only gave her the blanks to sit on .... As long as they leave Popcorn alone and don't try and steal her eggs I'm fine with her fickle behavior ... Popcorn sitting as devotedly as ever.....

 

[Farmin Momma]

Yeah so ummm Nugget today she's not so broody ..... What she is is fickle!!

Good thing I only gave her the blanks to sit on .... As long as they leave Popcorn alone and don't try and steal her eggs I'm fine with her fickle behavior ... Popcorn sitting as devotedly as ever.....

Sorry to hear that Nugget is being more of a turd Nugget. But glad Popcorn is being such a good momma and not trying to mess with your head!

 

[bobbieschicks]

First little peeper arrived safetly over night.

I hope to see another before the days end!

Yeah! So cute!

 

[Tripp16]

UGH! Henrietta was off the nest all fluffed up doing the broody cluck. I felt her eggs and they werent really warm but they werent cool either! She wasnt rushing around like Gracie (other broody) when she would hop off the nest. I picked her up and set her on the perch. She sreeched at me and sat back down on them!

Will she get more serious with time? I dont know what to do!

 

[stone_family3]

UGH! Henrietta was off the nest all fluffed up doing the broody cluck. I felt her eggs and they werent really warm but they werent cool either! She wasnt rushing around like Gracie (other broody) when she would hop off the nest. I picked her up and set her on the perch. She sreeched at me and sat back down on them!

Will she get more serious with time? I dont know what to do!

I have two broody hens right now, if I bring out treats they hop off the nest and run around all frantic gobbling up treats, they will not get back on the eggs if I am there. I'm sure she is plenty serious about it, she's just keeping you on your toes

 

[Miss Lydia]

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

My best broody is a bantan frizzle cochin, she is an awesome mama too likes to keep her chicks at least 10-12 weeks. lol I usually only let her have 3-4 eggs. but she could probably do 5 bantam eggs. All the best and let us know how she does.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have two broody hens right now, if I bring out treats they hop off the nest and run around all frantic gobbling up treats, they will not get back on the eggs if I am there. I'm sure she is plenty serious about it, she's just keeping you on your toes

I agree, they like to keep us worried.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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.

5 days after last one hatched it's probably time to take the others out so she can take care of her new chicks, you might candle tonight and maybe see if anything is going on. It maybe cold to you but those chicks will stay toasty warm under mama, and she'll take them outside when it is cool and will know when to call them to her to warm them up. Trust her she'll know what to do.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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!!!!

Hopefully someone who has experience with bators will be here to help you Fuffy,Hopefully the eggs will still hatch, my bantam was acting crazy yesterday was off the nest probably 2 hrs running around screaming acting nuttier than usual, when i finally gave up on her going back to the nest, she went back to the nest. My dh says she was acting just like someone pregnant. LOL Sure hope you get some chicks..

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