Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[aaggjg]

They may still hatch - being cold doesn't necessarily mean dead.  Good thing you caught them in time and moved them to the bator.  I wouldn't mess with eggs with her because it sounds like she has trouble staying put.  I would put live day old chicks under her once they've dried out and see how she handles them.  Do it at night - slip one under her and wait.  See if she accepts it and then try another.  The next morning make sure you check on her first thing and that she and the babies have access to food & water.  Otherwise she may get out again and leave the babies behind.

I'm not hopeful.... But she stays put she just gets confused easily and I think she probably couldn't figure out where her eggs went and how to get back to them.... Through small gap in screen that she came out of .... If these 2 Marans egg hatch they will be miracle chicks being abandoned twice in 18 days.... Yeah like I said not hopeful at all....

 

[UrbanFarmerGreg]

Normal for Broody to eat the eggs that didn't develop? My BA has went from over a dozen to about 11 eggs, every one she broke open didn't have any development that I could tell.

I do hope that a broody hen would get rid of the undeveloped eggs... as I have a broody silkie that I thought was having her eggs stolen from her by the others and then getting eaten. But once I moved her into isolation she herself ate one of the 8 remaining eggs, hopefully that means the remaining 7 are all good and on their way to hatching... 8ish more days. I do have a question about hatching eggs... how long do the embryos survive for after being laid...? Would they last a week on the kitchen counter?

 

[Tripp16]

I do hope that a broody hen would get rid of the undeveloped eggs... as I have a broody silkie that I thought was having her eggs stolen from her by the others and then getting eaten. But once I moved her into isolation she herself ate one of the 8 remaining eggs, hopefully that means the remaining 7 are all good and on their way to hatching... 8ish more days. I do have a question about hatching eggs... how long do the embryos survive for after being laid...? Would they last a week on the kitchen counter?

You can save eggs up to a week. After about a week to 10 days the eggs begin to lose viability. I would not set any eggs over a week old. But thats just my own opinion.

My broody had a clear under her but she didnt eat it, I had to throw it out. I have heard of numerous broodies pushing eggs out or eating them. Dont worry Momma hen knows exactly what shes doing.

 

[Tripp16]

I'm not hopeful.... But she stays put she just gets confused easily

and I think she probably couldn't figure out where her eggs went and how to get back to them.... Through small gap in screen that she came out of .... If these 2 Marans egg hatch they will be miracle chicks being abandoned twice in 18 days.... Yeah like I said not hopeful at all....

Sounds like my girl before she went broody. Now she knows where her nest is unless the other girls get on it. But the past few days I have been having to force the poor girl off her nest. She literally has not pooped since the first week she started sitting.

Needless to say she hasnt eaten much so that is why she isnt pooping but still 2 weeks!!

I think your Maran eggs still could grow. How long was she sitting on them? It just may slow down the incubation period by a few days. My hen was attacked by our rooster while off the nest and her eggs got cool while I was getting her cleaned up and (praying this wouldnt snap her out of broody mode) but it didnt. She got right back on her nest and her eggs are due sunday!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like my girl before she went broody. Now she knows where her nest is unless the other girls get on it. But the past few days I have been having to force the poor girl off her nest. She literally has not pooped since the first week she started sitting.

Needless to say she hasnt eaten much so that is why she isnt pooping but still 2 weeks!!

I think your Maran eggs still could grow. How long was she sitting on them? It just may slow down the incubation period by a few days. My hen was attacked by our rooster while off the nest and her eggs got cool while I was getting her cleaned up and (praying this wouldnt snap her out of broody mode) but it didnt. She got right back on her nest and her eggs are due sunday!

Can't wait to see fuzzy butts!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I do hope that a broody hen would get rid of the undeveloped eggs... as I have a broody silkie that I thought was having her eggs stolen from her by the others and then getting eaten. But once I moved her into isolation she herself ate one of the 8 remaining eggs, hopefully that means the remaining 7 are all good and on their way to hatching... 8ish more days. I do have a question about hatching eggs... how long do the embryos survive for after being laid...? Would they last a week on the kitchen counter?

yeah!! more chicks love those pics...

 

[Miss Lydia]

crappy camera!!!Will try to make this my last ramble here for awhile. Suzette(salmon faverolles) brought her 9 chix(surogate 9 black australorp) out about an hour ago and shes laying in grass talking to her brood. trying to get pix on.

Love the pics... Congrats!!!

 

[JodyJo]

My first broody Australorp....just hatched out her first and mine! Not her egg...we slipped some others under her...this one looks like my avatar...could be her mother! I am not sure which EE I took this egg from!

 

[Tripp16]

Well my BO is either broody or a great actor! She normally just clucks, lays her eggs then gets up.

Well today she walked around wings down clucking then she got on the nest clucking!

I dont think she is in for the long haul yet but maybe so....

 

[Tripp16]

My first broody Australorp....just hatched out her first and mine! Not her egg...we slipped some others under her...this one looks like my avatar...could be her mother! I am not sure which EE I took this egg from!

Congrats! I like the little chipmunk chicks!