Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[delisha]

I heard peeping in the nest when I went out to feed tonight....I am not sure it was an egg peep or a chick out of the egg peep...but chicks will be here soon.

 

[pysankigirl]

so what is that little noise, almost like bubbles popping, that my new momma is making to her chicks! it is so cute!

 

[fisherlady]

I heard peeping in the nest when I went out to feed tonight....I am not sure it was an egg peep or a chick out of the egg peep...but chicks will be here soon.

Can't wait to see some pics!!!

so what is that little noise, almost like bubbles popping, that my new momma is making to her chicks! it is so cute!

the mama hen makes a range of noises to her little ones, a near purr sound while they are under her, I think the popping you are talking about is her way of saying 'look here'... Wait till you hear her 'alert' or 'warning' noise! Gracie let out a quick screetch and flapped her wings when she heard something from the other chickens last evening and it was instant reaction from the chicks, they all dropped flat to the floor or up against something and froze! and the little buggers didn't move again till she made another funny 'chook-chook' noise, then they all hopped up and resumed roaming as normal.
If you get to spend some time watching and listening it is amazing how many different vocalizations you will start to recognize.

 

[ll]

Good luck to all of you, so exciting!

I'm sure your broody will be sitting still for Saturday's egg delivery

My Blue Orpington went broody 4x last year.
I eventually let her sit on eggs, and after they hatched & matured she was perfect and has been since... we'll see what happens this year though.

I gave mine alot of blueberries and cheerios while she was sitting, the blueberries were recommended for moisture and my girls love cheerios.

I would also make sure she went out once a day for around 15 minutes to eat/drink/poop/stretch.
I would just pick her up & put her out next to the water bowl. She would drink alot, then eat, then explore the yard & when the time was up I carried her back. She was fine with the routine.

I covered the eggs with a designated dishtowel to keep them warm, and removed the towel before putting her back in the coop. I was told I didn't need to do this, but she was sitting on eggs in Autumn not Spring/Summer and we had cool days. It made me feel "safer" about putting her out.

 

[LolaBlue]

Just wondering, I set the eggs under her around 6pm on Friday 11. Does that mean that it ticks over to day 21 around 6pm tomorrow (Fri 1st here)?

 

[bobbieschicks]

Bunny laid her 2nd pullet egg today - so exciting to finally get my dark egg layer!

 

[farmer boy]

I was gonna let my hen and chick out today but its really windy .. my black silkie onyx oh most blow over lol she was eating then she tried to get back to the coop when she started to blow backwards its was funny .. my yard is flooded and my ducks are going nuts in the water

 

[CoopChick719]

Beautiful eggs bobbies!

I'm beginning to doubt my egg candling capabilities!!

Hatch Day is tomorrow. I just couldn't resist & candled 2 eggs last night. No movement in either one just a large dark mass in the big end of the egg. I'm assuming that's the yolk? We were not positve that these eggs were fertile. 2 newbies doing this chicken thing here!! They are eggs from a friend.

 

[CoopChick719]

Asparagus eventually mated his first hen today, he was so rough! Will he get less ruugh soon?! he preactically had his claws around her neck holding her down. He mated his auntie twice, then after that he got a boost of confidence and chased one hen around but could catch her then he tried his mother with i found weird but she got away from him. I think hes the boss now because his dad just watched, he wasnt bothered one bit :/, now no hens will come out the shed because Asparagus sits at the pop hole waiting for them!

LOL...waiting at the pop hole for them!!

I went into the coop yesterday to find all my girls on the top roost and my roo on the floor pacing, looking up at them. I know he's been chasing them around so it was like "Cmon down, darlin'!"

And the girls were like "No way, I'm not going down there!"

 

[bobbieschicks]

Beautiful eggs bobbies!

I'm beginning to doubt my egg candling capabilities!!

Hatch Day is tomorrow. I just couldn't resist & candled 2 eggs last night. No movement in either one just a large dark mass in the big end of the egg. I'm assuming that's the yolk? We were not positve that these eggs were fertile. 2 newbies doing this chicken thing here!! They are eggs from a friend.

With tomorrow as hatch date - I wouldn't bother candling them. The big blob is probably the chick. It will either hatch within the next couple of days - or not. After Day 25 I usually candle to see if there is any movement or growth - but by that point it's usually over. If there is a big blob in it and you can't see much else on Day 21 then that's a good sign.

The best way to learn for newbies is get a white grocery store (not Trader Joe organic) egg and candle it - see how clear it is on the inside - that egg is infertile - no chick will hatch from it. Then to check your eggs to see if fertile after you put them under the hen for 7 days - take them out and quickly candle in a dark area. If there is anything inside it that is dark - good chance that's a chick growing. If they weren't fertile they will still be practically clear like a grocery store egg. Don't waste time looking earlier as you might miss it or think it isn't growing when it is.

Then on Day 14 candle again and sniff them to see if any rotten or bigger growth - you will see a bigger blob if they are growing. If they're bad they will be about the same size as before, however I don't toss them until after Day 25 or if they are cracked/crushed or stink. Some chicks grow at a slower pace - so don't assume they're bad just because it's Day 14 and they don't appear as big as the one next to them.

I would not bother to candle any other time. Unless you have white eggs and can clearly see through them and want to see the stages of growth - which is pretty cool. The broody will toss out bad ones and she will smoosh bad ones a well.

Just listen in a little while and you may hear peeps coming from under her. But don't pick her up or move her as she's busy regulating the humidity and temps - like a bator does.