Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

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!"

I've had that before when the amorous rooster was overly mating my girls - they would hang out on the roost and ignore him. So eventually he went up on the roost too and tried mating them up there. That was a ruckous!

 

[bobbieschicks]

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)?

Ask you hen to check her calendar for you.

JK, seriously - don't worry about the exact hatch date - it may be 19 days or 25 days from the date the eggs went under her... I use a range from Day 19 to Day 25 as the hatch date. And usually they come early in the warm weather and late in the cold weather. Also, I don't mess with the broody from about Day 17 on - let her get up if she wants to or not as she is regulating the temps and humidity levels. I also try very very very very hard not to peek at the new chicks under momma while she's hatching as that will mess up the other eggs. But that's just about impossible a temptation for me - so if you have to peek - do it quickly and get in/out without disturbing as much as possible.

 

[Johnn]

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!"

He still does it! they wont go out untill hes out in the field!!

 

[CoopChick719]

 

[LolaBlue]

Eeek well we have at least one baby! Yay!!!
I just went out to collect the other eggs (and have a sneaky look at her) and there was a shell in front of her in the nest.
I pulled it out thinking she'd destroyed another one and noticed some veins on the inside.
Couldn't resist and lifted her up just a little and there is a fluffy butt under her!
I saw 2 of the other eggs and some more egg shell under her so not sure if there might be 2 under there.
Looks like we definitely have a Faverolle though! (The egg had an F on it).
Sooooo excited!

As an aside, when should I look at moving her and babies to the ground? They're in a raised box at the moment (with a lip, so no one should fall out accidentally), but I want to move them somewhere safer.

 

[mamagonemad]

So, I got my broody moved into a cozy brooder box in my garage and set 1/2 of the eggs I had in my incubator under her. She's now been sitting on them happily for about a week. I don't think she's been off at all to eat or drink. Should I force her off? The eggs aren't due to hatch for another 10 days, and I'm worried that she'll starve before leaving those eggies.

 

[bobbieschicks]

So, I got my broody moved into a cozy brooder box in my garage and set 1/2 of the eggs I had in my incubator under her. She's now been sitting on them happily for about a week. I don't think she's been off at all to eat or drink. Should I force her off? The eggs aren't due to hatch for another 10 days, and I'm worried that she'll starve before leaving those eggies.

I like to put my broody down in front of the waterer once a day up until about day 17, then I leave her alone until after hatch. She will also get food, poop and dust bathe during that brief time off the nest.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Eeek well we have at least one baby! Yay!!!

I just went out to collect the other eggs (and have a sneaky look at her) and there was a shell in front of her in the nest.
I pulled it out thinking she'd destroyed another one and noticed some veins on the inside.
Couldn't resist and lifted her up just a little and there is a fluffy butt under her!
I saw 2 of the other eggs and some more egg shell under her so not sure if there might be 2 under there.

Looks like we definitely have a Faverolle though! (The egg had an F on it).
Sooooo excited!

As an aside, when should I look at moving her and babies to the ground? They're in a raised box at the moment (with a lip, so no one should fall out accidentally), but I want to move them somewhere safer.

Yeah! Congrats! Looking for pics soon.

Why do you need to move them? I'd wait until you are sure they are all done hatching before making any moves. By day two should be okay. My broody usually gets the chicks down and out on her own.

 

[fisherlady]

Eeek well we have at least one baby! Yay!!!
I just went out to collect the other eggs (and have a sneaky look at her) and there was a shell in front of her in the nest.
I pulled it out thinking she'd destroyed another one and noticed some veins on the inside.
Couldn't resist and lifted her up just a little and there is a fluffy butt under her!
I saw 2 of the other eggs and some more egg shell under her so not sure if there might be 2 under there.
Looks like we definitely have a Faverolle though! (The egg had an F on it).
Sooooo excited!

As an aside, when should I look at moving her and babies to the ground? They're in a raised box at the moment (with a lip, so no one should fall out accidentally), but I want to move them somewhere safer.

Congrats on the first baby! If you are worried about the little ones then just place some extra straw or shavings on the floor under where the nest box is, so if someone gets out early they have a soft landing.

 

[CoopChick719]

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. Okay, hands off until Tuesday!

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. Great advice! I'm going to do this.

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 haven't noticed any smells or cracks. Will wait for Day 25 before I do anything.

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. I will let her do her thing!