Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[chickenmomma16]

Today was day 7. Candling day! e

After I booted miss broody butt off her nest for a break I went to work candling and counting her eggs.
Here is where I stand:

A gave her 12 eggs.
She broke one and ate it. I assume she ate it, there was little mess.
I pulled one. It was like warm orange juce when cracked...

Now I'm left with 14 eggs that are veining well. Wait...14!!!! Yes, this hen has managed to sneek a few eggs more under her. I think the other hens snuck in there behind my back when she first started to sit because all but 1 were veining today. I didn't bother to count everyday because she is locked up unless I'm out there with her.

What am I going to do if all 14 hatch?

How do you think I felt when my hen sat on 26?!

26?! How many hatched? Thats crazy! Talk about an over achiever!

 

[Johnn]

26?! How many hatched? Thats crazy! Talk about an over achiever!

None hatched because they wernt fertile , that's why I don't trust my own eggs anymore but I have another cockerel now and am finding loads of bullseye's in the eggs so I might try using them this year along with posted eggs.

 

[OHfarmerswife]

Have you candled yet?  I tried, but have no idea what I'm looking at. 

have not candled yet. It has gotten very cold here and I don't want to make them cold. My hen Mary is doing great so far. I let her out in the evening when the rest of the flock free ranges, but she doesn't stay out long. Hope she is a good mother....so far great. I bought a book " Hatching & Brooding Your Own Chicks". Very informative but you guys are much better!!!!!

 

[OHfarmerswife]

So far 6 of the 7 have hatched. I know I butchered silkie mamma's head puff trimming around her eyes.

When do I need to make sure that the chicks are eating?

Oh how sweet!
I am so excited!
How will I make it through the next 2 weeks?
Although the first week went pretty fast.

I have a question?
I am in Ohio and wanting some Ameraucana hatching eggs. Have some on order but not able to get information from them....they already have my money!!!!!
Any suggestions?

 

[ElitePoultry]

Finally Ive got a broody hen. Or hens? In my Brahma pen, a Gold Laced and a Buff Laced have went broody. The Gold Laced sits at night, the Buff Laced in the day???
Is that normal for hens to share the brood like that? This has been going on consistently for 3 nights and days.

The day time sitter (Buff Laced) will sit ALL DAY!
&
The night time sitter (Gold Laced) will sit ALL NIGHT!

So Im torn as to which hen to move to the broody pen ive set up.

And also I did try to get to the eggs tonight to move them and I got Bit! So how do you guys move eggs? Ill for sure have my gloves on next time. Or do you move then hen first and then give the eggs back to her?

 

[bobbieschicks]

Finally Ive got a broody hen. Or hens? In my Brahma pen, a Gold Laced and a Buff Laced have went broody. The Gold Laced sits at night, the Buff Laced in the day???
Is that normal for hens to share the brood like that? This has been going on consistently for 3 nights and days.

The day time sitter (Buff Laced) will sit ALL DAY!
&
The night time sitter (Gold Laced) will sit ALL NIGHT!

So Im torn as to which hen to move to the broody pen ive set up.

And also I did try to get to the eggs tonight to move them and I got Bit! So how do you guys move eggs? Ill for sure have my gloves on next time. Or do you move then hen first and then give the eggs back to her?

Why are you moving them? It sounds like they have a great system setup. I would just leave them where they are and let them co hatch this brood.

My Silky Topsy had her daughter Vanilla Ice pop into the nest with her to help hatch her last brood. It's completely normal. And then after they hatched the two co mommaed them. Topsy quit at four weeks, but Vanilla stayed with them until nine weeks.

If you must move them/her I'd first determine which is truly broody and which is a wanna be. My guess is the night sitter is the broody. Once she stops laying its pretty certain to be her. Then move her at night. I make sure there's hardly any light and cover her head with a towel for added darkness. Then put the eggs under her once she's in place. It's better to wait until you are sure she will stay in the new nest to give her the real eggs. But in your case, just give them to her by putting them under her one at a time. She will settle in on them for the night.

Here are Topsy (black) and Vanilla Ice (white) in the nest box with their newly hatched chicks.

And here's a front picture of that nest box area

 

[Johnn]

Finally Ive got a broody hen. Or hens? In my Brahma pen, a Gold Laced and a Buff Laced have went broody. The Gold Laced sits at night, the Buff Laced in the day???
Is that normal for hens to share the brood like that? This has been going on consistently for 3 nights and days.

The day time sitter (Buff Laced) will sit ALL DAY!
&
The night time sitter (Gold Laced) will sit ALL NIGHT!

So Im torn as to which hen to move to the broody pen ive set up.

And also I did try to get to the eggs tonight to move them and I got Bit! So how do you guys move eggs? Ill for sure have my gloves on next time. Or do you move then hen first and then give the eggs back to her?

You should let them hatch and bring them up together! 2 of mine brought the chicks up together!

 

[Johnn]

26?! How many hatched? Thats crazy! Talk about an over achiever!

Oh how did I forget?! I was given one who hatched out 15 all by herself.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I candled yesterday on day 7 and out of 8 only 2 looked iffy, but will candle them again Monday. Got to see an eye ball in a couple.

All the best eveyone letting mama hen do the job of broody, you can't bet a mama hen. So nice to be able to just sit and watch.

 

[Debs55]

Got another silkie broody! She's been sitting on 2 silkie eggs since yesterday and I'm gonna let her have any silkie eggs that are layed today I have another that is trying to go broody but she's just sitting on air