Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[countryhen]

my silkie keeps taking more eggs she wants to sit em all! she was mad when I took some from today she is'nt big enough to cover them all chickens are so funny!

 

[OHfarmerswife]

I've done both. They enjoy the eggs as much as I do. I also put a small amount of garlic powder, not salt, on the eggs to help deworm them. My DH loves the smell of the eggs cooking and gets jealous when I'm making them for the girls.

I made her some eggs yesterday and all the chickens loved them. Mary ate them as.if she was starving!

While I was cooking them the dogs looked so pitiful & begged. So when I returned from the coop I scrambled some fir the dogs. Thankgoodness my DH was at work!

Thanks for the garlic powder suggestion....how much do you recommend?

Oh one more question. Today is day 14, I was going to try to candle today. The eggs are olive eggers and an Ameraucana. When I tried to candle last week all I could see was the air cell. Might have been some veins not really sure. All the eggs smell like pine shavings!!!!

 

[bobbieschicks]

will they also raise and teach the chicks?
karen

Oh yes. They do a great job of it.

 

[bobbieschicks]

will they also raise and teach the chicks?
karen

I just sprinkle in a small amount of garlic powder, maybe 1/2 to1 tsp full. Not so much that they would turn their noses up, but enough so all the eggs will be covered in garlic bits once they finish scrambling.

Candling dark eggs is a harder thing to do. I use brightest light, darkest room and look for large dark area inside. If they don't stink or aren't cracked I leave them until day 25 to hatch.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Sorry iPad duplicate post

 

[bobbieschicks]

I made her some eggs yesterday and all the chickens loved them. Mary ate them as.if she was starving!

While I was cooking them the dogs looked so pitiful & begged. So when I returned from the coop I scrambled some fir the dogs. Thankgoodness my DH was at work!

Thanks for the garlic powder suggestion....how much do you recommend?

Oh one more question. Today is day 14, I was going to try to candle today. The eggs are olive eggers and an Ameraucana. When I tried to candle last week all I could see was the air cell. Might have been some veins not really sure. All the eggs smell like pine shavings!!!!

I mistakenly answered under the other post...but it's the same answer here. Olive eggers are hard to see thru. I usually leave the eggs unless they stink or are cracked and assume they are good until day 25.

 

[AuntWrenny]

I did check the remaining eggs last night and they were all dead. I was suspicious because it had been a week later than their anticipated "due date". They were all brown eggs so they were a bit more difficult to candle.

One had developed briefly but it had a dark ring around it. (I've been told this means that it died before fully developing.) I did crack them open after candling and I was correct. None of them were viable any longer.

I did go ahead and freshen up her nest and added new eggs for her. She didn't seem too disturbed and started setting on those eggs immediately. I'm hoping this clutch will be more successful.

Thanks for the advice about the heat lamp. I'm hoping the weather will warm up soon so we won't even need it. This clutch should hatch by April 17th so wish me luck!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I did check the remaining eggs last night and they were all dead. I was suspicious because it had been a week later than their anticipated "due date". They were all brown eggs so they were a bit more difficult to candle.

One had developed briefly but it had a dark ring around it. (I've been told this means that it died before fully developing.) I did crack them open after candling and I was correct. None of them were viable any longer.

I did go ahead and freshen up her nest and added new eggs for her. She didn't seem too disturbed and started setting on those eggs immediately. I'm hoping this clutch will be more successful.

Thanks for the advice about the heat lamp. I'm hoping the weather will warm up soon so we won't even need it. This clutch should hatch by April 17th so wish me luck!

Sorry the eggs didn't hatch, I had that happen and did the same gave my hen more and she just kept on like nothing happened. Hoping you have a great hatch next time and much warmer weather..

 

[Johnn]

Proud mother of two evil chicks:

Bella took her hen aggression to a new level today, she beat a hen up who she already bullies and left her in a right state:

 

[gg706]

I think she would have to go to the stock pot if she were mine.