Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Johnn]

Can I get away with taking 6 eggs that have been point down for adleast 20 hours on a 10 minute drive and put them straight under then hen?

 

[AQHAchick22]

Yay, I think she's broody again! Here is another 26 weeks with no eggs from her. I don't have a clue what she is sitting on but it wont be a lot, probablies 2 fake ones and one or two real. I really think she I because it was 6PM when I went up and she didn't come out for food and when I touched her she puffed up and screamed at me. I know the nest box is a bit small for her so I am going to take the divider out so she has more room. Also, I plan to use my own eggs but I got 3 today which I brought home and want to use, will it be ok walking up there tomorrow and then leaving them to sit for 24 hours? I want to use 6 altogether but there is no garuntee that I will get 3 more tomorrow that wont be covered in yolk because I am having a bad crow problem, I do have some at home that I can use but they have been washed so can I use them? Now the big question is, can I trust my eggs? I have had no luck with them in the past but I have a new younger cockerel now. Here is a pic of the egg that I cracked open today, is it fertile?

Looks fertile to me!!
If you go to https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101 there are examples of fertile and non-fertile eggs.

 

[Johnn]

Looks fertile to me!!
If you go to https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101 there are examples of fertile and non-fertile eggs.

Thanks!, don't suppose you know the answer to my above question?

 

[bobbieschicks]

Can I get away with taking 6 eggs that have been point down for adleast 20 hours on a 10 minute drive and put them straight under then hen?

Yes. Put them under her! Yeah!

 

[AQHAchick22]

Can I get away with taking 6 eggs that have been point down for adleast 20 hours on a 10 minute drive and put them straight under then hen?

Agreed, you will be fine!!!

 

[Johnn]

Ok, she is now sitting on 7 eggs. I took the ones away that she was sitting on, she was sitting on 2 fake and one real. I cracked the real one open and it had a really big doughnut in the yolk so I hope these will be fertile too. I don't know why I give her 7 because I don't want that many chicks :/ but oh well. I'm kind of worried about her eggs because we have had a crow problem so I hope she doesn't get off for long. One of the eggs she's sitting on is her own and 2 are Bella's (her chick form last year). I took the divider out so she had more room and her hatch date is the 27th of April. Here she is:

 

[SJ]

Is she sitting on anything? If she's given up sitting there's nothing to be done. But if she's stubbornly changed nests, move the eggs to the new nest.

She is sittin now. I let her go back to her first nest.

 

[Eva2012]

My first post to this thread. Thank you, for all the great advice. There is so much to read up about. For me it all happened so quickly. Suddenly I had a broody hen in the coop and the other hens were still adding eggs.
It took us 6 days to build a separate setup and we are still improving it.
Here are a two cute pictures:

Question: should I remove the 2" slat so the chicks can come out easier or will they just step over it

 

[fisherlady]

Congrats on the broody and babies!

They shouldn't have any trouble with a 2" slat... ours were little gymnists by 2 days old. If you notice any of them are having trouble though then you can remove it. Just watch them the first day or so and you should get a good judgement on how nimble they are.

 

[Johnn]

My first post to this thread. Thank you, for all the great advice. There is so much to read up about. For me it all happened so quickly. Suddenly I had a broody hen in the coop and the other hens were still adding eggs.
It took us 6 days to build a separate setup and we are still improving it.
Here are a two cute pictures:





Question: should I remove the 2" slat so the chicks can come out easier or will they just step over it

How old are the chicks? The mother will probablies take tem out the nest when they are 3 days old, so if I was you I would just remove it when the chicks are 3 days old. Congrats on the chicks by the way!