Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[OHfarmerswife]

Usually pullets develop their feathers first...  So just a guess the ones right now with tail feathers are girls.

deb

thanks deb sure hope that holds true would mean only 2 or 3 are roosters.

 

[Debs55]

2 more chicks hatched this morning!!! One more egg to go. I feel bad though cause I had 2 co broodies and one momma has all the babies and the other has nothing. I snuck the last egg under her this morning so hopefully t will hatch

 

[Johnn]

The only egg that I was 100% sure hadn't been left uncovered by my hen was cold today, not freezing cold, but cold. She is really annoying me. I will be very surprised if any hatch, it's a shame because she is a really good mother.

 

[anniesmom]

My broody Legbar's eggs have hatched. (I asked about moving her a few days ago because of a broken egg.) This morning I put a nice glass pie plate of goodies out for the babies and her. The next time I checked she had decided it was a great place for the family to take a nap! There are 5 chicks - three boys and two girls.

 

[Johnn]

My broody Legbar's eggs have hatched. (I asked about moving her a few days ago because of a broken egg.) This morning I put a nice glass pie plate of goodies out for the babies and her. The next time I checked she had decided it was a great place for the family to take a nap! There are 5 chicks - three boys and two girls.

, Reminds me of my broody Legbar

 

[promiselandfarm5]

I have a broody hen on shipped eggs right now. She was on some that arrived a week earlier and when I swapped the older ones with the new ones I must have missed 2. Those hatched last weekend under her. She allowed me to take the chicks and put them inside with the other chicks from the earlier clutch and has continued to incubate the 2nd clutch like a champ! The ones she is on now are due this weekend so we will see if she has been able to carry it off! SHe was broody for a full 2 weeks before I gave her the first batch of shipped eggs so that will make a total of 6 weeks of incubating.

Thanks. Good luck with the hatch.

 

[karlamaria]

The only egg that I was 100% sure hadn't been left uncovered by my hen was cold today, not freezing cold, but cold. She is really annoying me. I will be very surprised if any hatch, it's a shame because she is a really good mother.

my chicken constantly got off hers and they were seriously cold ! They all hatched but those that were not fertile. Give it a few extra days extra if need be. We are cold here mine were left alone as she abandoned them to get on oter nests. We finally put her and er babies into a kennel and all is well. Do you have dog kennel? If so put her in it and in the house if your coop is to small.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Topsy's only surviving pullet, Shirley Jones, laid her 1st egg today.

On another note Bunny still won't stop being broody!

 

[vwright0401]

I'm trying to convince my hens (mostly americanas, 1 silkie and some LF cochins) to go broody, I've left 14 eggs in a next box for a week and they will take turns getting in there sitting for awhile then leaving. I had to finally switch the eggs out with some fresh ones, as we have more than we can eat here. I've now set up a separate box inside the coop with more eggs, hoping one of them will eventually decide its enough eggs to brood and start to set. I see all the new babies and I'd love to increase my flock, I have an incubator but the whole humidity thing worries me. I'd love for one of the girls to hatch her own eggs (and her sisters eggs) and have some of my own babies!! I have the perfect broody box, a 4' x 8' dog house, totally enclosed with plenty of fresh air and secure from predators... the hens all go in there all the time anyway, we leave it open for them. keeping my fingers crossed!!! I tried putting one of the americanas in the dog house with the eggs in a hand made nest but she didn't want anything to do with it, and sat off in a corner of the box by herself... any suggestions???

 

[OHfarmerswife]

I'm trying to convince my hens (mostly americanas, 1 silkie and some LF cochins) to go broody, I've left 14 eggs in a next box for a week and they will take turns getting in there sitting for awhile then leaving. I had to finally switch the eggs out with some fresh ones, as we have more than we can eat here.  I've now set up a separate box inside the coop with more eggs, hoping one of them will eventually decide its enough eggs to brood and start to set. I see all the new babies and I'd love to increase my flock, I have an incubator but the whole humidity thing worries me.  I'd love for one of the girls to hatch her own eggs (and her sisters eggs) and have some of my own babies!!  I have the perfect broody box, a 4' x 8' dog house, totally enclosed with plenty of fresh air and secure from predators... the hens all go in there all the time anyway, we leave it open for them.  keeping my fingers crossed!!!  I tried putting one of the americanas in the dog house with the eggs in a hand made nest but she didn't want anything to do with it, and sat off in a corner of the box by herself... any suggestions???

keepi.g my fingers cruised for you