Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[lcsilkiefan]

I've got a black silkie that is determined to hatch out eggs. She was so broody that she wouldn't even get off an empty nest. I finally had a neighbor that found some eggs to put under her. I didn't have a rooster at the time, but she did. It's so nice. She hatched them out without me having to do anything. I had another hen that ended up getting involved at the end. The second hen was a more nurturing caregiver, but they were both super moms! The chicks weren't as tame as their moms because I didn't handle them as much as the first generation. The first chicks were raised in a brooder and carried around constantly by grandkids. You know a hen is broody because she won't budge off her nest. it's almost like they are deathly ill. Or they hide... and you find them in some obscure place sitting on their eggs... can be dangerous and vulnerable to predators, but I have had a hen or two that I thought was gone for sure show up a month later with a family in tow... A wonderful surprise!

 

[Pennoppom]

Hi y'all, just wanted to update you that none of the eggs hatched. They never had anything in them, they just looked like smelly rotten eggs when I cracked them. She moved nests, but is still brooding a bit so I suppose I'll work on breaking her this week. I wanted to keep her broody for a little longer and buy some chicks, but she's aweful skinny so I think I'll just live without babies until later in the year.

I'll still pop in to see your pics from time to time

 

[AQHAchick22]

Hey everyone, I have a broody who has been sitting on 4 eggs and Thursday is day 21. I want to move her to a dog cage on the floor so when the chicks hatch they wont fall out of the box. Is it too late to do this? Should I just put some chicken wire up in front of the box tomorrow or Wednesday until they hatch and then I can move them to the floor?

 

[Johnn]

Hey everyone, I have a broody who has been sitting on 4 eggs and Thursday is day 21. I want to move her to a dog cage on the floor so when the chicks hatch they wont fall out of the box. Is it too late to do this? Should I just put some chicken wire up in front of the box tomorrow or Wednesday until they hatch and then I can move them to the floor?

If I was you I really wouldn't risk moving her at this point. If I was you I would choose the wire option when they start to hatch so she doesn't poop in the nest. Then when the eggs have hatched, move her to the floor.

 

[Moni]

My 2nd broody is two days into her hatched. I was very surprised when i checked her... She has one pure white chick. All of my white chickens i have ever raised started out yellow. But this chick is as white as snow. I thought maybe it was albino but it has brown eyes.

 

[OHfarmerswife]

Hi y'all, just wanted to update you that none of the eggs hatched. They never had anything in them, they just looked like smelly rotten eggs when I cracked them. She moved nests, but is still brooding a bit so I suppose I'll work on breaking her this week. I wanted to keep her broody for a little longer and buy some chicks, but she's aweful skinny so I think I'll just live without babies until later in the year.

I'll still pop in to see your pics from time to time

My first broody was broody since right after Christmas, tried to break her, finally gave her some eggs & she hatched all 8!
I fed her scrambled eggs, developer feed, and electrolytes & vitamins in her water.
She looks great now,& very happy as a proud momma!

I would get her some chicks!!

 

[AQHAchick22]

If I was you I really wouldn't risk moving her at this point. If I was you I would choose the wire option when they start to hatch so she doesn't poop in the nest. Then when the eggs have hatched, move her to the floor.

That's kind of what I was worried about...ugh I just kept putting it off because I was afraid to move her and now I'm stuck leaving her there

I'll just have to keep checking her these next few days and be ready to move her...maybe I'll put up some kind of a barrier so at least she can get out but the chicks can't fall out...oh decisions decisions...

 

[trameghan]

sometime last night my eggs started hatching. I found one in the pen with mamma raising a stink. Don't know how the little guy got out and didn't really hurt himself(it's a 3 ft drop!) I scooped him up and checked him out. All appears well but when I put him back into the nest mamma started pecking at him! I watched for a little while and she wouldn't let him near her!! I now have him in my brooder with food and water but I'm worried about the other chicks. One has a pretty good sized external pip and I dont' know about the other 2. I leave for work in a few hours and I'm afraid if anymore hatch while I'm gone she'll attack! Any advice would be wonderful!

 

[Johnn]

Ok I want a honest answer, just tell me if the egg/chick is screwed, you don't have to sweeten the answer at all or give me hope. I have just went out to feed the hens no and I picked up one of the broody's eggs and it was really windy and the shed from the other door blew backwards and wacked into me, I then got pushed forward and the egg shaked and I felt something wobble inside, weather it was a chick or just left overs for a moldy egg I don't know. If it was a chick will it be ok or will it be killed now? It really wasn't shaked that hard, just enough to feel what ever is inside bash against the other side of the egg. I will be really annoyed if it will be dead because its the only egg I know hadn't fell out from under the hen (just my luck).

 

[kannna]

Wait until dark and try putting S/he under her. She probably just doesn't recognize him/her as her own.