Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Phoenix Farms]

The little buggers are hatching already! The ones under my phoenix have started to hatch, not the ones under the bantam Cochin, Butters. The ones under the black Cochin only have one out of 6 that looks like it should hatch. But these guys aren't due till Friday! Same for the incubator and I have one hatching in it. They just started though.

 

[misskeeter]

Just finished setting 7 eggs under my Dark Cornish.

This is my first broody hen. She was the reason I ended up with chickens, because she was the cutest and sweetest out of my classroom hatch, and my husband gave in and let me bring her and her "sister" home with me.

She has been sitting constantly for a week now, so I got some eggs from a local breeder, and I set them under her tonight. She seemed pretty peeved at me for taking the others away (I only have two hens, so there was NOTHING gonna happen there lol)... It only took her about 10 seconds to realize that I was giving her MORE than she had before, and she was pretty happy to plop back down and fluff herself up and get "the stare" going on. I have 7 others going in the incubator tonight, because the breeder gave me way more eggs than the 6 I asked for ... I don't think my sweet girl can sit on 14. She's a pretty small lady. She JUST turned 1 year old on April 18th.

 

[myby]

OHfarmerswife,
Let us know tomorrow how your chicks did. I will not be too worried as the hen will heat them.

 

[UnionMan]

Well I have a newly laying Marans hen that decided to go broody. I have tried to break her by taking her eggs away but it hasn't worked. I'm finally caving and picking up some silver Ameracauna eggs today since my eggs aren't fertile. Here's the dilemma. I was going to try and move her by herself so she wouldn't be bothered since she has decided to lay eggs on the poop board covered in sweetPDZ under the pirch in the coop. It is pretty high up and didn't want anything to happen to the chicks or have the other hens mess with the eggs if she took a food/bathroom break. I am picking up the eggs today to swap with her bit after reading done of this thread I'm scared to take her to another location since she could loose the broody ness and I don't have a incubator for the eggs I'm buying today. So should I swap out the eggs with her and leave her be in the poop board. Or relocate her by herself elsewhere. And if I move her elsewhere. What are the steps. Do I move the non fertile eggs first then wait till she excepts the move then swap them out with the fertile eggs?

 

[OHfarmerswife]

OHfarmerswife,
Let us know tomorrow how your chicks did. I will not be too worried as the hen will heat them.

This is my first broody hatch, so I'm a bit nervous.
Mary & her 8 chicks were the first out of the coop this am. All present & accounted for!

 

[OHfarmerswife]

Well I have a newly laying Marans hen that decided to go broody. I have tried to break her by taking her eggs away but it hasn't worked. I'm finally caving and picking up some silver Ameracauna eggs today since my eggs aren't fertile. Here's the dilemma. I was going to try and move her by herself so she wouldn't be bothered since she has decided to lay eggs on the poop board covered in sweetPDZ under the pirch in the coop. It is pretty high up and didn't want anything to happen to the chicks or have the other hens mess with the eggs if she took a food/bathroom break. I am picking up the eggs today to swap with her bit after reading done of this thread I'm scared to take her to another location since she could loose the broody ness and I don't have a incubator for the eggs I'm buying today. So should I swap out the eggs with her and leave her be in the poop board. Or relocate her by herself elsewhere. And if I move her elsewhere. What are the steps. Do I move the non fertile eggs first then wait till she excepts the move then swap them out with the fertile eggs?

I am by no means an expert, having only one experience. I tried to first break my broodie by taking her out of the nest box, but she wouldn't give up . I moved her to a secure location and then set the eggs. All was fine.

 

[bobbieschicks]

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?

I may be too ate replying, but having gone thru something similar my advice would be leave her and don't wire the box. The babies will stay under her for the first couple of days and then by that time she will be ready to move them to the floor for several weeks.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Well I have a newly laying Marans hen that decided to go broody. I have tried to break her by taking her eggs away but it hasn't worked. I'm finally caving and picking up some silver Ameracauna eggs today since my eggs aren't fertile. Here's the dilemma. I was going to try and move her by herself so she wouldn't be bothered since she has decided to lay eggs on the poop board covered in sweetPDZ under the pirch in the coop. It is pretty high up and didn't want anything to happen to the chicks or have the other hens mess with the eggs if she took a food/bathroom break. I am picking up the eggs today to swap with her bit after reading done of this thread I'm scared to take her to another location since she could loose the broody ness and I don't have a incubator for the eggs I'm buying today. So should I swap out the eggs with her and leave her be in the poop board. Or relocate her by herself elsewhere. And if I move her elsewhere. What are the steps. Do I move the non fertile eggs first then wait till she excepts the move then swap them out with the fertile eggs?

In a similar situation. My splash copper maran Bunny wouldn't give up either. I finally ordered chicks for her and they arrive next week. I'll just slip them under her in the nestbox and let what happens happen.

 

[EmSteele]

I am pretty new to chicks...not quite 4weeks in bit I am VERY.interested in this. Thanks for all the info! I'm hoping to find a broody hen soon to try this out with!

 

[UnionMan]

Well I sectioned off a area awhile back on the storage side of my coop for a makeshift brooder. The chicks that i had in there have outgrown it. So I set it up the way I thought she might like it. She has her own feeder and waterer. I moved her and her eggs over but she wasnt too happy. Hopefully she will settle down and ill be able to add the fertile eggs tonight.