Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bumpercarr]

Are you letting the chicks out UNsuper ised? How old?

Two weeks old. I've been very careful, but needed to do some work today. Since Momma has watched over them so well, I didn't think there would be any problem. Guess I was wrong. All of the flock was inside the coop, which they never are during the day. That was the first hint that something was wrong. No feathers anywhere, just a missing chick. Went all over listening for the peep, but not hearing any. After I get the dog fed I'll let them out of their pen and see if Momma can find it. Guess I need to load the snake shot in the .22 again. I don't try to hit the cats or dogs that come by, but the noise lets them know that they aren't welcome back.

 

[luvmychicken]

Am I a male oe female. We are hatch mates from the middle of February

 

[luvmychicken]

Sorry double post

 

[OHfarmerswife]

Two weeks old. I've been very careful, but needed to do some work today.  Since Momma has watched over them so well, I didn't think there would be any problem.  Guess I was wrong.  All of the flock was inside the coop, which they never are during the day.  That was the first hint that something was wrong. No  feathers anywhere, just a missing chick.  Went all over listening for the peep, but not hearing any.  After I get the dog fed I'll let them out of their pen and see if Momma can find it.  Guess I need to load the snake shot in the .22 again.  I don't try to hit the cats or dogs that come by, but the noise lets them know that they aren't welcome back.

I have chicks almost 5 weeks & would never leave the chicks alone.

 

[OHfarmerswife]

Wow - 8 chicks out of 8 eggs ! Not bad considering that rooster had to satisfy 27 hens. These are Brahma-Rock chicks (yes the "mom" is an orp). The eggs under the other hen in background are starting to hatch. I moved this mom and the chicks to my "young family" coop where I have another mom with week old chicks. Both moms got agitated and one gave a harsh peck at the other's chick. I did the move just as it was getting dark. I just assumed that they would only be focused on their own chicks and not bother with each other. Have I blundered into a situation that could turn deadly for the chicks? I guess I could move them back into this brooder tractor.

how sweet

 

[Island Roo]

how sweet

She's a good mom. Not like the hen in the other nest. The second hen finished hatching today - well not really. When I went to check this afternoon, the nest was abandoned with a slightly wet chick and another one with part the shell broken off but the membrane was drying out. I had to finish helping it out myself.

I tried to put that crying chick under mom but she seems like she's done with hatching. Tried the first hen in the picture and she settled down on the fresh hatch. A couple minutes later no crying.

I'm gonna leg band these 2 so I know who's who.

 

[chickeneer45]

So tomorrow will be the one week mark for my eggs and I am going to candle them all to figure out if they are developing. I have only ever checked one egg and tomorrow I will be doing the whole batch (10). What are the best ways to go about doing this without disturbig the broody hen too much? I will also be marking them with sharpie and possibly taking pics so i figure about 5 minutes per egg maybe. If anyone could tell me how they do it, or just give any advice in gneneral that would be great! Thanks!

 

[bumpercarr]

I have chicks almost 5 weeks & would never leave the chicks alone.

My chickens free range most of the day. They have their coop to go into in case of danger. There really isn't any way for me to lock up the chicks and momma when I can't sit out there and watch them, if I do that then I lock the entire flock out of the coop. The chicks weren't alone, they had the entire flock to warn of the danger. I suspect that this particular chick just didn't listen to the others. Momma has been very diligent, but the chicks are becoming more active and tending to move further away from her. Since this is momma's first brood, I suspect that she learned something from this experience. For the most part, my flock has been pretty free of predators so I think they have become a little lax in their security. I needed to pick up one of the hens this afternoon and the rooster really went after me, which is unusual. He's usually all bluff but this time he was serious. I would guess that losing one of the chicks has him on high alert now.

 

[lawatt]

my goodness, what a chickeny afternoon -- drove 90 miles to & fro to collect 4 araucana chicks (just hatched last night) to swap out for the unhatched-after 27-days eggs under Broody #2 (Frances, a SPPR) -- drove back home to discover that at least one chick under Broody #3 (Speedy, my rather grumpy-tempered CL, who's sitting on an assortment of eggs) has hatched -- i could see one little head peeping out, but didn't want to disturb if others were still hatching! all the non-broody chickens were in quite a stir with so much peeping going on, they're all way off their usual laying program. waited til dark, got the unhatched eggs out from under Frances, put in a couple of fake eggs + the four babies, and didn't hear any ominous sounds of "wait, where did you come from?" -- so hoping all is well. *fingers crossed*

(and will try to get some pictures tomorrow to share!)

 

[CoopChick719]

She has got a Welsummer and a Speckled Sussex, I am so glad she accepted them! The Welsummer chick is so awkward, it just sits peeping in her face and pecking her eye!. I cracked her eggs open and 5/7 were fertile. 4 looked like they died on early days and the 5th one had a fully grown chick in and it just happened to be the egg I found uncovered on day 20!, I keep thinking it could have hatched and its making me feel bad, I did give it a week and 2 days past its hatch day to hatch, was that enough?

Congrats on the chicks Johnn! They are sweet!