Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[coyotesmommy]

I take Ling Ling off of the nest once a day so she will go potty, and that is when I candle the eggs. I put them all in a calander with a towel under them to the darkets room which is our bathroom. We have one of those SUPER bright flash lights that you can see through your hand! Anyway... if you compare a unfertilized egg and a fertilized egg even the first 2 days you will see the yolk in the fertilized where your unfertilized there is nothing. About day eight is great you should have NICE spidering and a little embreo that you can see just wiggleing all over. It is so exciting

. Slowly your embryo will be getting larger and taking up more space in the shell, but you should always have nice blood vessles. I am on day 18 and could see what looked like a little leg kick yesterday. Google chicken egg development http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...VaO0Zrdd0zUQyaL_A&sig2=nUI5GYphLKDEDcgBqNQnzA Good luck.

 

[Johnn]

Not sure if any of you can remember, but last year when I had chicks they were raised with the rest of the flock and I just fed them all mixed corn because they free range so I thought anything they can find is better than what they put in layers feed. This time I plan to do the same but I was wondering if I could mix layers pellets in, will they pic the corn out or eat the layers pellets too? If they will eat the pellets then I don't mind giving them just corn.

 

[kannna]

I wouldn't risk the layer food. You already know about the calcium issue.

But I wouldn't give them just corn either. The grower food is really better. It has lots of protein for their growing bodies and the big girls can eat it too. You never know if they are getting enough of the vital things they need when they are free ranging.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Johnn]

They get grower when they are 8 weeks. I like to have them on corn from 3 weeks to 8...

 

[bobbieschicks]

Not sure if any of you can remember, but last year when I had chicks they were raised with the rest of the flock and I just fed them all mixed corn because they free range so I thought anything they can find is better than what they put in layers feed. This time I plan to do the same but I was wondering if I could mix layers pellets in, will they pic the corn out or eat the layers pellets too? If they will eat the pellets then I don't mind giving them just corn.

They won't be able to eat the pellets unless momma breaks them up for them. I'd not serve them layer feed until around week 16 due to potential problems with too much calcium. I serve non medicated grower crumbles to all of them until they are old enough to eat the layer. I'm not sure that corn would be so digestible to them? I've read it's good for filling their crop, but you want to do more than just fill them up, you want to provide a good diet. So maybe mix the corn with some grower?

 

[Island Roo]

how many babys have they got?

The orp duo have 14 chicks between them.
Its amazing to watch them. I didn't expect it, but I'm glad there are 2. I think 2 moms can keep watch better when they rejoin the flock

 

[Island Roo]

Quote: I've seen grown birds recover from some pretty awful wounds but no experience with a young chick like that.
I normally would spray blu-kote on a wound - not sure how you'd keep it out of the eyes. An open wound attracts beaks so blu-kote helps with that but you may have to isolate the chick if that is going on.

On the other hand, I won't let a bird suffer to much if the outlook is bleak.

Good luck.

 

[bobbieschicks]

At lock up tonight I found Vanilla Ice and Shirley Jones, both sitting in nest boxes! I promptly put their broody wanna be butts back on the roost!

 

[bobbieschicks]

I've seen grown birds recover from some pretty awful wounds but no experience with a young chick like that.
I normally would spray blu-kote on a wound - not sure how you'd keep it out of the eyes. An open wound attracts beaks so blu-kote helps with that but you may have to isolate the chick if that is going on.

On the other hand, I won't let a bird suffer to much if the outlook is bleak. 

Good luck.

Put some Nustock on the wound and keep an eye on the little one. It could have injured itself on the wire or something else could have tried to hurt it. I would bet it wasn't another chicken.

 

[lawatt]

I've seen grown birds recover from some pretty awful wounds but no experience with a young chick like that.
I normally would spray blu-kote on a wound - not sure how you'd keep it out of the eyes. An open wound attracts beaks so blu-kote helps with that but you may have to isolate the chick if that is going on.

On the other hand, I won't let a bird suffer to much if the outlook is bleak.

Good luck.

thank you -- when i got home from work it seemed completely unconcerned by the missing back of its head, which has stopped bleeding and doesn't seem to be being picked at my any of its siblings -- considered euthanizing, but it seemed rather spritely, pecking at food and drinking, so i'm going to let it hang in there for now.

the two broody-with-chicks girls who have not been getting along both had a little dried blood on the bridge of their "nose," just above the beak -- but so did a third hen, so really not sure what's been going on. hoping they settle themselves soon, as two more broodies have eggs getting ready to hatch, to add to the madness!