Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[BHebert]

Hi I have a New Hampshire Red that hatched 7 out of 8 eggs from my flock, (some barred Rock and Buff Brahmas in the mix ) on April 30th. She hatched them in the coop with the 10 other chickens and Rooster in it, and has raised them these last 4 weeks with no problems aside from a broody leghorn that stole one of her chicks to raise as her own. This morning I went outside to give them some grain and bread scraps and the mother was clucking to her chicks to come eat.. About half an hour later I hear a hen going clucky outside and go to check.. nothing seems amiss but about ten minutes later I hear a chick screaming for its mother.. (chirping..) And I go out to investigate, and the mom is gone! I have looked everywhere and can't seem to find any sign of feathers or her! I am wondering if she just decided she has had enough...? It's raining and 50 here.. should I bring all the chicks inside?? Really not sure what to do..
Any advice would be helpful..
Thanks

 

[fisherlady]

Hi I have a New Hampshire Red that hatched 7 out of 8 eggs from my flock, (some barred Rock and Buff Brahmas in the mix ) on April 30th. She hatched them in the coop with the 10 other chickens and Rooster in it, and has raised them these last 4 weeks with no problems aside from a broody leghorn that stole one of her chicks to raise as her own. This morning I went outside to give them some grain and bread scraps and the mother was clucking to her chicks to come eat.. About half an hour later I hear a hen going clucky outside and go to check.. nothing seems amiss but about ten minutes later I hear a chick screaming for its mother.. (chirping..) And I go out to investigate, and the mom is gone! I have looked everywhere and can't seem to find any sign of feathers or her! I am wondering if she just decided she has had enough...? It's raining and 50 here.. should I bring all the chicks inside?? Really not sure what to do..
Any advice would be helpful..
Thanks

I would gather the chicks and get them into the coop where they can stay dry and cuddled up safe for a while. Do a head count on the chicks and make sure she isn't off looking after a roamer. If all of the chicks are there then continue to check frequently for mama and if she doesn't return within an hour or two then you may need to provide the little ones a warm broody pen with a heat lamp area. If they chicks are wet at all when you gather them up then you will need to get them into a brooder with heat available pretty soon, or give them a towel you ran through the dryer for a bit as a heat pad to rest on while you get them a brooder set up.
I really hope she shows back up soon!

 

[3 NH reds]

I have some dark shelled eggs that haven't hatched and I was thinking of opening them (it's been 24 days). They don't smell bad from the outside. What might I find inside of them? Should I do this outdoors rather than in my kitchen?

If its not to late I might just wait another day or 2. I have had lots of day25 chicks and some day26.

i wish my australian shepherd would like my chickens lol she is scared of mine wont go near them unless i am with her and she is still scared then lol

Thats my dogs! I have a hound and two labs that are afraid of birds. Their first time was looking at them and getting zapped by a solar electric fence and I think that stuck in their heads. Its funny to see a 75 lb hound bark but not go near a bird.This is my extra rooster that I just decided to free range. Dog watched the chicken get part of a hot dog and flipped out, now the bird is in our garden cleaning it out of weeds for planting this weekend.

 

[Kassaundra]

I haven't been on this thread in a while, but I now have a broody girl, Thing 2, we gave her 12 eggs yesterday (she had been sitting on "eggs" for a couple of days before we decided she was serious and gave her eggs.


Here is the soon to be mom

 

[farmer boy]

well the first time she met the birds one of the hens was flapping her wings and hit jersey my dog in the head and she tried to grab it when it did that and then when we got more birds and moved to a new place i had a broody hen with chicks that attacked all 3 of my dogs she was nuts lol ... i had 2 cats that chased one of my broodys chicks and the smaller one oh most got the chick but then the hen turned around chased the cat down threw it in a corner and beat it up lol

 

[fisherlady]

I haven't been on this thread in a while, but I now have a broody girl, Thing 2, we gave her 12 eggs yesterday (she had been sitting on "eggs" for a couple of days before we decided she was serious and gave her eggs.


Here is the soon to be mom

Hope she has a good hatch for you! but I have to ask.... what mix? Looks like an Australorp, silkie and naked neck all fell into a washer and came out looking like this! How big is she?

 

[Johnn]

 

[Kassaundra]

Hope she has a good hatch for you! but I have to ask.... what mix? Looks like an Australorp, silkie and naked neck all fell into a washer and came out looking like this! How big is she?

LOL LOL She is mottled houdan x dark skinned NN. I'm not sure about the origin of the dark skin on the NN since it was not my project, but I suspect sumatra, the byc'er who did the houdan / nn cross calls them hooda's, he is trying for a dark skinned mottled NN, but she is f1 so only has one copy of the mottled gene so doesn't express. She is on the small size of full size (not bantam) but lays small eggs. (I am a sucker for beards and top knots, and if there is a naked neck all the better! lol )

 

[fisherlady]

LOL LOL She is mottled houdan x dark skinned NN. I'm not sure about the origin of the dark skin on the NN since it was not my project, but I suspect sumatra, the byc'er who did the houdan / nn cross calls them hooda's, he is trying for a dark skinned mottled NN, but she is f1 so only has one copy of the mottled gene so doesn't express. She is on the small size of full size (not bantam) but lays small eggs. (I am a sucker for beards and top knots, and if there is a naked neck all the better! lol )

I don't know about the Houdans.. but I believe Sumatra's are a broody type. She actually has a pretty cool look. My DH would love her! Hope all goes well with her first hatch. Will look forward to some pics in a few weeks!

 

[fisherlady]

Well, Gracie started hatching a day early... is up to 6 out of 7 so far. I will check #7 later today to see if it is viable or not. Our dog Mindy is a happy pup... she has 2 broodies to watch! Though so far Pidgy isn't as interesting since her babies are still very firmly underneath of her (she only has 2 hatched so far, but that is expected since tonight is their due date!)