Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[litleme28]

also do you have any paint silkies?

 

[chiqita]

I find some lines of Chickens are broodier then others. And also seeing one chicken brood can inspire, well ALL of them. My Marans are very broodie but a hatchery cuckoo Marans is unlikely to show the same characteristics.

They were from a line of chickens that they liked to say everything she touched wanted to sit on eggs, lol. And it is still true here. My cottage hill girls don't go broody on their own, but will start sitting if one of the other girls starts, they are mearly hanger ons!

 

[Donna Lynn]

I have one chick! It's so cute! Photo is blurry but I was trying to hurry so it didn't get cold! So excited!

 

[Jharper]

Some hens won't even go broody until being a year or older. My production red didn't go broody until almost an EXACT year.

 

[CAjerseychick]

I have one chick! It's so cute! Photo is blurry but I was trying to hurry so it didn't get cold! So excited!

Yay so excited for you!!! Isnt this cold rainy weather a bummer? First time chick hatch I have been worried sick about my 4 little ones outside--
finally got to see them out foraging with mom (well under the porch ramp which is set up with feeders and hay)--- got to see mom defending them and finally feel they ok out with the Flock (Flock is steering well clear of Mom and chicks which is good I think)...
Am longing for that heat wave we had a couple weeks ago!

 

[CarolinaHen]

Thanks for posting that, I have really been trying to find a good breed to go back to old fashion broody hen method..incubators are fun and provide a little more control IF you can stabalize them..Iv kinda found that it seems like broody hens are hard to come by, I have been looking for standard cochin hens, and that breed has seemed like its dwindled..is it just me?

I have two Silkie/EE crosses, and they are great! I get the laying of the EE and the broodiness of the Silkie.

 

[CAjerseychick]

Some hens won't even go broody until being a year or older. My production red didn't go broody until almost an EXACT year.

Yep my hatchery bird (jersey giants all) went at exactly 11 months, my breeders line bird at 12 months... I heard the Giants take alittle longer to mature--- but so far very pleased 6-9 eggs a day (more when 2 arent broody) from my 10 hens.....

 

[emmanoz]

I have a problem and I hope someone can help. I currently have a broody silkie hen sitting on 3 eggs, it's both her and my first time hatching this way. She had been trying to sit so I decided to leave her with 3 eggs, still in with the flock, and she has been the perfect broody so far. However when I went to take her off for her morning constitutional I found the first egg had hatched and she had squashed the chick, she also had lots of blood on her break as if she had tried to help and had thrown the egg out of the nest. Is there anything I can do to help stop this happening? I also have silkie eggs pipping in the incubator so should I move the remaining 2 eggs to the incubator? I was planning to move her to a separate run with her chicks when (if) they hatch, is it likely that she would also accept the chicks from the incubator? Any advice would be great because we are both total novices!!

 

[ilovemy7chicken]

Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated it.

 

[Johnn]

Orp is back laying!: