Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[CGinJCMO]

So I decided to try and candle my broodies eggs with my phone torch. What I saw was one was all dark and at the top had a clear patch (but it might have been dark because it was mucky), one had half dark and half light and the other had a dark blob kind of floating around. It's day 7. Are any fertile?

I think you may need a brighter light. I had the same "problem" with my first candling. In the middle of the second batch, I bought a brighter light and could see better.

Well.....
Just call me stupid...........................

Lifted one of the broodys to check eggs................handed her to my DH and she had hidden two eggs..one under each wing..........
They dropped and broke ...............shipped eggs of course.............she still has 10.but really made me feel bad.

She sounds sneaky...never heard of a chicken hiding eggs under the wings like that.

CG

 

[bobbieschicks]

I think you may need a brighter light.  I had the same "problem" with my first candling.  In the middle of the second batch, I bought a brighter light and could see better.
She sounds sneaky...never heard of a chicken hiding eggs under the wings like that.

CG

Oh yeah. They hide and transport them that way. I caught my broody trying to sneak two ping pong balls into her nest as she hopped up the 24" from the floor with them under her wings. I grabbed her mid hop and she dropped them. At first I couldn't believe what I saw it was too weird.

 

[OHfarmerswife]

I am sooooooo excited!!!!!!!!
Ihave a broody hen, and English Orpington hatching
eggs should be here in about 2 weeks

 

[chickeneer45]

ugh my leghorn is broody (and they are supposed to never go broody) she sure is a vicious thing. whenever I put my hands near her, they automatically get pecked at bit at endlessly. She is the smallest chicken I own. She is bantam like the rest of them, but she is about the size of a big pigeon. She could probably only fit four bantam eggs under her-- max. I am contemplating putting two eggs under her that are going to hatch in a couple of days, but I am scared she will be a bad mother.... I can catch all of my chickens easily... except for her. And I doubt she will let me get near her chicks without a good mauling of my hands. Oh well, I probably will just put some normal eggs under her and see how it goes; I have tried to break her twice, but to no avail... darn

I put two chicjs under her and two eggs that are supposed to hatch in a day... Its kind of sad because the chicks will probably grow to hate me because their mother is the most unfriendly chicken I own. I have no idea if I will ever be able to hold the chicks again given that the broody hen will never let me near her... So sad

 

[sharol]

Maybe that is how that golf ball got moved last winter????

Oh yeah. They hide and transport them that way. I caught my broody trying to sneak two ping pong balls into her nest as she hopped up the 24" from the floor with them under her wings. I grabbed her mid hop and she dropped them. At first I couldn't believe what I saw it was too weird.

 

[Jharper]

My cochin bantam has started back to laying. Now just time for the 2nd one to start because I kinda need her eggs. She is my production red.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Well the broody cage worked fine on Bunny. But Smokey didn't break yet. I need to keep her in there longer. :/

 

[Johnn]

Well the broody cage worked fine on Bunny. But Smokey didn't break yet. I need to keep her in there longer.

Has Smokey hatched out this year? Thought she was your best broody girl!

 

[Nike]

I put two chicjs under her and two eggs that are supposed to hatch in a day... Its kind of sad because the chicks will probably grow to hate me because their mother is the most unfriendly chicken I own. I have no idea if I will ever be able to hold the chicks again given that the broody hen will never let me near her... So sad

That's how my hen was too :/ After the chicks got to be about 6 weeks I put the mom back in her coop so I could sell the chicks and some of them were actually nice to me! Which I was very surprised.

 

[BantyChickenLuv]

Went out this morning and found my Wyandotte bantam sitting on eggs. She looks pretty committed, she kept finding more and moving them underneath of her. Tonight I'm going to move her and give her different eggs. I've never had a broody before. What's the best way to move one and give her new eggs? I know at night is best, but that's about all. I also have a roo in there with her who is not fond of me messing with his hens at all.