Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[chickeneer45]

My hens wont stop going broody!!!!!!!!!!!!! UGH! I only have three hens, but each one of them has gone broody and now the first one to have gone broody is going broody again..... I cant keep anymore chickens!!!! I have tried breaking her several times, but to no avail. I have only had my chickens for a year now and have had four broodies total. ITS ONLY BEEN ONE YEAR! These are crazy chickens!! So frustrating!!

 

[omilona]

I'm so excited *music and dancing*

Yay! My Silver Spangled Hamburg hen had a surprise for my today!!

 

[omilona]

The last time I felt like this I was 9 months pregnant and ready to get on a trampoline to get her safely out.

 

[jelly beeny]

Hey. Iv got a broody hen, she has sitting on an egg for almost 4 days.

So I have ordered 6 eggs online and they should be here in the next few days.

The question I have is do I leave her with the egg she has when I give her the new ones?
Also do I just pop them under her and hope she doesnt notice?
Sorry about the questions its the first time she has went broody so im kinda winging it and getting information from online and stuff
Thank you

 

[Johnn]

Daisy and her chick

 

[perchie.girl]

Hey. Iv got a broody hen, she has sitting on an egg for almost 4 days.

So I have ordered 6 eggs online and they should be here in the next few days.

The question I have is do I leave her with the egg she has when I give her the new ones?
Also do I just pop them under her and hope she doesnt notice?
Sorry about the questions its the first time she has went broody so im kinda winging it and getting information from online and stuff
Thank you

Let the eggs set so the air sacks move back up to the big end of the egg. So store pointy end down. After shipping they could have become displaced a bit. I believe it takes about a day. Others may chime in.

Carefully remove the one she has been sitting on. If you leave it it will hatch first too soon for the others and by the time they are ready to hatch she will be long gone teaching the first born the ropes. But leave the egg or some falsies to keep her focused till your new eggs arrive. Dont worry she will stay broody because chickens cant tell time.

Then Mark the new eggs with pencil so you know which ones are which and set them one by one in front of her, She will carefully shovel it under her and put it in just the right spot. Then put another down in front of her. one by one she will put them under her.

Remember the day you set the eggs is Day Zero. The 21 day incubation starts when they come up to temperature.

deb

 

[chickydee64]

John, Please tell Daisy thank you for showing us her lovely chick................

I am still having so much fun with the two hens that have decided to share
raising the 8 chicks...................so interesting.......... It appears the older hen is teaching the young hen what to do.
The younger hen does most of the keeping them warm and protected. The older hen
teaching them to dust bath, dig for bugs ect.
At night each of the chicks hatched by the hens returns to the hen that hatched it............
How do they know this stuff.??????????????

Appreciate your picture storys..................

 

[Johnn]

John, Please tell Daisy thank you for showing us her lovely chick................

I am still having so much fun with the two hens that have decided to share
raising the 8 chicks...................so interesting.......... It appears the older hen is teaching the young hen what to do.
The younger hen does most of the keeping them warm and protected. The older hen
teaching them to dust bath, dig for bugs ect.
At night each of the chicks hatched by the hens returns to the hen that hatched it............
How do they know this stuff.??????????????

Appreciate your picture storys..................

Thanks!

 

[jelly beeny]

Let the eggs set so the air sacks move back up to the big end of the egg. So store pointy end down. After shipping they could have become displaced a bit. I believe it takes about a day. Others may chime in. Carefully remove the one she has been sitting on. If you leave it it will hatch first too soon for the others and by the time they are ready to hatch she will be long gone teaching the first born the ropes. But leave the egg or some falsies to keep her focused till your new eggs arrive. Dont worry she will stay broody because chickens cant tell time. Then Mark the new eggs with pencil so you know which ones are which and set them one by one in front of her, She will carefully shovel it under her and put it in just the right spot. Then put another down in front of her. one by one she will put them under her. Remember the day you set the eggs is Day Zero. The 21 day incubation starts when they come up to temperature. deb

Thank you for that, I dont need to worry about the other egg hatching as its only girls I have so its definitely infertile and will never hatch. I did not know about putting the eggs pointy side down or anything so that is a very good bit of information. All that is very much appreciated thank you

 

[Mamasal]

I have a little silkie who I put a clutch of eggs under, she is in a separate part of the coop. the clutch I put under her is 8 eggs, so a bit big as she is little. My other silkie hen just went broody and I am thinking to take 3-4 eggs from under one hen to put under the newly broody hen. Would this work? And could I move at night the newly broody hen into the area that is segregated in a nesting box next to the other one?