Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[chickydee64]

Mom will take care of them, if she's a good mom! Just keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't abandon them, crush them etc. All you need to do is make sure they've got food and water. She will keep them warm and show them the ropes.

x's 2....

I think it is sad for the hen when the chicks have to be taken..
I always give mine a place protected from the others for day or two.just to give the Mom a chance to teach her little ones to come when she calls ect.
Lots of folks just let them all together from the start........................Good Luck and have fun

 

[Myrth]

Great thread! Just a quick post to subscribe.

 

[oktx]

I have both my bantam buff mixes that decided to go broody so I bought silkie eggs and both girls have been sitting them. Yesterday we saw 3 hatched. Not sure if others are under the mamas or not. Do they need a waterer right in the nest with them or is the water right outside the nest close enough? When will they leave? Should I help or just wait and let the mamas take care of it?

 

[chick lovers]

Okay I have 18 eggs in the incubator at day fourteen. I candled at day seven and removed two eggs a lavender orp and one of my eggs which was a mix between a Partridge Plymouth Rock and a Dark Brahma. Today, which is day fourteen, I candled again and took three orpington eggs out, here's two of them. Did I do the right thing or were they going to make it. In my other remaining eggs I saw movement, YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!. I have three growing lavender orpington eggs left and fifteen mixed eggs left. Hatch day is Thursday I am so excited.

 

[MLWoods]

Okay, I have cruised through about 50 pages of this thread and it is a wealth of info! Thanksntomall of you experienced chicken peeps I have two hens that went broody within a day of each other, after 3 days, (2 nights) I tucked a dozen fertile eggs under them that I purchased locally from a chicken keeper. Now, we waited to move them into their own quarters, in a sectioned off portion of the run, until about 4 days on the eggs. Since the beginning of broodiness, they only get up a couple times a day, but they stay off for awhile, sometimes over an hour, maybe two, and sometimes ten minutes. What is up with that? Days are warm, but nights are chilly, and one got up in the morning, we didn't notice when, but when we checked on her, she was in the wrong nest, with her eggs chilly. That was they day we decided to move them. Since then, if they were to get in the wrong nest, it really doesn't matter, they only have two choices, and the fertile eggs were placed at the same time under each hen, but they haven't switched yet. One broody, Parvati (light brahma) is a big girl, with about 8 eggs, the other, Poppy, is a little Silkie cross, and she has the other four. We are on day 8. I know nothing about candeling, I don't know how successful I would be. I am not sure if it is worth disturbing them, since they are both first timers (like me!) any reassurances for me out there, advice, predictions? This is almost worse than waiting for human babies, and I am a maternity nurse....

 

[chickydee64]

Okay, I have cruised through about 50 pages of this thread and it is a wealth of info! Thanksntomall of you experienced chicken peeps

I have two hens that went broody within a day of each other, after 3 days, (2 nights) I tucked a dozen fertile eggs under them that I purchased locally from a chicken keeper. Now, we waited to move them into their own quarters, in a sectioned off portion of the run, until about 4 days on the eggs. Since the beginning of broodiness, they only get up a couple times a day, but they stay off for awhile, sometimes over an hour, maybe two, and sometimes ten minutes. What is up with that? Days are warm, but nights are chilly, and one got up in the morning, we didn't notice when, but when we checked on her, she was in the wrong nest, with her eggs chilly. That was they day we decided to move them. Since then, if they were to get in the wrong nest, it really doesn't matter, they only have two choices, and the fertile eggs were placed at the same time under each hen, but they haven't switched yet. One broody, Parvati (light brahma) is a big girl, with about 8 eggs, the other, Poppy, is a little Silkie cross, and she has the other four. We are on day 8. I know nothing about candeling, I don't know how successful I would be. I am not sure if it is worth disturbing them, since they are both first timers (like me!) any reassurances for me out there, advice, predictions? This is almost worse than waiting for human babies, and I am a maternity nurse....

HI,
And welcome..........My advise is almost always the same.....TRUST YOUR BROODY. They are so smart.

Candeling is a personal choice.. I almost never do with a broody....With the incubator I candle days 11 and 18......
My hens change boxes all the time . it's funny........ Your eggs should be fine if your Silkie is big enough to cover 8 eggs............
Have a hunch she is......Your right, the wait is horrible so take a deep breath and have fun. Since I have nothing to do
during broody incubation . I take them a few grapes every day. Makes me feel better..........

 

[Kylaaaaa22]

x's 2....
I think it is sad for the hen when the chicks have to be taken..
I always give mine a place protected from the others for day or two.just to give the Mom a chance to teach her little ones to come when she calls ect.
Lots of folks just let them all together from the start........................Good Luck and have fun

Thanks both for the advice! I will leave them with her.
Exactly how do I make sure they have feed? Do i get the starter feed like i did when her and the others were small chicks?
She makes a weird noise and tries to peck me when I get close or to see under her.

 

[chickydee64]

Thanks both for the advice! I will leave them with her.

Exactly how do I make sure they have feed? Do i get the starter feed like i did when her and the others were small chicks?
She makes a weird noise and tries to peck me when I get close or to see under her.

Silly chicken. all 4 or 5 pounds of her thinks she is going to scare you............

I am not sure of your set up.............they will need chick starter. I just feed the hen the same.......

 

[MLWoods]

Okay, you are making me feel better! Thanks chickydee64 for calming me down a bit fingers crossed and updates to follow!

 

[MLWoods]

So here are pics of the coop, run, and homemade broody box. hopefully you can tell where I have separated the broody girls from the rest of the flock with chicken wire. I hope that everyone will be one big happy family so that I don't have to have separations. What do you guys think if putting the head girl in with the new moms and chicks for a supervised visit to see how she behaves with the babies? Would the lower chickens follow her lead? Lotsa variables, I guess it really is just a wait and see, but I want to have a plan B, C, and D before I have to brood them myself!