Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[LisaLouHoo]

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]
They started in the wee hours this morning, pictures above Eight of twelve so far! One died because it couldn't get out, and the other three are duds or late bloomers. I'll leave them where they are until the girls take the babies out of the nest. Yay! So exciting!!

Congrats, ML! So happy for your chick success. Enjoy those little peeps!

 

[pmcatnip]

We've got our first hatching in progress! It started on Friday and is still going, slowly. One hatched Friday, one Saturday, one Monday and two today (Wednesday). We have 3 broodies on about 30-40 eggs. It's funny because I wasn't actually trying for chicks this time. (Long story short, I stopped collecting eggs while the birds detox from something nasty they got into.) Friday around 10pm there was this chirping outside and I commented to DH what a strange time of night that was for a tweety bird. He suggested maybe the broodies had hatched some chicks so we went to check and sure enough, there was one tiny baby making a helluva noise! It was dry and had fallen from the nest box, and started getting cold alone on the floor. I put it under a broody to stay warm for the night and she accepted it happily. On Saturday I set up the little wire cage on the ground and moved her, the baby, and her eggs into it. Now we are checking the other two broodies in the coop each day for new babies and moving them into the cage with momma so they can't fall out of the nest boxes.

I'm very curious how long this staggered hatch will go for. Momma and babies in the cage are doing well. The babies wander around the floor learning to eat and drink and I haven't seen momma get up from her eggs yet.

 

[ChickyD]

My first Broody in a few years started hatching today! Bantam EE girl just turned 6 months old. She has 6 eggs under her. I'm very excited!

 

[Johnn]

Daisy's baby is nicely feathered out for winter! I hope she stays with it through winter though because theres Buzzards around here and the chick would be an easy target without its mother.

 

[ChickyD]

Violet hatched four out of six eggs today. First time Momma! I'm so proud of my girl

I wasn't sure how she'd do since she just turned 6 months..

 

[pmcatnip]

Two questions since this is only my second time raising chicks, and my first time letting momma bird handle them.

1. What measures do you take against coccidiosis? Since the chicks are exposed to momma bird and sometimes the other birds, the whole 'sterile environment' that people talk about for brooders goes completely out the window.

2. What food do you provide? I've given mine medicated chick feed and put some layer feed for momma in a taller dish that the babies can't get into. I know momma's eating some of the medicated stuff too so I won't collect her eggs for a while when she resumes laying.

 

[bumpercarr]

Two questions since this is only my second time raising chicks, and my first time letting momma bird handle them.

1. What measures do you take against coccidiosis? Since the chicks are exposed to momma bird and sometimes the other birds, the whole 'sterile environment' that people talk about for brooders goes completely out the window.

2. What food do you provide? I've given mine medicated chick feed and put some layer feed for momma in a taller dish that the babies can't get into. I know momma's eating some of the medicated stuff too so I won't collect her eggs for a while when she resumes laying.

I've only had a broody mama raise two clutches but I don't do anything to protect against coccidiosis. I take all of my chickens off of the layer feed while I have chicks in the coop (usually about 12 weeks). It doesn't seem to bother them, although I do notice that I am getting fewer eggs. I also don't use medicated chick feed, just starter/grower. I usually provide some extra electrolytes in the water for the first week, but after that they take water from the same container as everyone else. I haven't had any problems, but I don't have a large flock either.

 

[bumpercarr]

I've only had a broody mama raise two clutches but I don't do anything to protect against coccidiosis. I take all of my chickens off of the layer feed while I have chicks in the coop (usually about 12 weeks). It doesn't seem to bother them, although I do notice that I am getting fewer eggs. I also don't use medicated chick feed, just starter/grower. I usually provide some extra electrolytes in the water for the first week, but after that they take water from the same container as everyone else. I haven't had any problems, but I don't have a large flock either.

Oh, and my broody broods in the same coop with everyone else, they are never separated from the flock. I do provide a box at ground level for mom & babies to sleep in until they figure out the ramp. Mom protects them from the rest of the flock and teaches them how to eat/drink. My roo generally protects the babies just like he protects the hens, but the mom won't usually let him too close to the babies anyway for the first few weeks.

 

[Johnn]

 

[itspebbl]

That is soooooo adorable!!!!!