Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[pmcatnip]

My two old English hens just hatched a few of their own from their man fonzie... I left them in the pen and three babies got out of nest and could not get back in and one got stuck way under nest box... so I brought them all inside and put them in laundry room in isolation.... until all are hatched... so cute. I am hoping I got them in time, it was chilly out today and they were away from moms heat so I hope they will all live. they are not sluggish and are drinking and eating... This is my first natural hatch SO HAPPY!!! The Fonzie is such a beautiful boy and his chicks are nice colors, I will send picture when I figure out how. :}

Im in love with them all.

How are they doing now? My recent experience showed me that chicks can be surprisingly resilient.

Saturday morning our 8th chick hatched, but momma and babies 1-7 were already up and about in the box (4x4 box serving as a pen). When I found it, the poor thing was all wet and cold alone on the grass. I think it hatched and crawled out of the nest looking for momma but couldn't find her, and then passed out from exposure. I thought it was dead. But then it twitched so I kicked into emergency mode. Brought it into the kitchen and held it in a bowl of warm water to warm it up. About 10 minutes later it was weakly lifting its head and after an hour it was peeping, alert, and trying to climb up my arm. Gave it a good blow dry and gave it to one of the other broodies. (The momma that hatched it didn't accept it back from me--she was done sitting and hasn't taken any new chicks since.) It's been doing great and is just as strong as the other babies.

This is one reason I like this place so much.

If it weren't for reading stuff here, I wouldn't have known that being wet is not in itself a problem for chicks so long as they're warm, and I probably would've lost that baby.

 

[pmcatnip]

Why do eggs get a glossy/waxy look and feel when under a broody? Do they do that in incubators too? Is it related to the development of the chick or is it because they're getting coated in feather oil from the broody?

 

[BoereMeisie]

I have a broody Rhode Island Red hen at the moment She started sitting on the 15th of September, and I put eggs under her on the 17th. She seems to be doing very well - She is a first time mom, but she is not immature (this is her second time laying after a molt). She is still in a small chicken house with the Rhode Island Red rooster and 6 red sex link pullets (15 weeks old), but I'll be moving them to a brand new coop as soon as we've added the roof and front side, hopefully this weekend. The little chicken house she's in now, is going to be the Silkies' home - they are currently in a temporary pen I made for them. I'm so excited to have a momma hen with chicks! She's only sitting on 4, because that's all I had for her after setting eggs in the incubator 10 days prior to her going broody...

 

[MzPlacedHippie]

Pleased to announce that Miss Tilly has 5 healthy chicks!

 

[MEMama3]

Pleased to announce that Miss Tilly has 5 healthy chicks!

Yeah! Congratulations to you and Miss Tilly!


How late in the season do you allow a hen to sit on eggs? My hen went broody last week and I chose to discourage her. I live in Maine and it's getting cold fast. We have a small coop and I was afraid wintering such small chicks might not be a great idea. She has yet to resume laying, so I wonder if she's going to try and sit again. What are your thoughts?

 

[MzPlacedHippie]

I've read where many of the cold weather residents have had great results with a broody hen even in really cold conditions. I'm in SC. My winters are relatively mild. Hopefully we will hear from some of our folks closer to you!

 

[chickydee64]

Why do eggs get a glossy/waxy look and feel when under a broody? Do they do that in incubators too? Is it related to the development of the chick or is it because they're getting coated in feather oil from the broody?

HI, I just did not want you to go unanswered........................I've never noticed that?????????????
Sorry, can't help

 

[elsfieldchickens]

Pleased to announce that Miss Tilly has 5 healthy chicks!

so cute!

 

[BantyChickenLuv]

My broody had one chick out of 3 eggs

unfortunately she abandoned the other ones and by the time I got to them they were dead and stone cold.

 

[bumpercarr]

Alright, I have a new problem that I didn't find addressed here and it is a different problem than most that incubate hatch face. I have two brahma chicks that were raised under a broody in a mixed flock. I'm separating the brahmas into a different breeding pen so that I can keep their lines pure. It has really caused a commotion with the entire flock, both sides. Does anyone have an easy way to do this so that it doesn't cause so much havoc?