Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Grannychick55]

My eggs arrived!!!

That's wonderful I always love it when I get eggs but then it takes forever it seems like to hatch

 

[Dboohiking]

Hello, All,

New to BYC (as a member, anyway), somewhat new to chickens... on a dairy farm in Iowa in my youth, we always had the generic leghorns, ordered as day-old chicks, and no mystery or fun about it. My job was to keep the coop clean and pluck feathers at processing once they hit their second year. Pure utility.

Now as an adult, and after a cross country move for my husband's job, looking forward to a year to stay at home with our young son, I wanted a coop with our new house to give myself a hobby. Well...

Let me tell you how enjoyable it has been to educate myself about the varieties of chickens, and actual personalities, and oh, the beautiful eggs....

Right away last year we acquired a wheaton Marans and a few Ameraucanas, but our blue Silkie insists she would be a good mom. I had been working on an incubator anyway, after bartering for an aviary a couple of months ago, but hadn't planned a hatch until February or so. Not sure if many people hatch over the winter, but my blue Silkie, Elvis, convinced me to let her try first. So, I have dedicated half the aviary to a nursery and let Elvis get used to the set up, and let her nest with her golf ball that she was trying to hatch up until now. Then, I shipped some Blue Copper Marans that arrived late Thursday, and after leaving them settle big end up, snuck them under her late last night. I had ordered 6, 8 came, all in good condition. Not being able to deny any, I put them all under her. I suspected that might exceed her comfort level and sure enough, this morning I found three booted from the nest.

So, now, the remaining half of the aviary will be converted to a quicky incubator. Not quite the frills I had been meticulously planning had I waited until February, but I will be interested to see how the two do side by side.

I feel pretty good about my set up and plans at this stage, however, I have two questions:
Elvis does not seem interested in food or water, so I placed them directly in front of her and so she drank. Her crop is full, so not too concerned there either. However, she doesn't seem interested in "stretching her legs" or taking a poo. A few smalls ones yesterday while I had her out to prep the nest box, but nothing since. Should I take her outside to run around a bit?

Also, with the 3 eggs hatching next door, I was planning on letting them go until they hatched and sneak them in when Elvis hatches hers... but thinking perhaps they should go to Elvis sooner as she can assist with hatching... day 18? Day 21?

On previous broody bouts with Elvis, I have removed her from the coop for food and water and she always returned, which is why I even trust her with a hatch. But it was the physically removing her that kinda kicked her little hiney into gear...

All input is welcome- THANKS!

 

[PheasantsFirst]

Good luck!

 

[ChickyD]

Thank you MEMama3 and GrannyChick55 She is still sleeping like that again tonight 3 under her and the bigger chick next to her.

 

[Rnbwbrite1207]

Dboohiking welcome to BYC! You can give the eggs to her close to hatch or wait till chicks hatch to slip under her. But I would consider that she may have selected those eggs to boot because they were no good. Sometimes they know things we don't. If they do develop you may still have to wait till they hatch in case she really just couldn't cover them. However things go keep us updated and post some pics!

 

[MEMama3]

I want to make a maternity ward/ hospital coop to add to my village (yes, it's becoming a village lol). What size would be good for this mini coop? I'm not sure how long miss broody would be staying in it. It will be located in the fenced yard with the freerangers with a temporary pvc run attached. Once the chicks start venturing I'll probably remove the run. What are your thoughts?

 

[fisherlady]

I want to make a maternity ward/ hospital coop to add to my village (yes, it's becoming a village lol). What size would be good for this mini coop? I'm not sure how long miss broody would be staying in it. It will be located in the fenced yard with the freerangers with a temporary pvc run attached. Once the chicks start venturing I'll probably remove the run. What are your thoughts?

All flock and broody needs are different.... although it is nice to have a secure area for the broody and babies to spend their first few days it may be up to the broody how long she wants to be out of the main coop. I would say to plan for 4 wks so you have enough space but broody may move them back to the main coop by the time they are a week or two old, so play it by ear. Since you are enclosing it with it's own run then the interior space need not be as large. Poor weather may force the broody to stay inside more though also, so elevating the broody hut and allowing it to provide a shaded/dry area under it will extend how much time she can spend out with the little ones... do you want to plan for enough interior space to allow you to divide the space in half to accommodate a second broody (since it does seem to be contagious)? If so, plan it now so you aren't trying to adjust things later. A simple divider which can be slid in and out as needed should do the trick.

I would want about 2x2ft minimum for a broody box, or could work well to make it about 16" wide by 36" deep, that way she could nest in one end and have the space in front of her to allow the little ones to move around. We have a 2x2 ft cage we use for a 'hospital room'. It works well for short term, but I wouldn't want to keep a larger bird in it for an extended period without them being able to get out and move around. It's not the actual nest area that needs a lot of room (unless you have a large fowl hen and numerous chicks) but the little ones need room to run around a bit while mom stays on the nest with other eggs or chicks who need to stay under her a while longer.

Good luck with the village! Love that concept!

 

[Betty1]

When will a hen let you hold her chicks after they hatch?

 

[fisherlady]

When will a hen let you hold her chicks after they hatch?

I don't try to hold them until they are dry and fluffy and moving around a bit on their own. Some broodies are nuts about you touching them, others are pretty ok with it, so that depends on your bird.

 

[chickydee64]

When will a hen let you hold her chicks after they hatch?

Mine are never that thrilled about my handling their chicks............I just pick one up anyway..
She will be more concerned about the rest of them to put up much of a fuss.
Soon they will move to fast to catch them..................