Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Dook]

Hatch day has arrived! Kaz has at least 2 hatched already!! She's being very protective and not showing much except some shells...but hopefully all out soon!! <3 I'll post photos as soon as she lets me see!

 

[Viollettt]

I did have her in a different location for her first brood; in the garage. There is simply no room & now that the hubs brews his own beer, chickens in the garage is not an option. She's in the coop, separated by hardware cloth of course. She'll have her own little run with her chicks for a couple weeks, then it's off to free roam with the others. A few of my old hens (never dealt with chicks before) actually did well with her first brood! They helped find food for the babies, it was too cute! I can't say the same for her 2 marans sisters, however, she did not let them near her babies at all! I agree with you there. Not sure if its the breed (since she's a marans herself) but she did not trust her sisters at all. & she did not trust one of my older EEs... I think the flock is mich more dynamic than I ever thought to believe... I've been checking on her a lot today, she's still sitting on them, just afraid to bother her anymore. The chick in the picture does look malpositioned. I wonder how they just seem to know something's not right. She must sense movement in the shell, maybe it wasn't active enough...

Yes, it seems like there was already something wrong. I'm thinking maybe she knew to get rid of it as to not spoil the nest and the rest of them. You said this was her second time, too. So, not so much thinking murderous as from others I've heard they are not that calm about it. She's on a mission to get the rest of her job done, with that broody stare.

 

[swirler]

The Broody Stare
lol That should be the title of a book or song or something.

Yep! When mine are sitting seriously, they don't just engage the Broody Stare; they engage the Ruff-N-Growl when I get too close.

 

[Gen9]

She's on a mission to get the rest of her job done, with that broody stare.

This made me laugh so hard, idk why!! LOL!!!

For real though, she keeps her brood nice & tidy. The first time, I had to pull a couple out from under her because they stopped developing after a certain day (I forgot- day 12 was when I noticed). Now most of these are marans eggs so I have no idea, I handled them yesterday when I moved her (I had to move her, she was in a milk crate & I did not want her hatching eggs in there, chicks would find a way out & not back in... It's cold outside!), & did not notice any odd smells... *fingers crossed!*

 

[Gen9]

Oh I just remembered, about 10 days ago, another egg slipped out from under her, & it was in the 20's that night so I tossed it.. She's got some jumbo eggs in there so I think I put down too many. 9 seems to be a good number for her.

 

[Viollettt]

This made me laugh so hard, idk why!! LOL!!!

Haha

 

[Dook]

The new babies that hatched yesterday/last night!

All 7/7 eggs hatched! <3 4 dark grey/black colour, and 3 white/yellow colour. All Pekin Bantoms with such adorable fluffy feet!! ^_^

 

[Peep-Chicken]

 

[TeaChick]

Basically, it's a hardware issue, I could spend a lot to fix it or just get a new one lol

Yes, to stay on topic, my broody is still a pullet, she'll be 1 year old next month!

Mine will be one year in March but she hasn't laid eggs one!!!
Yeah, the computer thing sounds like everything else in our disposable society: too expensive to fix stuff, just get a new one.

Yep! When mine are sitting seriously, they don't just engage the Broody Stare; they engage the Ruff-N-Growl when I get too close.

I got a warning peck from a leghorn that was just laying; I hope she doesn't go broody. Lol

 

[TeaChick]

The new babies that hatched yesterday/last night! All 7/7 eggs hatched! black colour, and 3 white/yellow colour. All Pekin Bantoms with such adorable fluffy feet!! ^_^

They're soooo cute !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!