Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Aerielle]

I have a broody silkie that I might try grafting them too, she is the queen of the coop so maybe the Cochin will accept the transfer better. I did try removing the chicks completely and the new mom starts freaking out searching everywhere for them and then trying to get into the other brooder run that has chicks and a mom. Anyway, thanks for responding. It's been my hardest hatch yet!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

My Sizzle hen has 6 eggs due to hatch tomorrow, I think, I can't remember when I gave them to her. Some are hers and my my Silkie roos, the others are from my Silkies. I've never hatched her eggs, so I'm excited to see what comes from them!

 

[TeaChick]

I'm going to try and incubate some of my hens' eggs for the first time since I raised them from eggs! I have a lovely big handsome black Jersey Giant cockerel, and my 3 hens that are laying are 2 Goldlines (aka warrens) and a buff sussex. Can't wait to see the babies of my all-grown-up babies! A bit nervous and excited about what they'll look like, that's what I love the most.

Will post photos in 3 weeks if anyone's interested in seeing the results

I'm looking after incubated hatchlings of my grown up babies now. It's very exciting!!!

I'm totally interested in pics of babies!!!!!

 

[TeaChick]

I think my Bantam Cochin Frizzle is laying, but she's not laying in the coop.
As far as I know there are three possibilities (and each one of them is valid in its own right):

1. She's not laying yet, but will start soon. If this is the case, then I'll just wait on her and hope that she lays in one of the two places I have set up in the two coops that she has access to.
(I checked her vent a couple of weeks ago and it looked different than a couple of months ago; so I think she's laying by now).

2. She's laying, but she's hiding eggs. If this is the case, I need to find the nest b/c I don't want her to go broody in the woods and get eaten (we have had coyotes around here recently and raccoons are a very real concern, plus she's white, so she'd stand out like a sore thumb).
(This possibility seems most likely, but also most dangerous).

3. She's a cockerel. If this is the case, then I'll look for smooth pullets instead of a smooth roo.
(This is the least likely, I think, but it seems like a very real possibility b/c I have had two SLW / SLW mix pullets turn out to be cockerels. So, once bitten twice shy [x2]).

What do you all think?
What would you do?

 

[CooperDooper]

Hi Everyone!
I am jumping in on this thread having not read most of it - way too long!
I have a broody hen, she is 8 mos old and when I got her I was told she is a "super blue egger". She does lay beautiful blue eggs, but who knows what she actually is - she is a smaller white bird (size compared to my Blk Australorp(biggest), Buff Orp and SLWyandotte).

Anyway - I had planned to wait out her broody period but my husband suddenly announced in front of our kids "why don't we get her eggs to hatch"?

So here I am, 24 hours later, with no knowledge or experience with this - and I just picked up 12 fertilized eggs from a local farmer. They are all mixed breeds, beautiful eggs - green, white, diff shades of brown and some have speckles!

Questions:
When do I put them under her?
Any tips or tricks or is it as simple as just putting them under her?

Opinions on separating her vs leaving her with the other 3 - they haven't bothered her at all so far (she's been sitting for about 10 days)

We are in CT, current temp at 5pm is 26 degrees, going down to 5 tonight. They have not had a heat source all winter and are fine, but should I put a bulb in there now that there are eggs? I plan to double the hay in the nesting box.


That's it for now - I'm sure I'll have more questions, but this is a start.....
Thank you!!!!!

 

[MEMama3]

Hi Everyone!
I am jumping in on this thread having not read most of it - way too long!
I have a broody hen, she is 8 mos old and when I got her I was told she is a "super blue egger".  She does lay beautiful blue eggs, but who knows what she actually is - she is a smaller white bird (size compared to my Blk Australorp(biggest), Buff Orp and SLWyandotte).

Anyway - I had planned to wait out her broody period but my husband suddenly announced in front of our kids "why don't we get her eggs to hatch"?

So here I am, 24 hours later, with no knowledge or experience with this - and I just picked up 12 fertilized eggs from a local farmer.  They are all mixed breeds, beautiful eggs - green, white, diff shades of brown and some have speckles!

Questions:
When do I put them under her?
Any tips or tricks or is it as simple as just putting them under her?

Opinions on separating her vs leaving her with the other 3 - they haven't bothered her at all so far (she's been sitting for about 10 days)

We are in CT, current temp at 5pm is 26 degrees, going down to 5 tonight.  They have not had a heat source all winter and are fine, but should I put a bulb in there now that there are eggs? I plan to double the hay in the nesting box.


That's it for now - I'm sure I'll have more questions, but this is a start.....
Thank you!!!!!

if she isn't a hostile broody then you can lay them in front of her and she'll pull them under her. If she's acting nasty, you might want to wait until night and slip them under her. If she's sitting on anything right now (eggs, golf balls etc), you'll want to get those out first.

I leave mine wherever they are. To keep the other hens from adding to her nest/laying eggs in her box, I'll barricade the nest box/corner with some fencing wire and give her her own feed and water.

My australorp hatched out chicks 5 weeks ago here in Maine during that horrible cold snap of negative temps daily. No heat or anything. Right now she has the chicks running around outside with her. In fact, one is on the deck peeking through the door as I type lol.

 

[fisherlady]

Hi Everyone!
I am jumping in on this thread having not read most of it - way too long!
I have a broody hen, she is 8 mos old and when I got her I was told she is a "super blue egger". She does lay beautiful blue eggs, but who knows what she actually is - she is a smaller white bird (size compared to my Blk Australorp(biggest), Buff Orp and SLWyandotte).

Anyway - I had planned to wait out her broody period but my husband suddenly announced in front of our kids "why don't we get her eggs to hatch"?

So here I am, 24 hours later, with no knowledge or experience with this - and I just picked up 12 fertilized eggs from a local farmer. They are all mixed breeds, beautiful eggs - green, white, diff shades of brown and some have speckles!

Questions:
When do I put them under her?
Any tips or tricks or is it as simple as just putting them under her?

Opinions on separating her vs leaving her with the other 3 - they haven't bothered her at all so far (she's been sitting for about 10 days)

We are in CT, current temp at 5pm is 26 degrees, going down to 5 tonight. They have not had a heat source all winter and are fine, but should I put a bulb in there now that there are eggs? I plan to double the hay in the nesting box.


That's it for now - I'm sure I'll have more questions, but this is a start.....
Thank you!!!!!

Congrats on your broody...

When to put them under her... you can give them to her about any time, some folks slip them under the broody at night, others do it anytime. My hens have been fine with the daylight thing, but each bird is different. I usually let mine sit in an 'average' temp room for a couple of hours before giving them to the hen, for storage I like about 60*, then I let them warm to about 70* just to reduce the shock of cold eggs on the hen, but she most likely won't care too much.
Don't give them to her until you have her settled where you want her to be and have her nest fixed how you want it, though.

To separate or not... totally flock dependent. I have 2 broody hens I never separate, and others I do. If she isn't bothered I would still make sure she is in an area which can be fenced off if need be for chicks safety the first few days after they hatch, otherwise I would just bulk up her nest, mark the eggs well and let her do her thing. Hens often brood in one box and then move to a floor nest once their chicks hatch, so don't be surprised to see her do that. You can make her a nest on the floor from the start, but she may not want to stay there, hens can be difficult. If you are going to move her then do it at night and expect her to pace and object and try to go back to the original nest for a while. Don't give her the eggs until she has resettled in whatever nest you chose.

She won't need heat as long as you have good bedding and a source of fresh (thawed) water for her at all times.

 

[CooperDooper]

Congrats on your broody...

When to put them under her... you can give them to her about any time, some folks slip them under the broody at night, others do it anytime. My hens have been fine with the daylight thing, but each bird is different. I usually let mine sit in an 'average' temp room for a couple of hours before giving them to the hen, for storage I like about 60*, then I let them warm to about 70* just to reduce the shock of cold eggs on the hen, but she most likely won't care too much.

The farmer left a note on the eggs stating "should hatch 21 days from 2/27" so they are from this morning. They were just sitting on the counter of the farm store waiting for me, then were on my kitchen counter for about 1 1/2 hrs before I placed them out in the box. So they were room temp. before I brought them to her.

We have a 4'x4' coop with a 12'x4' run attached. She has been a super sweet broody. Perhaps that will change now that she has something to protect, but we made the decision to leave her with the flock. We have an automatic door that locks them in the coop every night. Hopefully they will remain a happy little group.

Again, thank you both for your advice - you helped me feel like I am doing the right things!

 

[mrstodd]

I'm going to try and incubate some of my hens' eggs for the first time since I raised them from eggs! I have a lovely big handsome black Jersey Giant cockerel, and my 3 hens that are laying are 2 Goldlines (aka warrens) and a buff sussex. Can't wait to see the babies of my all-grown-up babies! A bit nervous and excited about what they'll look like, that's what I love the most.

Will post photos in 3 weeks if anyone's interested in seeing the results

I am definitely interested to see! please post pictures

 

[mrstodd]

Then and now (the pic was took the other day so thats why theres still blood!)

these are wonderful Johnn, thank you for sharing with us!