Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[TeaChick]

Good news...they can't count!

Bad news...watched pots and broodies....

Lady of McCamley

I know they can't, but she seems to be able to. Something like 1....2....3.....some.....a bunch......a zillion.
She seemed to know that she should have more than one in there.
Aw, man!!!

 

[TeaChick]

Thank you TeaChick. I went through the article and it really, really helped put things in perspective. I need to slow down and wait. If they're already dead, there's nothing I can do about it. If they're still alive and doing well, I can interfere and kill them. I'm going to take things slow, and trust that they will hatch if they're hardy enough to do so. Otherwise, they probably didn't have enough vigor for a free range flock anyway. That's a lot easier to know in your brain than in your heart!

You're welcome. I'm glad it helped. =) I hope they're alright and that you don't have to intervene at all. Yes, I know what you mean about knowing in your brain vs. knowing in your heart.

Please let us know how everything goes/went.

 

[TeaChick]

Snoodle turned up bald yesterday morning. I had DD take her somewhere she couldn't see what I was doing and I moved her bucket to the brooder, then we put her in there. She laid, so she's not stressed, but she's not happy with me for jailing her. There was a Leghorn laying in her bucket for the past few days, and there was broken skin on her head. I wonder if the Leghorn picked all the feathers out of her head or something.
Here are some pictures:




This is what her head usually looks like.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Snoodle turned up bald yesterday morning. I had DD take her somewhere she couldn't see what I was doing and I moved her bucket to the brooder, then we put her in there. She laid, so she's not stressed, but she's not happy with me for jailing her. There was a Leghorn laying in her bucket for the past few days, and there was broken skin on her head. I wonder if the Leghorn picked all the feathers out of her head or something.
Here are some pictures:




This is what her head usually looks like.

When my girls start brooding in a popular nest, the other hens pick on her for hogging the nest. I often see scabbed combs or plucked feathers if I don't move the broody quickly enough. If she's in a good brood she won't care that she's jailed -- she's just concentrating on her broody mantra!

 

[nowlaura]

You're welcome. I'm glad it helped. =) I hope they're alright and that you don't have to intervene at all. Yes, I know what you mean about knowing in your brain vs. knowing in your heart.

Please let us know how everything goes/went.

Thank you, and everyone on this thread, for your help this week. I learned a lot that will help me with my next hatch. I recandled the eggs last night (day 25) and, unfortunately, could tell they were dead. I opened them and they didn't smell bad, but the yolk and white were all scrambled together. What I was seeing while candling at the pointy end was just the yolk-shake blocking the light. I should have learned more about how to properly candle before starting this, but so many u-tube videos just show someone with a flashlight and an egg and "look at this." I've now learned to look for different things at different stages, so I won't have the hen brood for a month when there's no need to go that long.

Thank you to everyone for your support and encouragement and your knowledge. Hopefully next time I have a broody hen I will have better news.

 

[TeaChick]

When my girls start brooding in a popular nest, the other hens pick on her for hogging the nest. I often see scabbed combs or plucked feathers if I don't move the broody quickly enough. If she's in a good brood she won't care that she's jailed -- she's just concentrating on her broody mantra!

I don't think she's broody yet. But sitting in the brooder with nothing to do and no one to "talk" to, she'll probably just do it b/c there's nothing much else to do. I told the boys they could put earthworms and crickets in there for her to chase. IDK how far that will go though.

Thank you, and everyone on this thread, for your help this week. I learned a lot that will help me with my next hatch. I recandled the eggs last night (day 25) and, unfortunately, could tell they were dead. I opened them and they didn't smell bad, but the yolk and white were all scrambled together. What I was seeing while candling at the pointy end was just the yolk-shake blocking the light. I should have learned more about how to properly candle before starting this, but so many u-tube videos just show someone with a flashlight and an egg and "look at this." I've now learned to look for different things at different stages, so I won't have the hen brood for a month when there's no need to go that long.

Thank you to everyone for your support and encouragement and your knowledge. Hopefully next time I have a broody hen I will have better news.

Here's the link I use when I'm candling. (I'm a total newb at all of this too, so I look for as much help as I can get on here.):
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...g-candling-pics-progression-though-incubation
This helps me; it shows candling at almost every day until lockdown. =)

 

[fisherlady]

Quote:
Sorry to hear the eggs didn't develop.... don't worry about being a great candler, I can honestly say I am not so hot at it. I only look for a defined air cell and spidery veins at 7-10 days, then before lock down I only expect to see a dark blob and a defined (and maybe slanted slightly) air cell. I have yet to be able to see toes, claws, internal pips, etc. that folks often refer to. I don't worry about it though, if the egg is developing the hen gets to keep it, if it is sloshy or clear I pitch it...works for me.

 

[momofLC]

Hi all, one of my cochin banty hens is dropping her eggs from the roost and the shell is VERY thin and it breaks open.
I don't know what's wrong with her. Can anyone clear this up for me?

 

[fisherlady]

Hi all, one of my cochin banty hens is dropping her eggs from the roost and the shell is VERY thin and it breaks open.
I don't know what's wrong with her. Can anyone clear this up for me?

It depends.... is she broody right now? If she is then she may be shuffling eggs trying to gather her clutch and she may be dropping them in the process.
If she isn't broody then I'm not sure what to tell you, it may be from being young and confused in regards to where she should lay. A few of mine have done this when they are pullets, usually we would find the broken egg first thing in the morning... it was as if the hen doesn't realize what the urge was and popped out the egg by accident. My hens outgrew it pretty quick. The thin shell may be just a low calcium level which could be corrected with offering free choice crushed oyster shells.

You may have better luck posting under the forum for 'Chicken behaviors and egg laying'... it is also under the heading of Raising Backyard Chickens and would probably get more traffic than the broody thread does.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Sorry to hear the eggs didn't develop.... don't worry about being a great candler, I can honestly say I am not so hot at it. I only look for a defined air cell and spidery veins at 7-10 days, then before lock down I only expect to see a dark blob and a defined (and maybe slanted slightly) air cell. I have yet to be able to see toes, claws, internal pips, etc. that folks often refer to. I don't worry about it though, if the egg is developing the hen gets to keep it, if it is sloshy or clear I pitch it...works for me.

x2

I don't spend a lot of time or effort or money (I use a Dollar Store LED flashlight) on candling either.

I get the same results as fisherlady, and that works for me too.

Maybe someday I'll get motivated to see claws, and bill, and stuff...but eh...I've got other things to do right now like deciding who's acting broody enough for more eggs, and what eggs I'll put under. Right now Buckeyes and Rhodebars are top of the list.

Lady of McCamley