Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[TeaChick]

Seriously...I see a smile on her face...FINALLY they get it!

Lady of McCamley

Yup, me too.

Day 21: all three hatched but one didn't make it. It was lying in the food bowl and the broody was sitting talking to it and trying to get it back under her . Have moved them onto the floor now as we have had chicks fall out the nest box in the past so thought it would be best to do it now. These are the first of my own eggs to ever hatch! 100% fertile!

She looks like such a happy mother!!! (especially in the bottom photo)
Congrats on your new additions!!!

Sorry about your loss. =(

 

[Johnn]

Yup, me too.




She looks like such a happy mother!!! (especially in the bottom photo)
Congrats on your new additions!!!

Sorry about your loss. =(

Thanks! She is always really happy when she is a mother! She will probably reject the chicks when they are about 6 weeks old then will start sitting again a couple of weeks after!

 

[TeaChick]

Update on my broody:
I took an egg out from under her the other night to candle it. I figured that if there was a chick inside, then I would feel better about the whole thing and if it was a clear, then I would know to be prepared to have to put chicks under her from the incubator.
I was a clear. The next morning, we went grocery shopping and when we got back, there was an empty eggshell in front of her in the brooder. =(
I can't imagine it being any other egg than the one I messed with, but there's no real way of knowing. (I had marked all but one of the eggs with the date they were laid, but she had all that rubbed off long ago.)
The eggs in the incubator are due on Wed. Her eggs should start hatching anytime next week (I'd be surprised but not shocked if they started hatching on Mon or if the first one started after Wed.) The plan is to slip the chicks from the incubator under her after they hatch, so that she can brood them for me.
Any advice?

 

[TeaChick]

Thanks! She is always really happy when she is a mother! She will probably reject the chicks when they are about 6 weeks old then will start sitting again a couple of weeks after!

You're welcome. =)
That's good; a happy mother.
Sounds like a great plan!!! lol

 

[Scrambles55]

If this is to me, thanks!

It is!!

 

[Scrambles55]

Ok... I need more advice about my broody. Rumples is not standing up and when I was massaging her legs, I felt her chest. I could feel her breast bone. She has lost a lot of weight. He poop is small but normal with no sign of worms. She had a small amounts of poly vi sol this morning, but what do I feed her to get her strength back? She doesn't want scrambled eggs and this morning rejected fresh dug earth worms. She loves shredded carrots. Force feeding her would be very difficult. Her chicks are healthy little balls of running fluff and their crops look full.

 

[Johnn]

You're welcome. =)
That's good; a happy mother.
Sounds like a great plan!!! lol

It is!!

Thanks

 

[Scott H]

[COLOR=800080]Ok... I need more advice about my broody. Rumples is not standing up and when I was massaging her legs, I felt her chest. I could feel her breast bone. She has lost a lot of weight. He poop is small but normal with no sign of worms. She had a small amounts of poly vi sol this morning, but what do I feed her to get her strength back? She doesn't want scrambled eggs and this morning rejected fresh dug earth worms. She loves shredded carrots. Force feeding her would be very difficult. Her chicks are healthy little balls of running fluff and their crops look full.[/COLOR]

Is she eating at all? One heathy high fat, high protien treat that my girls love is dry roasted unsalted peanuts.

 

[Scrambles55]

Is she eating at all? One heathy high fat, high protien treat that my girls love is dry roasted unsalted peanuts.

She eats like a bird. Sorry, I couldn't resist. She breaks up the food for the littles and ingests a small amount of food, but she is more concerned about the babies eating. She is very thin and cant stand up straight. She hobbles if she has to move. I just gave her some oatmeal mixed with chick feed and some cooked pasta. I have some peanuts. I'll crush them up for her and the chicks. Thank you.

 

[TeaChick]

She eats like a bird. Sorry, I couldn't resist. She breaks up the food for the littles and ingests a small amount of food, but she is more concerned about the babies eating. She is very thin and cant stand up straight. She hobbles if she has to move. I just gave her some oatmeal mixed with chick feed and some cooked pasta. I have some peanuts. I'll crush them up for her and the chicks. Thank you.

Hope she gets her strength back soon; sounds like she has a great nurse maid. =)