Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[winteree]

so cute

i sometimes wonder if my chickens know what my camera looks like because they do such stuipd things when i have it out

 

[Scrambles55]

Those pictures are absolutely beautiful! Where on earth do you live?? My how I envy you...

 

[Johnn]

Thank you!

 

[Johnn]

Not sure who the above comments are directed to, so thats why I haven't quoted them!

 

[elsfieldchickens]

blizzard accepted the first chick we gave her she has more now

 

[fisherlady]

blizzard accepted the first chick we gave her she has more now

They look wonderful!

 

[Johnn]

Here is my other broody, Bella. She is the daughter of the one who is raising chicks now. Her eggs are due two weeks Monday and she's looking a bit unhappy already!

 

[Scrambles55]

blizzard accepted the first chick we gave her she has more now

That is always good news!!

 

[TeaChick]

My broody's eggs were supposed to hatch this week.
She did lock down (no new broody poos). I started feeding and watering her right in front of her nest, so she didn't have to get up. She kept knocking the water over toward her nest.
After a couple of days, there was bloody diarrhea broody poo in the brooder. I started treating her for cocci, and continued to feed and water her where she could stay on the nest. I had to syringe water into her mouth to treat her.
Yesterday, there was a huge broody poo she was up at least once. I took her out of the nest to check if she had pooped in there and she had, so I worked on new nesting material to change it.
Today, she was walking around the brooder, so I opened it up; she fluttered to the porch rail for water, so I watered her and put some in the brooder in front of her, but she's been knocking it over yesterday and today (that's why I was having to syringe water into her mouth).
I went to change her straw in her nest and found that she had pooped in there repeatedly, so I had to change the bucket too. I ended up having to remove the eggs, so I candled them; three were not clears. She had three in the nest and two under her overturned water dish, so I put the three not clears back and kept an eye on her. She pecked one of the eggs, so I switched them for golf balls. She's now sitting like a good little broody.

I have the three apparently good eggs in the incubator.
I'm not sure what I'm asking or saying. I guess this is just an update on my broody hatch (that it's ended in miserable failure). If anyone has advice, I'd appreciate it. =)

 

[MargaretYakoda]

My broody's eggs were supposed to hatch this week.
She did lock down (no new broody poos). I started feeding and watering her right in front of her nest, so she didn't have to get up. She kept knocking the water over toward her nest.
After a couple of days, there was bloody diarrhea broody poo in the brooder. I started treating her for cocci, and continued to feed and water her where she could stay on the nest. I had to syringe water into her mouth to treat her.
Yesterday, there was a huge broody poo she was up at least once. I took her out of the nest to check if she had pooped in there and she had, so I worked on new nesting material to change it.
Today, she was walking around the brooder, so I opened it up; she fluttered to the porch rail for water, so I watered her and put some in the brooder in front of her, but she's been knocking it over yesterday and today (that's why I was having to syringe water into her mouth).
I went to change her straw in her nest and found that she had pooped in there repeatedly, so I had to change the bucket too. I ended up having to remove the eggs, so I candled them; three were not clears. She had three in the nest and two under her overturned water dish, so I put the three not clears back and kept an eye on her. She pecked one of the eggs, so I switched them for golf balls. She's now sitting like a good little broody.

I have the three apparently good eggs in the incubator.
I'm not sure what I'm asking or saying. I guess this is just an update on my broody hatch (that it's ended in miserable failure). If anyone has advice, I'd appreciate it. =)

The only bit of advice I've got is to switch the broody's water and feed dish to one meant for cats or small dogs. I used my cat's old feeder station, which I bought from Walmart, but you could probably find something similar from many pet stores. It has a base which is darn near untippable, and holds two small stainless steel bowls. I put broody's food and water in that and she never tipped it once for three whole weeks. And she ate! Oh boy! Did she eat! LOL.