Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[winteree]

She got them to bed by herself tonight!

how long did it take you to train mrs. broody to go into the coop at night? I have two test chicks about 10 weeks old that will try to sleep everywhere BUT the coop i had them since 7 weeks how uch longer will i have to chase chickens at night?

 

[Johnn]

how long did it take you to train mrs. broody to go into the coop at night? I have two test chicks about 10 weeks old that will try to sleep everywhere BUT the coop i had them since 7 weeks how uch longer will i have to chase chickens at night?

Is it warm where you live? Maybes they just want to sleep outside, some of mine are like that. If they don't know how to just hold them and walk them up the ramp at night and they will get the gist of it. I didnt have to teach the chicks, mama did that. First night she couldnt get them up so I put her in and then the next morning they had to walk down it to get out, so the next night I walked them to the shed and she walked up and they followed

 

[winteree]

Is it warm where you live? Maybes they just want to sleep outside, some of mine are like that. If they don't know how to just hold them and walk them up the ramp at night and they will get the gist of it. I didnt have to teach the chicks, mama did that. First night she couldnt get them up so I put her in and then the next morning they had to walk down it to get out, so the next night I walked them to the shed and she walked up and they followed

yeah it's very hot (texas) it sofar has been 93 today. mabye that's what i'm doing wrong i have been outright picking them up and putting them in the coop mabye if i walk them up the ramp at night they'll get it

 

[mystonedgarden]

Hello guys! I just subscribed to the thread. My cochin bantam has hatched her first baby today! I am so proud of her. I only see one baby but ill check back later. In her nest she collected silkie/cochin eggs, ameraucana eggs,and SL cochin cross eggs.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Hello guys! I just subscribed to the thread. My cochin bantam has hatched her first baby today! I am so proud of her. I only see one baby but ill check back later. In her nest she collected silkie/cochin eggs, ameraucana eggs,and SL cochin cross eggs.

So cute. That is one robust looking chick.

 

[mystonedgarden]

So cute.  That is one robust looking chick.

My thoughts exactly! Im thinking it hatched from a SL cochin egg. She chose her spot and I let her be, I never candled, or moved her. The thing is, my SL cochin is with my silkie roo. Could he have achieved mounting my giant cochin hen? I just checked on her and I saw a yellow fuzzball pick out! Im so happy for her, but now I have to go to work :/ chicks is all im going to be able to talk about today haha

 

[Sydney Acres]

Quote:
Sometimes the little roosters can still get the job done!

 

[winteree]

Sometimes the little roosters can still get the job done!

my grandmas bantams had no problems

 

[vegaschick]

Anyone have luck hatching shipped eggs with broodies?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Anyone have luck hatching shipped eggs with broodies?

Let me get back to you on that in 2 weeks.

Thus far, of the dozen special breed eggs I ordered...I set 10 due to shipping breakage and detached air cells of the others in the package. (I received 16, unpacked and let them rest for 10 hours, then candled to assess the best eggs. I set only those I felt had a good chance to develop).

I then put 6 under my Silkie banty (as she does best with that number of large fowl eggs, and I wanted to work with the best possible scenario), and put 4 in my mini incubator as I anticipated a 50% hatch rate from shipped eggs...but didn't know WHICH eggs would potentially be in that 50%.

I then candled today at day 5.

4 of the 6 under my broody showed clear development...2 were harder to see but look like something might be happening...but were rated inconclusive. Of the mini-incubator, only 2 show some development and 2 showed no signs of developing (I have inexpensive min-incubator that has been about a 50% or less rate...I don't do artificial incubating unless in an emergency).

I put the 6 best developing under my broody to finish out, and the 2 maybes and 2 probable duds back into the small incubator.

So thus far...the broody is exceeding my inexpensive mini-incubator.

Lady of McCamley