Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[chick lovers]

Ooh, early and five so far. You'll probably have more!!! I'm excited for you.

Thank you, I am up to six, three are pipping. Just started day twenty.

 

[chick lovers]

 

[chickenlisa]

My Broody hen "Meanie" is at it again...so I finally gave her 11 of our backyard flock eggs yesterday...5 BCMs and 6 OE eggs. She is a small Ameraucana hen...not a bantam, but not a big girl either She has been flat and nasty for a week and every time I tried to gather eggs she about had a conniption fit. So I won't fight that battle. I moved all of the OEs out of that pen, and she is alone now to sit and hatch her peeps in 20 days. I have a giant white Cochin in the main pen who wants to be broody and is also mean now...3 BCM hens wanting to set too...just wish I had some really good eggs to give them!
Anyways, I'll join this Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long now.

 

[fisherlady]

My Broody hen "Meanie" is at it again...so I finally gave her 11 of our backyard flock eggs yesterday...5 BCMs and 6 OE eggs. She is a small Ameraucana hen...not a bantam, but not a big girl either She has been flat and nasty for a week and every time I tried to gather eggs she about had a conniption fit. So I won't fight that battle. I moved all of the OEs out of that pen, and she is alone now to sit and hatch her peeps in 20 days. I have a giant white Cochin in the main pen who wants to be broody and is also mean now...3 BCM hens wanting to set too...just wish I had some really good eggs to give them!
Anyways, I'll join this Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long now.

Welcome to the thread! You don't have to wait till you have a broody though! There are always folks on with questions, it is great to have experienced broody folks pop in once in a while to help answer questions! So don't feel you need to wait till your hen is setting!

 

[winteree]

they are soo cute

little fluffy things

what's breed is the mama

 

[chickenlisa]

Welcome to the thread! You don't have to wait till you have a broody though! There are always folks on with questions, it is great to have experienced broody folks pop in once in a while to help answer questions! So don't feel you need to wait till your hen is setting!

Thank you! I've never had much luck with Broodies...our oldest hen was broody 1 summer, let 1 chick hatch and killed all of the others as they hatched (or her sisters did). she hasn't even tried to be broody since...We've had a few be good mamas, but they are no longer living...and this one who is sitting now and so mean is good! She has hatched ducklings for us too a few years ago! She is amazing...she still lays a nice smaller blue egg too (when she's not setting.)

 

[chick lovers]

Mommy. Mix.





Dad. Dark Brahma
better picture of scooter.

 

[Lenka]

So does a broody hen automatically turn the eggs that she's sitting on? I keep freaking out that she doesn't so that... Funny when I used to have silkies and knew less about incubation I didn't give it a second thought... Don't know why this Wyandotte is freaking me out.

Also non broody question.. If I set my eggs in the incubator Wednesday night.. Of week before last, is lock down Saturday night or Sunday? (Day 18)? Sry if not the right place to ask this...

 

[fisherlady]

So does a broody hen automatically turn the eggs that she's sitting on? I keep freaking out that she doesn't so that... Funny when I used to have silkies and knew less about incubation I didn't give it a second thought... Don't know why this Wyandotte is freaking me out.

Also non broody question.. If I set my eggs in the incubator Wednesday night.. Of week before last, is lock down Saturday night or Sunday? (Day 18)? Sry if not the right place to ask this...

Yes, the broody does turn and shuffle the eggs as needed....

sorry I'm not sure on the second question, I would do it on Sunday... but I have next to no experience with incubators.

 

[chickensnbees]

@Lenka
Lockdown should be on Sunday evening if you set them on the evening of the 7th as I'm understanding it. Day 21 should start at the same time as set on the 28th.