Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[5 Acre Rooster]

My brrodies are going wonky. #1 cracked 2 egg, 1 with full grown chick close to hatch it appeared. The other looked like a late quitter.
Broodies #2 and 3(Trying to steal #2's eggs 1/2 the time) are sitting on dud Rouen eggs. I will replace with marked eggs and possibly separate the 2. 1 is BO and other is BA.

 

[Tabatha]

My brrodies are going wonky. #1 cracked 2 egg, 1 with full grown chick close to hatch it appeared. The other looked like a late quitter.
Broodies #2 and 3(Trying to steal #2's eggs 1/2 the time) are sitting on dud Rouen eggs. I will replace with marked eggs and possibly separate the 2. 1 is BO and other is BA.

I feel ya. Mine are going crazy too. Playing musical nests.

 

[Johnn]

My hen with her brood of 8! I got fertile eggs for her to hatch from a farm, but was surprised to find a chick in the nest on day 14! So I went back and bought some chicks to slip under her and thank goodness she has accepted them. I won't be giving this farm business ever again. I was supposed to be getting freshly laid eggs which obviously wasn't the case if one of their hens had the chance to set on the eggs for a week.

So cute! Wish I could let me hens hatch out bigger clutches. Annoying thing is that theres space for hundreds of them and I can't!

Eek! So happy! Just checked on my broody hen and she now has 4 chicks! ( It's been three days since the first one hatched) Two were still wet, but the others were fluffy and full of adorable-ness! As soon as they all dry, and start moving around, I'll post pics. She's such a good mama!

Congrats Can't wait to see pics!

Day 8 for my broody buff orpie, Janet, sitting on phoenix eggs. Day flugdjeijxbdj for my broody silkie mutt, Cheshire sitting on everything (since she has stolen everyone's eggs, I have no idea other than they should start hatching on day next week). I think they, and my phoenix hen that just hatched 4 stolen eggs last week, are playing Russian roulette. One gets up to take a break and poo, my other broody steals her nest. Then the phoenix and her babies move to the newly abandoned nest. Then the broody who was just taking a break and pooing takes the empty nest with the golf ball. I'll be SO glad when someone locks down!

They are outside? I love that idea. If mine ever sit outside I will have to get one of them for shelter!

 

[poodlechicks]

Day 8 for my broody buff orpie, Janet, sitting on phoenix eggs. Day flugdjeijxbdj for my broody silkie mutt, Cheshire sitting on everything (since she has stolen everyone's eggs, I have no idea other than they should start hatching on day next week). I think they, and my phoenix hen that just hatched 4 stolen eggs last week, are playing Russian roulette. One gets up to take a break and poo, my other broody steals her nest. Then the phoenix and her babies move to the newly abandoned nest. Then the broody who was just taking a break and pooing takes the empty nest with the golf ball. I'll be SO glad when someone locks down!

 

[poodlechicks]

My broody's eggs all hatched!!! We got 3 black, 3 gray 1 yellow and 2 brown striped ones. We also hatched 3 so far in the incubator and which she has adopted ( so far) and there are 2 still in the hatcher and 2 eggs

I'm so happy with those results..

also.. how many babies can she take care of? - so far thats 12... and im hoping to add at least 2 more if not 4 depending if those eggs hatch...

The chicks are adorable! One quick question: I see you put the dog carrier on the ground and surrounded it with wire. I have my broody in a dog carrier as well, but inside the run, which is too small. When the babies hatch, I'd like to move them to a more spacious place. How did you secure the wire around your carrier?
I am also thinking the babies might get a chill if exposed to grass too early. Has this set up always worked for you?

Thank you for your help!

 

[poodlechicks]

All chicks and their mommas are so beautiful! Congratulations to all!

 

[Lenka]

The chicks are adorable! One quick question: I see you put the dog carrier on the ground and surrounded it with wire. I have my broody in a dog carrier as well, but inside the run, which is too small. When the babies hatch, I'd like to move them to a more spacious place. How did you secure the wire around your carrier?
I am also thinking the babies might get a chill if exposed to grass too early. Has this set up always worked for you?

Thank you for your help!

thanks!

This is the first time i've hatched out chicks like this, so i don't know how well it will work. I have one of those dog exercise pens around the carrier, which then also has extra wiring zip-tied to it so that babies cant accidentally escape. So far they all all go in the carrier at night- with Roux, my broody clucking them in. This morning they did step out, but they were still under her, and will probably remain there until its warmer out and they feel more adventurous.

The whole "broody ward" is only like 3ft x 6ft by 4 ft high (i think). Once the babies are more feathered/ bigger I will expand it using deer/ garden fencing. Eventually, when they are much bigger, I will either move them into a dog carrier, or make a makeshift chicken coop and they will go out in the jungle that is the summer coop/ hang out area, separated by fencing from my older girls...

 

[Tabatha]

So cute! Wish I could let me hens hatch out bigger clutches. Annoying thing is that theres space for hundreds of them and I can't!

Congrats Can't wait to see pics!

They are outside? I love that idea. If mine ever sit outside I will have to get one of them for shelter!

They are in buckets in their coop. I camo in their nests with honeysuckle scraps...they love picking through it and, along with the fresh herbs I put in there, you couldn't tell your nose it's composting chicken poop...lol.

 

[saltandpepper2]

Here are a few ( bad ) pics of my Broody and her chicks. She's so mean, it's hard to get any good ones! It looks like she hatched five. One egg was a dud. and the other died while hatching. I'm wondering if it's because a few were early, and they trampled it while it was trying to hatch... I feel really bad. Any ways, here are the pics!

 

[poodlechicks]

Thanks Lenka. You gave me a great idea, as I have a dog exercise pen I can use. I will probably cover the area with pine shavings if it still gets chilly in the morning.