Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Sydney Acres]

Well, introduction day didn't work too well......I left the play yard open and eventually Snow (mom) and the Golden Chick (very independent) came out and towards me. The two black chicks remained behind. Anyway, Squacker (mean girl) got to close to the golden chick so I got up, but Squacker didn't hurt the chick, instead Fire (the most junior of the big girls that I got from the same farm as Snow and who had been bosom buddies at one time) went on the attack, ripping a number of feathers out of Snow. So I shewed baby and mama back into the safety of their play yard. Guess I will have to lock the big girls away to give the babies a little adventure.

Don't worry, it will get better. Fire just needed to remind Snow that she's still on the bottom of the pecking order. But until the chicks are bigger, keeping their outings closely monitored sounds much safer.

 

[Sydney Acres]

THANK YOU, Sydney. I did what you said and I think everything is ok. Another egg was open with rotten, green liquid. These are marans eggs, so they were difficult to candle. I know I saw life in some of them, though. I totally swapped out the whole nest box. I built another one and was able to check the chick over and mama. They look just fine, TG! Now I'm down to 5 marans eggs! I can't believe I started with 13 eggs and now only have a chance at 6 babies. Hence the phrase, "don't count your chickens before they hatch!" The hatched OE is now fluffy and is very cute. No pips yet on the marans, though. Due date is not until tomorrow, so I'm hoping some action happens in the night. The swapping gave broody mama a chance to get out of nest and do her thing. Again, I don't know what I'd do w/o the knowledge and advice I get from this forum. Love you guys!!!

Fingers crossed for 5 cute Maran chicks!!

 

[Sydney Acres]

My black cochin bantam

went broody a month ago and so I eventually got her some eggs from a neighbor (buff silkie bantam eggs) and gave her some (hopefully fertile) mix breed bantam eggs from my pen. They are due to hatch

between this Friday and next Tuesday!!! Wish me luck!!

Just one more week, just one more week, just one more week

Good luck!

 

[LisaLouHoo]

Fingers crossed for 5 cute Maran chicks!!

One of the marans eggs is out. This came from a lighter chocolate egg, so may be a splash. Still nothing on the other 4. Because so many eggs dissapeared and broke/rotted a lot of these eggs had yolk on them which dried. I would pick most of it off, but now wondering if they're compromised. Today is only day 21, so I'll keep hoping.

 

[poodlechicks]

One of the marans eggs is out. This came from a lighter chocolate egg, so may be a splash. Still nothing on the other 4. Because so many eggs dissapeared and broke/rotted a lot of these eggs had yolk on them which dried. I would pick most of it off, but now wondering if they're compromised. Today is only day 21, so I'll keep hoping.

Sorry about your eggs. Hope the ones that are left hatch beautiful, healthy chicks for you.

 

[poodlechicks]

Yesterday Summer finally took to the yard with her sisters and went dust bathing for a loooong time. It had been about 2 weeks since she had dust bathed. Poor thing. I left her there for some 40 minutes, then lured her back near her eggs with treats. When she saw the eggs, the immediately went to them and resumed her broody trance. Funny girl!
6 days left for the chicks to hatch. I just can't wait!!!!

 

[cubalaya]

good luck with all the hen raised chicks. both of the breeds that we raise are hatching and raising their chicks well. I may be able to get rid of my incubator soon. I do have to incubate a batch of cubalayas next spring but have never incubated an asil egg. have 19 asil chicks on the ground from 3 hens and 2 cocks. have one broody black cubalaya hen sitiing on some eggs that she hid from me which will be the last chicks of the year.

 

[fisherlady]

good luck with all the hen raised chicks. both of the breeds that we raise are hatching and raising their chicks well. I may be able to get rid of my incubator soon. I do have to incubate a batch of cubalayas next spring but have never incubated an asil egg. have 19 asil chicks on the ground from 3 hens and 2 cocks. have one broody black cubalaya hen sitiing on some eggs that she hid from me which will be the last chicks of the year.

Glad to hear they are brooding so good for you! I love being able to have the chicks running around in the yard without the problems of incubators and heat lamps... Broodies rock!

I had heard that cubalaya and asil are still good broodies, glad to hear confirmation!.... so many breeds have lost the tendency. Maybe this era of interest in backyard flocks will help recover some of the lost broody ways. It seems almost everyone who experiences the broody process really appreciates it. I know from now on, after confirmation and personality one of my primary considerations when choosing hatching eggs will be broodiness of the parents.

 

[mebberry4]

Every chick I see has different color/markings!?! Supposedly there were three different kinds of eggs in the mix lot of 10, but it looks like some seriously mixed genetics based on the 5 very different chicks I've seen so far ... I do like variety, I do.

So cute! The same thing is happening over here lol. Every chick is a different color and all different from Momma Of course mine were barnyard mix eggs, but still I was expecting some repeats. I agree, variety is a wonderful thing

 

[sssharon]

Same thing happened with my first chicks. As it is now , one is white but not completely feathered yet. Really a slow feathering chick. One looks like a barred rock and the last one looks like its a darker colored Rhode island red. Really funny and I can't wait to see what sex they turn out to be. Hopefully not all roosters because I'm in the city and they aren't allowed.