Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Chickenny]

@Sydney Acres each of the 3 hens have 2 egg each. I did not have time today to create a separate sleeping area so I had to let her back in. She found a spot between two hens. Now I also have two 4 month old chicks one pulled and one roo. They have been sleeping in our Rabbits hutch that shares the same run (weird I know but the Rabbit grew up with these hens) tonight the older chicks decided they want back in the coop and the big mamma would getreally uupset and chase them out when she got up the other hen stole her spot, there's was some shuffling and sitting on heads so finally I said enough is enough and remembered reading that they will sit on golf balls. Do I ran and grabbed a couple and while everyone was shuffling around I stuck two next to her. She immediately stopped and stared and them. I think she will take them in, I didn't want to interfere much more do I left it till morning.
I'm a little worried with the egg stealing will that mess things up if one has pipped and the the egg gets rolled over when one hen takes it and the Pip gets on the bottom?
This is all a big learning curve, sorry for all the dumb questions

 

[twinkletoes]

I had 4 mommas hatch out 22 babies and they are sharing them. It's super sweet to watch!!

Now I have a duck and a chicken sharing a nest of fake eggs. Has anyone had a duck and chicken successfully brood together? I would give them duck eggs.

 

[Sydney Acres]

I had 4 mommas hatch out 22 babies and they are sharing them. It's super sweet to watch!!

Now I have a duck and a chicken sharing a nest of fake eggs. Has anyone had a duck and chicken successfully brood together? I would give them duck eggs.

If they're friends, they might, but there could be some issues. The duck might get the chicks wet, so you'd have to watch out for that. Duck poo tends to be more runny, so you'd have to monitor the nest and possibly clean it more often. You'd also have make sure that the duck didn't take the chicks into water. Chicks that are brooded by waterfowl hens are often taken to water and follow their mother right in, and drown. In general, it is considered ok for landfowl to brood waterfowl, but dangerous for waterfowl to brood landfowl, for that reason.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Well, my first home-bred, not purchased, chick hatched today!!!! A little Red Dorking, and I think it's a pullet.

Tomorrow late p.m. is day 21, but Sweetie Pie's egg, brooded by Hettie, had pipped last night. Hettie also has one of her own eggs, and an egg from Ms. MoneyPenny. The other 5 eggs were from my geriatric Langshans, which were all clear and removed from the nest. Last night Sweetie's egg was chirping like crazy, and this morning I heard chirping in response to me touching Hettie's fluff, so I knew it had hatched. Hettie isn't moving at all. She's willing to take water from a syringe, but nothing else right now. She's in the zone, but sure comes to attention when that chick chirps. I think there may be a second chick hatched that I haven't seen yet. When I reached under Hettie, I felt MoneyPenny's egg unhatched, I found Hettie's eggshell recently hatched, and one dry chick, which I assume is from Sweetie Pie's egg that pipped last night. I didn't search around too much, but clearly I either missed an unhatched egg, or a newly hatched chick and a hatched eggshell.

Oh, I so want to pick Hettie up and see what's going on under there, but that wouldn't be the best thing to do right now. (Where's the emoticom for the pouting lower lip!?) That little chick is sooo cute, and so red. She may be prettier than either the rooster or hen were at that age. She nuzzled my hand when I moved the fluff aside. Too precious.

 

[LisaLouHoo]

Well, my first home-bred, not purchased, chick hatched today!!!!  A little Red Dorking, and I think it's a pullet. e

Tomorrow late p.m. is day 21, but Sweetie Pie's egg, brooded by Hettie, had pipped last night.  Hettie also has one of her own eggs, and an egg from Ms. MoneyPenny.  The other 5 eggs were from my geriatric Langshans, which were all clear and removed from the nest.  Last night Sweetie's egg was chirping like crazy, and this morning I heard chirping in response to me touching Hettie's fluff, so I knew it had hatched.  Hettie isn't moving at all.  She's willing to take water from a syringe, but nothing else right now.  She's in the zone, but sure comes to attention when that chick chirps.  I think there may be a second chick hatched that I haven't seen yet.  When I reached under Hettie, I felt MoneyPenny's egg unhatched, I found Hettie's eggshell recently hatched, and one dry chick, which I assume is from Sweetie Pie's egg that pipped last night.  I didn't search around too much, but clearly I either missed an unhatched egg, or a newly hatched chick and a hatched eggshell. 

Oh, I so want to pick Hettie up and see what's going on under there, but that wouldn't be the best thing to do right now.  (Where's the emoticom for the pouting lower lip!?)  That little chick is sooo cute, and so red.   She may be prettier than either the rooster or hen were at that age.  She nuzzled my hand when I moved the fluff aside.  Too precious.

Congrats! It never gets old does it. The thrill of new life and what am I going to get this time?

 

[Sydney Acres]

Well, my first home-bred, not purchased, chick hatched today!!!! A little Red Dorking, and I think it's a pullet.

Tomorrow late p.m. is day 21, but Sweetie Pie's egg, brooded by Hettie, had pipped last night. Hettie also has one of her own eggs, and an egg from Ms. MoneyPenny. The other 5 eggs were from my geriatric Langshans, which were all clear and removed from the nest. Last night Sweetie's egg was chirping like crazy, and this morning I heard chirping in response to me touching Hettie's fluff, so I knew it had hatched. Hettie isn't moving at all. She's willing to take water from a syringe, but nothing else right now. She's in the zone, but sure comes to attention when that chick chirps. I think there may be a second chick hatched that I haven't seen yet. When I reached under Hettie, I felt MoneyPenny's egg unhatched, I found Hettie's eggshell recently hatched, and one dry chick, which I assume is from Sweetie Pie's egg that pipped last night. I didn't search around too much, but clearly I either missed an unhatched egg, or a newly hatched chick and a hatched eggshell.

Oh, I so want to pick Hettie up and see what's going on under there, but that wouldn't be the best thing to do right now. (Where's the emoticom for the pouting lower lip!?) That little chick is sooo cute, and so red. She may be prettier than either the rooster or hen were at that age. She nuzzled my hand when I moved the fluff aside. Too precious.

Update, I saw Hettie's chick. Only a quick glance, but looked like a little Red Dorking cockerel. So now there's just Ms. MoneyPenny's egg left to hatch!!

 

[TheGeekySheep]

Well after another break-in and another crushed egg by broody's sister, I have successfully moved broody out of the nest box to a separate location all together. I'm down to 5 eggs but hopefully there should be no more mishaps. I've learned an important lesson for sure.

 

[bumpercarr]

Well, my first home-bred, not purchased, chick hatched today!!!! A little Red Dorking, and I think it's a pullet.

Tomorrow late p.m. is day 21, but Sweetie Pie's egg, brooded by Hettie, had pipped last night. Hettie also has one of her own eggs, and an egg from Ms. MoneyPenny. The other 5 eggs were from my geriatric Langshans, which were all clear and removed from the nest. Last night Sweetie's egg was chirping like crazy, and this morning I heard chirping in response to me touching Hettie's fluff, so I knew it had hatched. Hettie isn't moving at all. She's willing to take water from a syringe, but nothing else right now. She's in the zone, but sure comes to attention when that chick chirps. I think there may be a second chick hatched that I haven't seen yet. When I reached under Hettie, I felt MoneyPenny's egg unhatched, I found Hettie's eggshell recently hatched, and one dry chick, which I assume is from Sweetie Pie's egg that pipped last night. I didn't search around too much, but clearly I either missed an unhatched egg, or a newly hatched chick and a hatched eggshell.

Oh, I so want to pick Hettie up and see what's going on under there, but that wouldn't be the best thing to do right now. (Where's the emoticom for the pouting lower lip!?) That little chick is sooo cute, and so red. She may be prettier than either the rooster or hen were at that age. She nuzzled my hand when I moved the fluff aside. Too precious.

 

[mebberry4]

Well, my first home-bred, not purchased, chick hatched today!!!! A little Red Dorking, and I think it's a pullet.

Tomorrow late p.m. is day 21, but Sweetie Pie's egg, brooded by Hettie, had pipped last night. Hettie also has one of her own eggs, and an egg from Ms. MoneyPenny. The other 5 eggs were from my geriatric Langshans, which were all clear and removed from the nest. Last night Sweetie's egg was chirping like crazy, and this morning I heard chirping in response to me touching Hettie's fluff, so I knew it had hatched. Hettie isn't moving at all. She's willing to take water from a syringe, but nothing else right now. She's in the zone, but sure comes to attention when that chick chirps. I think there may be a second chick hatched that I haven't seen yet. When I reached under Hettie, I felt MoneyPenny's egg unhatched, I found Hettie's eggshell recently hatched, and one dry chick, which I assume is from Sweetie Pie's egg that pipped last night. I didn't search around too much, but clearly I either missed an unhatched egg, or a newly hatched chick and a hatched eggshell.

Oh, I so want to pick Hettie up and see what's going on under there, but that wouldn't be the best thing to do right now. (Where's the emoticom for the pouting lower lip!?) That little chick is sooo cute, and so red. She may be prettier than either the rooster or hen were at that age. She nuzzled my hand when I moved the fluff aside. Too precious.

Congratulations!

 

[mebberry4]

Hey All! I haven't been on here in a bit, but had some updated pics of my broody and her chicks I wanted to post. Hope everyone's chicks and chicks to be are doing well!

Just a few days old





One week old









Getting their feathers





And here they are today at 2.5 weeks




I'm feeling pretty sure this little lavender chick is a cockerel and if so I'm going to have a really hard time letting him go....