Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

Wow Exciting! Congrats momma!

Thanks!

 

[DelaneyFarm]

Sorry I didn't get back here for over a week! We have 5 baby chicks and I'm so excited about it! Even though they're mixed breed, BCM and Wheaten Marans (roo) and they'll just (hopefully) be egg layers, we're super happy! I didn't mean to let her go broody, and I didn't expect anything, although it was really hard NOT to count my chickens before they hatched (literally!) So, now we have 5 new additions and the super-protective mamma, she's a great hen, I'm so glad to have her!
Since now I know she's such a good brooder and has good characteristics of the BCM hen, I may get a BCM roo and breed them on purpose. I'd like to get some olive eggers, as I have two araucanas and I'm hoping that crossing them will produce a decent looking green egg, which would be a nice marketing trick, for our local farmers market and our farm stand. Anyone else doing this?

 

[bumpercarr]

Sorry I didn't get back here for over a week! We have 5 baby chicks and I'm so excited about it! Even though they're mixed breed, BCM and Wheaten Marans (roo) and they'll just (hopefully) be egg layers, we're super happy! I didn't mean to let her go broody, and I didn't expect anything, although it was really hard NOT to count my chickens before they hatched (literally!) So, now we have 5 new additions and the super-protective mamma, she's a great hen, I'm so glad to have her!
Since now I know she's such a good brooder and has good characteristics of the BCM hen, I may get a BCM roo and breed them on purpose. I'd like to get some olive eggers, as I have two araucanas and I'm hoping that crossing them will produce a decent looking green egg, which would be a nice marketing trick, for our local farmers market and our farm stand. Anyone else doing this?

I don't think you had any choice.

 

[ochochicas]

On Monday I just set my first dozen eggs under my broody hen. She is a BCM, just over a year old. I'm concerned that she isn't doing anything other than laying on the eggs. I don't see her turning them or even moving at all. Should I go in and turn the eggs for her, or just let nature do its thing? She never comes out of the box to eat, so I have to take her out once a day to get some food and water. I took a photo of the eggs this morning so I will be able to tell tomorrow if she's moved them at all.

 

[Johnn]

On Monday I just set my first dozen eggs under my broody hen. She is a BCM, just over a year old. I'm concerned that she isn't doing anything other than laying on the eggs. I don't see her turning them or even moving at all. Should I go in and turn the eggs for her, or just let nature do its thing? She never comes out of the box to eat, so I have to take her out once a day to get some food and water. I took a photo of the eggs this morning so I will be able to tell tomorrow if she's moved them at all.

I've never once seen my broodies turn their eggs and they've hatched. I don't think they like to do stuff when we are watching. You can turn them if you want, I can't see it doing any harm. But I would just leave her to it

 

[Johnn]

Now it's pouring down rain outside so I won't be checking on her anymore tonight.

Could you not give all thre broodies a chick each? Or are you wanting one to take your shipped chicks?

 

[bobbieschicks]

On Monday I just set my first dozen eggs under my broody hen.  She is a BCM, just over a year old.  I'm concerned that she isn't doing anything other than laying on the eggs.  I don't see her turning them or even moving at all.  Should I go in and turn the eggs for her, or just let nature do its thing?  She never comes out of the box to eat, so I have to take her out once a day to get some food and water.  I took a photo of the eggs this morning so I will be able to tell tomorrow if she's moved them at all.  

You could put a circle on the side of one or all then check later in the day to see if the circle is still noticeable. She's turning them and shifting them as needed. Marking the eggs with a permanent marker won't harm them but will help you determine which were placed and which were added later if you have other layers.

She's coming out to eat and drink when you aren't watching. My girls always look like they stay put, but in reality they move in and out as needed. I can tell because there are brown eggs deposited in their nests of blue eggs. They also switch nest boxes and that's another clue they got out. Of course the lovely broody poo on the ground is the most obvious clue - large and very stinky.

Early on the girls will go in & out more often, although it seems like they don't. Hatch time they will stay close to the nest and may not even get out. I like to give them treats during that stage - scrambled egg, dried mealworms, little bits of bread.

Congrats on the broody!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Could you not give all thre broodies a chick each? Or are you wanting one to take your shipped chicks?

I think if I tried to give those chicks to the other mommas right now there would be a fight. Yes I'm going to give the other two the shipped chicks. And if Vanilla Ice goes broody by next Weds she will get a share of the shipped chicks too. I'm expecting eight chicks altogether. I'll probably give the Maran 5 and the silky 3.

 

[bobbieschicks]

The partridge silky keeps trying to steal the chicks. Lol. I keep checking on them and this morning I caught momma RIR in the nest box and the 3 chicks under the silky on the floor! I moved the chicks up, moved the silky over, moved the chicks back down and momma RIR moved down too. Then I shifted silky to the box above them with eggs. Thankfully momma RIR is now settled back down on the floor with all three chicks under her and the silky is happy for now with eggs again. Whew!


Everyone stay where you belong!

 

[ochochicas]

Everyone stay where you belong!

Cuteness overload!