Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

Thank you!!! She is a bantam cochin and totally set on being a momma! Hoping this works and my girl can get on with being a momma

How did the chicks adoption go?

 

[sahmhomesteader]

Perhaps she was getting off the nest when you weren't around. Yes, you should leave her alone by day 17 so she can get the eggs ready to hatch with proper humidity levels. If you are really concerned about her you can feed her some treats on the nest. I give my girls scrambled eggs and dried meal worms sometimes while they sit. Must be close to hatch date, looking forward to some pics of your new chicks!

I am pretty sure she has not been getting up at all unless I lift her because we are outside 90% of the time. When we aren't, I look out the window like a crazy person checking to see if she is up. She is my first broody, and it happens to be her first time so I have been super worried about her eating and drinking enough.

I can't wait! This is her first time as well so I really hope she is a good mama. I am still trying to decide if I keep her caged but in the coop for the hatch or if I leave the door open. I have 19 other hens and 2 roos. I am just not sure what kind of mama she will be and if the other chickens will be aggressive towards the chicks. I really don't like the idea of caging because we free range, and I feel like this would make mama uncomfortable. I don't know...thoughts?

 

[bobbieschicks]

I am pretty sure she has not been getting up at all unless I lift her because we are outside 90% of the time. When we aren't, I look out the window like a crazy person checking to see if she is up. She is my first broody, and it happens to be her first time so I have been super worried about her eating and drinking enough.

I can't wait! This is her first time as well so I really hope she is a good mama. I am still trying to decide if I keep her caged but in the coop for the hatch or if I leave the door open. I have 19 other hens and 2 roos. I am just not sure what kind of mama she will be and if the other chickens will be aggressive towards the chicks. I really don't like the idea of caging because we free range, and I feel like this would make mama uncomfortable. I don't know...thoughts?

You might want to wait and see how everyone interacts once the chicks hatch. You'll probably be surprised at how well she handles everyone's curiosity and keeps her chicks safe. I used to separate out my broodies, now after having several different girls and multiple chicks hatch, I just let them handle it all.

I've not had a broody yet who didn't become a wild thing when someone tried to mess with her babies. Even my most docile girl was taking down the lead roo who picked up a baby and flung it. The baby was fine, but the roo got a beat down.

 

[sahmhomesteader]

You might want to wait and see how everyone interacts once the chicks hatch. You'll probably be surprised at how well she handles everyone's curiosity and keeps her chicks safe. I used to separate out my broodies, now after having several different girls and multiple chicks hatch, I just let them handle it all.

I've not had a broody yet who didn't become a wild thing when someone tried to mess with her babies. Even my most docile girl was taking down the lead roo who picked up a baby and flung it. The baby was fine, but the roo got a beat down.

Lol yay for mama! Wild thing...that cracks me up! I will try to watch and see how everything goes. Hopefully the chicks hatch at a time where I can be super attentive and my two sons don't demand my attention (I have 2 boys 3 and under)

 

[bobbieschicks]

Lol yay for mama! Wild thing...that cracks me up! I will try to watch and see how everything goes. Hopefully the chicks hatch at a time where I can be super attentive and my two sons don't demand my attention (I have 2 boys 3 and under)

I've noticed that my broodies tend to stay in the nest until the second day after everyone hatches. Then they leave for a new nearby nest. There's not much traveling for them during that stage and they tend to stick close to the coop.

Mine are older now, 13yo son & 11yo daughter, but I have one 11yo son that is cognitively a 2yo so completely understand the attention thing. Of course they all loved the chicks when we started them for a homeschool project a couple of years ago, but now all I get is that they are my "pets" not theirs. :/

 

[sahmhomesteader]

I've noticed that my broodies tend to stay in the nest until the second day after everyone hatches. Then they leave for a new nearby nest. There's not much traveling for them during that stage and they tend to stick close to the coop.

Mine are older now, 13yo son & 11yo daughter, but I have one 11yo son that is cognitively a 2yo so completely understand the attention thing. Of course they all loved the chicks when we started them for a homeschool project a couple of years ago, but now all I get is that they are my "pets" not theirs. :/

Is there a reason they leave and make a new nest?

 

[bobbieschicks]

Is there a reason they leave and make a new nest?

I don't know. I just know that of all my broodies none has returned to their previous nest once they left with the chicks after the chicks hatched and dried off. They will go close by or find a new corner in the coop, but they won't go back to the place where the eggs hatched.

That is until they are ready to go broody again, then they will have no problems going back to the old nest box.

 

[calichicken]

How did the chicks adoption go?

trying in just a bit...le you know!

I have 4 bantam babies to give her

 

[lablover]

I originally had 11 eggs under a broody EE. On day 10, I realized one egg had "exploded" where the inner part was protruding from the hard shell. One more was cracked, and one was missing but the hay was wet so we assumed she ate it. That left 8. Now, on day 14, we got rid of two more that showed no sign of further development. They still looked like this:

So that left 6. One more just has the little black dot in there, but no further development. I forgot to take that one out, so it's still there. However, there are 3 that are mostly black, with thick veins stretching to the end of the egg. We're very excited about those! So, there are two more we're not sure about. They are blue eggs, and they're pretty hard to see through.
Now it's time to start thinking of what we're going to do when they hatch. I have a tractor to move hen and chicks too, but will she nest on the ground instead of the nest box that has a ramp leading up to it?

 

[sssharon]

That sounds like me. I started out with 11 in my incubator and then nine and after all said and done hatched 5 chicks.
they are such cute chicks and I gave them to my grandchildren who had lost half of their chickens to a fox. They love the chicks so much. I actually had pretty good luck with an incubator. I have 3 chicks of my own that belonged{ the eggs anyway}
to my grandkids and I took some of them and ended up with some great chicks.