Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[KV Silkies]

Here is a pic of our broody Cloudy with her first hatch, 4 out of 4, way to go Cloudy!

 

[fisherlady]

Here is a pic of our broody Cloudy with her first hatch, 4 out of 4, way to go Cloudy!

Congrats!! They are absolutely adorable! I love the color

 

[kristin07035]

I've got a question....ive hatched using an incubator and brooder box and fed my newborns medicated chick crumbles til they were about 12 weeks old then switched to non medicated til they were on layer crumbles...now I have a broody hen and purchased fertilized eggs for her...Hoping she hatches some what do I feed mom and babies? I would think the medicated chick feed wouldn't be good for mom...do I feed them all non medicated chick crumbles or is there something else out there for all of them?

 

[bumpercarr]

I've got a question....ive hatched using an incubator and brooder box and fed my newborns medicated chick crumbles til they were about 12 weeks old then switched to non medicated til they were on layer crumbles...now I have a broody hen and purchased fertilized eggs for her...Hoping she hatches some what do I feed mom and babies? I would think the medicated chick feed wouldn't be good for mom...do I feed them all non medicated chick crumbles or is there something else out there for all of them?

I've fed both. I like to feed the medicated, but it probably isn't necessary. For some reason, they seem to not need medicated feed when they are raised with a momma. Don't have a clue why that would be except that they have more room and less heat when they are with momma than when they are in a brooder.

 

[kristin07035]

I've fed both.  I like to feed the medicated, but it probably isn't necessary.  For some reason, they seem to not need medicated feed when they are raised with a momma.  Don't have a clue why that would be except that they have more room and less heat when they are with momma than when they are in a brooder.

Awesome thank you! I wasn't sure if the medicated was bad for mom but maybe I'll just get the non-medicated since they will be growing up with mama.

 

[ochochicas]

I feed mine (broody and chicks) non-medicated chick crumbles. They grew up fine on it.

In contrast, the chicks that we raised in the house seemed to have come coccidia around 4 weeks of age. They got corid in their water rather than mediated feed.

In both cases everyone did great.

 

[KV Silkies]

hello all, unrelated question, this is my son's rooster "jewel" wondering if anyone knew what type he was? he won him in a contest and we have no clue what type he is... we have only silkies....he's pretty young, just getting in his tail feathers and just started crowing a few weeks ago.

 

[fisherlady]

hello all, unrelated question, this is my son's rooster "jewel" wondering if anyone knew what type he was? he won him in a contest and we have no clue what type he is... we have only silkies....he's pretty young, just getting in his tail feathers and just started crowing a few weeks ago.

He looks very similar to my Black Australorp rooster, but his back appears longer/flatter than my rooster's.... but that could just be breeding/blood line.
I believe there are also Andalusion and black Langshan (good possibility) and a couple of other breeds with similar appearance as youngsters, but I am not personally familiar with them..... also not sure on spelling of the names! LOL

 

[KV Silkies]

cute pics!! @fisherlady after a few google searches I see some rhode island red in him too with his yellow legs... but he sure does look like your guy too, I wonder if a cross between the two?? does it result in anything like that? thank you for the help though!

 

[kabhyper1]

Have any of you hatched shipped eggs with saddle cells under a broody? Out of the six eggs that I have developing 2 have saddle cells. 2 are clear. 8 total. I know people who hatch them in incubators, but I havent heard much about broodies.
Heres pics