Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Lavmoon]

Yesterday was day 10, we only had one that didn't look good out of 13.

 

[kabhyper1]

The eggs should be fine... I have had my hens get off of the eggs on day 19 or 20 without a problem. Some hens tend to set tight the last few days, others don't seem as bothered by it. I even had one young hen (first time broody) voluntarily get off of the nest when there were external pips and she was off for about 15 minutes and got back on and the hatch didn't seem to suffer for it.

Okay thanks. I'm just waiting now.

I haven't heard any peeps yet.

Even if it had been 10 mins or more, I really don't think it would have been a problem.
It sounds like you really spoil your broodies! Mine get same as everyone else gets and I leave them to decide when they want to get off but they always have food and water within reach. They get extra treats of scrambled egg/yoghurt etc to share with the babies when they hatch, but if word got out that broodies get scrambled egg every morning, I would never have any eggs to feed them because they would all want to be broody and nobody would be laying!

Surely the working girls deserve as much of a treat as the ones on maternity leave!

Anyway, good luck with your imminent hatch. I hope it all goes very smoothly.

Regards

Barbara

LOL! They were just so stubborn this time, and both were broody a week before they had eggs to hatch and lost so much weight, the only thing I could get them to eat was that concoction. HA! Normally its just crumbles for the broodies same as everyone else.

 

[kabhyper1]

How large should an air cell be day 19 under a broody? I had someone tell me to watch them because if they didn't get enough humidity they will shrink wrap in the shell and die because that just happened to them. My house is really dry. The air cell in the eggs are really big. Like a quarter inch bigger than they were on day 17 two days ago. I'm probably freaking out for no reason. Power of suggestion maybe lol.

 

[ochochicas]

How large should an air cell be day 19 under a broody? I had someone tell me to watch them because if they didn't get enough humidity they will shrink wrap in the shell and die because that just happened to them. My house is really dry. The air cell in the eggs are really big. Like a quarter inch bigger than they were on day 17 two days ago. I'm probably freaking out for no reason. Power of suggestion maybe lol.

Did you weigh the eggs before you set them? They are supposed to lose no more than 15% of their original weight by lockdown. I can't candle my eggs well since they are so dark. I weigh them instead. The batch my broody hatched in the summer lost between 7 and 11% and hatched just fine. The last chick to hatch was a sticky chick but I'm not sure why all the others were fine and just the last one had problems.

 

[kabhyper1]

Did you weigh the eggs before you set them? They are supposed to lose no more than 15% of their original weight by lockdown. I can't candle my eggs well since they are so dark. I weigh them instead. The batch my broody hatched in the summer lost between 7 and 11% and hatched just fine. The last chick to hatch was a sticky chick but I'm not sure why all the others were fine and just the last one had problems.

No I don't. I have silkies so the eggs are always light enough to candle. These are my first shipped eggs, so I think I have been paranoid since I got them lol.

 

[akashia26]

well our bantum phoenix hen just went broody today. kinda surprised since she's a hatchery bird and is only 7 mo old. gave her a few eggs to see how she does. hopefully she'll stick it out.

 

[kabhyper1]

They're here!!!!! Momma is doing such a good job, and she let me get some pics of her kiddos today.

 

[poodlechicks]

They are beautiful! Congratulations!

 

[cwrite]

They're here!!!!! Momma is doing such a good job, and she let me get some pics of her kiddos today.

Oh my goodness - they are so CUTE!

 

[newone]

well our bantum phoenix hen just went broody today. kinda surprised since she's a hatchery bird and is only 7 mo old. gave her a few eggs to see how she does. hopefully she'll stick it out.  

Our bantam phoenix are about 7-8 months old too. I was not expecting them to go broody at all but one of them did and her chicks are 1.5 weeks old now and she is doing great with them. 4 bantam phoenix chicks and 2 buff orpington. Hope yours work out well.