Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[ChickyChickens]

Congratulations!
Good question! I don't have an incubator, so if she's doesn't take care of them, I don't know what the heck to do!

Day 6 and counting for me... This is my first hatch!

Thanks!!!!

 

[A6chickenhome]

Seven hatched out of eight eggs on day 20. I found a different hen in the nest box this morning and the broody had moved her chicks, She's now in her own kennel with the chicks and the one remaining egg. I know it won't hatch, so we'll crack it open tomorrow to see what happened. The chicks are tiny, but doing well and eating out of their little bowl already.

Adorable! Is that a little CCL girl in the front? Soo cute, I just hatched 2 CCL Roos, wish I'd gotten a girl is you're broody a Black Austrolorp hen?

 

[A6chickenhome]

So my chicks are 26 days old and my broody hen laid her first egg yesterday. From what I've read on this site it seems really soon??? Her clucks have changed back to normal and she isn't making the same calls to the chicks that she did at first( you know those sounds the Broody hens make when they are incubating the eggs). She is still attending to them for the most part, although she doesn't seem to be as protective as she was. At what age does a hen usually abandon her chicks? They just seem so small, but they can fly up on the roost.

 

[ChickyChickens]

So my chicks are 26 days old and my broody hen laid her first egg yesterday. From what I've read on this site it seems really soon??? Her clucks have changed back to normal and she isn't making the same calls to the chicks that she did at first( you know those sounds the Broody hens make when they are incubating the eggs). She is still attending to them for the most part, although she doesn't seem to be as protective as she was. At what age does a hen usually abandon her chicks? They just seem so small, but they can fly up on the roost.

Emm, yeah it is a little soon, but they will be fine!!! I have had a hen abandon chicks at 2 weeks of age and they were fine (but i live in South Africa and it is forever warm here)

 

[CandylandRanch]

I was wondering similar things. When she abandons them? Also mine where just hatched yesterday and I wondered when they start spending more time out from under her? She still seems content just on her nest sitting on them.. And I have her in a pretty small area with them, I need to plan when to get them all more room.. When will she want to walk around like a normal chicken again?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Depending on if there are still eggs to hatch. She will usually come off after a day or two unless more hatchings are imminent.
They'll all sleep in the nest at night for a while but after a couple days they roam the yard. If it's cold, they may stay under most of the day for a week but otherwise they'll just go under her occasionally to warm up.
When she abandons is dependent on her, the temperature and general flock dynamics.

 

[bumpercarr]

I was wondering similar things. When she abandons them? Also mine where just hatched yesterday

and I wondered when they start spending more time out from under her? She still seems content just on her nest sitting on them.. And I have her in a pretty small area with them, I need to plan when to get them all more room.. When will she want to walk around like a normal chicken again?

She will probably leave the nest with the chicks the third day after hatch. I've only seen different behavior under a few circumstances, one being that all of the eggs have hatched she might leave earlier. I've seen them leave later (but no later than day 4) if there is an egg hatching under her on day 3, but I've also seen them leave the nest regardless of whether anything is hatching.

When she leaves the nest, she will take her babies with her everywhere that she goes. She will teach them to eat and drink and they will climb on her and under her. As they get older, they will venture further and further away from her. I've found that usually 2-3 weeks is when I start to lose some of the chicks to local predators if the predators can get to them (from the sky or the ground).

Hope this helps you make your decisions.

 

[ChickenLady2014]

My chicks are 2 weeks old tomorrow. This morning when I opened the coop all the ladies came out as usual. While I was setting out the water and feed for broody and Babies who stay in the coop.....mama did this tornado thing. Flew squawking across the yard and then came back to the coop. She walked around on the ground clucking. I believe she may have wanted the babies to come outside.....but they were in the feed dish. She went back in with them and I shut the door. I will try Monday and see if she will take them outside. I will be home all day and can keep an eye out. Do the broodys usually act this way with chicks? I'm pretty certain she has never hatched out chicks before.

Maybe Monday stick the food & water on the ground outside of the coop before you open the door. That way Momma can bring them out, they will all be ready for a drink & food.

 

[ochochicas]

So my chicks are 26 days old and my broody hen laid her first egg yesterday. From what I've read on this site it seems really soon??? Her clucks have changed back to normal and she isn't making the same calls to the chicks that she did at first( you know those sounds the Broody hens make when they are incubating the eggs). She is still attending to them for the most part, although she doesn't seem to be as protective as she was. At what age does a hen usually abandon her chicks? They just seem so small, but they can fly up on the roost.

My australorp left her brood when they were 5 weeks old and laid an egg the next day. I'd bet she won't be taking care of them for much longer.

Quote: She is a Black Copper Marans. The babies in front are out of a Speckled Sussex hen. I had two roosters, so I'm not sure who the daddy is. The chicks are probably 1/4 CCL. I had some CCL eggs under the broody but they all died. Something is wrong with the eggs/breed. I do love the 7 babies I have though, plus I have 13 more in the house that hatched in November. My hatching addiction has begun!

 

[vpatt]

Maybe Monday stick the food & water on the ground outside of the coop before you open the door. That way Momma can bring them out, they will all be ready for a drink & food.

That sounds like a good idea.