Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[AnneInTheBurbs]

I have seen TWO fluffy dry chicks just about five minutes ago.. And last night not a single external pip! I'm expecting two more.. When should I check the progress/status of my entire hatch? I'm so curious about the other two eggs, especially if two are fluffy already..

Congrats on the two babies! How many eggs was she sitting on? Any updates?

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.

Awesome! Congratulations! Sounds like an awesome turnout!

So I brought my broody inside my house about a week before the hatch was due because she was getting on the wrong nest and others were laying new eggs on her, also the nest she was in was elevated off the ground and I didn't want the baby's to fall.. Also, I was afraid after reading stories that the other hens and my rooster (also have two pekin and Muscovy duck hens) that they wouldn't accept the babies, maybe eat them? Heck... This was my first hatch so I didn't know what was best.. So the babies were born yesterday, and for now all are happy in my extra bathroom.. But they are going to need room very soon.. So... What to do? 1. I could make mom and babies a make shift home in my pole barn (where I had brooded my flock when they were babies) until she quits them and then reintroduce her and babies with "playpen method". I would put brooder lamp low for extra heat.. But they wouldn't have access to outdoors.. 2. I could put them all in the coop with everyone else (large 12x12 or so) which is already being heated (maintains above freezing, were in Michigan here, burr). But how will the flock react? Will the babies endure the cold? We leave the door to the run open all day.. It has a less than A foot elevated ramp to outdoors.. What if they got stuck outside? Obviously I'm a little unsure about what is best.. Agh, help!

I'm no expert, but the pole barn sounds like it has less drawbacks. I think the risk of having them pecked by other flock members or separated from Mama hen is greater risk than not having access to the outdoors. Plus, you could also dig up a chunk of sod from a back corner and place it in with the chicks, so they have exposure to your soil.

 

[fisherlady]

Well, this is a little off topic, but I have a wee problem. My granddaughter was here three weeks ago and helped me collect eggs. Of course, she begged me to hatch some for her. So, that day we had three eggs and I took the incubator out and put them in. One had a blood ring, two developed. Today is day 21.

One egg has hatched. Don't see a pip on the second, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that it is going to hatch...it looked good at lock down.

My question is this, if the second doesn't hatch, how do I raise this one by itself? I've never, ever raised a single chick before. I usually put about 20 eggs in each hatching batch. Any ideas? I know this chick is going to bond to me and I know I don't have a broody nor any way to get any chicks for companionship (it really isn't the season, I don't know anyone who is hatching). I'm not so worried about getting it into the flock, I think I can do that the same way that I would do any other chicken when it is old enough. And remember, this is my granddaughters chick, it has to be "happy".

Ideas?

I haven't had to brood singles before, but have had them in 'chick hospital' for short periods... you can put in a small mirror and a small stuffed animal for it to 'cuddle' with... it will help reduce loneliness a bit. I'm not sure how to handle long term issues though, so hopefully someone with more experience will chime in.

 

[Howlet]

Has anybody had experience with buying fertilized eggs... and broodies?? I was curious if she would take them knowing they wernt hers....

 

[fisherlady]

Has anybody had experience with buying fertilized eggs... and broodies?? I was curious if she would take them knowing they wernt hers....

Yes I have done that numerous times... a hen doesn't care whose eggs she is setting on. They have no way of knowing which egg is their own or another flock members, in fact they frequently take eggs from other nests as soon as they are laid when they are in a broody mood.

 

[ochochicas]

I'd also lean towards putting the broody in a separate pen in the pole barn. My broody is in a stall by herself. She goes in a carrier back in the coop at night. When the chicks are big enough to free range with the flock, they will already know to go back to the coop at night.

Today I cracked open my CCL egg and it had died around day 18. Not sure what is wrong with that hen, but the eggs never hatch.

If your chicks didn't want to leave the coop with your broody, I'd have to say your broody didn't bond with them very well. My broody had the chicks going all over the horse pasture and under the trees. I worried about them being eaten my hawks or ravens, but apparently she knew what she was doing.

Sorry I clumped all my replies together...it's been a long day!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Well, this is a little off topic, but I have a wee problem. My granddaughter was here three weeks ago and helped me collect eggs. Of course, she begged me to hatch some for her. So, that day we had three eggs and I took the incubator out and put them in. One had a blood ring, two developed. Today is day 21.

One egg has hatched. Don't see a pip on the second, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that it is going to hatch...it looked good at lock down.

My question is this, if the second doesn't hatch, how do I raise this one by itself? I've never, ever raised a single chick before. I usually put about 20 eggs in each hatching batch. Any ideas? I know this chick is going to bond to me and I know I don't have a broody nor any way to get any chicks for companionship (it really isn't the season, I don't know anyone who is hatching). I'm not so worried about getting it into the flock, I think I can do that the same way that I would do any other chicken when it is old enough. And remember, this is my granddaughters chick, it has to be "happy".

Ideas?

My very first hatching project, years ago, was a 4-H unit I did with my kids. We had 2 mini-incubators that held about 3 eggs each, so 6 eggs. We did the 4-H egg unit, and candled at various times to see the progress.

During the 3 weeks of waiting (about a week into it I think), the kids in their enthusiasm managed to knock the shelf down that the incubators were sitting on...of the 6 eggs, 4 went splat and were hopelessly lost. On physical reflex I made a wild grab for the incubators and caught one of the domed lids as it was going down which fantastically also had one egg caught in it which literally went "wuh a wuh a wuh wob wob wob" as it spun around the lid curvature to settle into the well of the inverted dome. Another egg appeared uncracked in the other incubator on the floor.

Thinking it was pretty well a lost cause, but thinking what have we got to lose now, I reset the incubators with those 2 last eggs. We waited it out on the 2 eggs, and amazingly they showed development, but only 1 hatched...and you guessed it...it was the one that I had caught in the lid and had thoroughly spun cycled. (I''m telling you...I am repeatedly amazed at how hardy the embryos can be).

This little chick had nothing but 3 adoring children as his or her companions, and we raised it inside a cardboard box with heat lamp inside the schoolroom (we homeschooled) until it was about 4 weeks old, and getting too big for our cramped quarters, at which time we re-homed him or her to a farm since at the time we weren't keeping chickens (yet). It adjusted just fine to farm life, and became a happy little rooster (if I remember right) who was the delight of the farmer's daughter as it was such a friendly little chicken. (Apparently having all cantankerousness rattled out of it.)

And that ends my tale of being a single chick mother.

Lady of McCamley

 

[CandylandRanch]

Has anybody had experience with buying fertilized eggs...
and broodies?? I was curious if she would take them knowing they wernt hers....

Mine took all eggs that weren't hers.. Slip them under her at night

 

[CandylandRanch]

Congrats on the two babies! How many eggs was she sitting on? Any updates?

I'm no expert, but the pole barn sounds like it has less drawbacks. I think the risk of having them pecked by other flock members or separated from Mama hen is greater risk than not having access to the outdoors. Plus, you could also dig up a chunk of sod from a back corner and place it in with the chicks, so they have exposure to your soil.

Thank you! She was sitting on 5 to being with,
Then about two days in two other hens layed eggs on her and I let her keep them. A week out I tossed a yoker, then before lock down I tossed a blood ring and a sloshy one.. Three hatched and one never did, I candled it day 23 ish and it was sloshy .. So I have three babies!

She's. Great momma... She lets me love on them, but gets protective if I lift them too far away.. They are too cute poking their heads out from under her! I'll post more pics today.

Yes I'm thinking pole barn will be where I put them

 

[vpatt]

Isn't it great? I am fascinated by them climbing on mama's back.....hope I can get some photos today....I am leaving the coop open today because of warm temps. After an hour or so I will move some feed and water down on the ground and see if she takes them outside.....I am concerned about the coop being off the ground....but I will try to trust Olivia. Since hatching these eggs she is now Lady Olivia....mummy to some of us.
Joseph the Dirt is continuing to increase his roosterly behavior to the dismay of some. His evolving roosterhood is of great interest, also. I'm especially hoping he hones his "detection of predators" skills, as well as showing kindness to the ladies. His attitude towards me remains the same.....I look him in the eye often to see if I can detect any superiority issues developing.

LofMc, I hope the chicks are not too young for fluttering to the ground.....they are 15 days old today. But so far this morning they are not making the attempt.

 

[bumpercarr]

My very first hatching project, years ago, was a 4-H unit I did with my kids. We had 2 mini-incubators that held about 3 eggs each, so 6 eggs. We did the 4-H egg unit, and candled at various times to see the progress.

During the 3 weeks of waiting (about a week into it I think), the kids in their enthusiasm managed to knock the shelf down that the incubators were sitting on...of the 6 eggs, 4 went splat and were hopelessly lost. On physical reflex I made a wild grab for the incubators and caught one of the domed lids as it was going down which fantastically also had one egg caught in it which literally went "wuh a wuh a wuh wob wob wob" as it spun around the lid curvature to settle into the well of the inverted dome. Another egg appeared uncracked in the other incubator on the floor.

Thinking it was pretty well a lost cause, but thinking what have we got to lose now, I reset the incubators with those 2 last eggs. We waited it out on the 2 eggs, and amazingly they showed development, but only 1 hatched...and you guessed it...it was the one that I had caught in the lid and had thoroughly spun cycled. (I''m telling you...I am repeatedly amazed at how hardy the embryos can be).

This little chick had nothing but 3 adoring children as his or her companions, and we raised it inside a cardboard box with heat lamp inside the schoolroom (we homeschooled) until it was about 4 weeks old, and getting too big for our cramped quarters, at which time we re-homed him or her to a farm since at the time we weren't keeping chickens (yet). It adjusted just fine to farm life, and became a happy little rooster (if I remember right) who was the delight of the farmer's daughter as it was such a friendly little chicken. (Apparently having all cantankerousness rattled out of it.)

And that ends my tale of being a single chick mother.

Lady of McCamley

Thanks. No sign of life from the other egg, so I'm pretty sure that this one is going to be the lone hatchling. I'll get a brooder box ready for it, the regular brooder is going to be too big for a lone chick and it is out in the garage....this one is going to have to stay inside for about 6 weeks I think. Ah well, what are chickens if not challenges!