Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Lady of McCamley]

Just to update... I don't know what's going on underneath her and it's driving me crazy. The suspense! I hear all kinds of cheeping and eggs clanking together. They or it must be moving because Sparrow will readjust herself. I have a feeling it's going to hatch while I'm in bed. And then it's so cold it might be a couple of days before I get to see anything. The only problem is I can't remember how many eggs I put under her originally (I know this is horrible, I should of wrote it down). I thought I only put 1 of her eggs and 1 large egg, but there are 2 of her eggs. So if she added one to the clutch later on...I will have to pull it and put it in the incubator if she leaves the nest, right?

Setting eggs at different times can cause a staggered hatch, which yes, can require you to intervene as usually momma will wait for about 2 days and then abandon those that have not hatched to care for the little peeps about her feet. This natural 1 to 2 day delay time happens even with eggs set at the same time as chicks can develop and hatch at slightly different rates, especially an egg that was at the edge of warmth. Hopefully the extra egg was laid (or stole) the next day so that there isn't much development delay and it all just works out. Some hens are better than others in handling a staggered hatch; most of us prefer to avoid that situation as it really taxes the hen and can cause loss of chicks either as momma sits and sits on eggs ignoring the older chicks or gets up with the older chicks and abandons the eggs.

Shrink wrapped is a term referring to the thickening of the inside membrane such that a chick gets stuck in it like being "shrink wrapped." Low humidity in the incubator, or a sudden lessening of humidity (as can happen when we peek at the wrong moment) can cause the membrane to dry out thereby causing the hatching chick to get stuck in the membrane. A chick will first pip (poke a hole in the membrane and the outer shell), then begin zipping and chipping away the outer shell. The membrane should be soft and pliable and either tear or come away with the outer shell, if it doesn't, it can stick to the chick making it very hard for the chick to get through.

Lady of McCamley

EDITED TO ADD: I had a shrink wrap situation with my Buckeye project (see photos below). One chick had fallen out and gotten chilled, in my attempt to rescue that chick, I disturbed momma at a most crucial moment (she literally screamed at me in panic to get back to the chick as I had lifted her off to reach the chilled chick). The partially hatched chick was in the partial shell with membrane covering it, tiny hole picked. I watched over the day, but the chick did not progress with hatching, though so close. By the end of the day, I knew I had caused a shrink wrapped situation and looked up the "assisted hatch" info here on BYC and assisted that chick. It was touch and go for several days as bacteria had gotten into the chick with the open shell for such a long time (squishy tummy at umbilical site), but with TLC and several weeks of antibiotics that chick is now a lovely Buckeye hen.

 

[ochochicas]

Quote: When the chicks are hatching, they will open one end of the shell while the rest of the body is waiting to get out. The inside of the shell is lined with a membrane that separates the chick from the shell. Getting out of the shell is a multiple part process since the chick needs to pip through both the membrane and the shell. The chicks need a fairly high humidity during hatching or the membrane will dry out and stick to the chick before it has a chance to get out of the egg. The process of the membrane drying around the chick is commonly referred to as "shrink wrapping". Many chicks die from shrink wrapping once it occurs. The hen sitting on the eggs creates the perfect humidity under her body for hatching. When she leaves the nest, the humidity drops and any chicks that are in the process of pipping or zipping are at risk of being shrink wrapped.

With my first hatch with my broody, the last chick to hatch was a "sticky chick", which is a chick that has membrane or other fluids dried to it. They do not dry normally or fluff up. They are at risk of dying from hypothermia since their down can not fluff to keep them warm. My chick looked like she had been painted with clear fingernail polish. We gave her a warm bath with Dawn dish soap and returned her to her mom. I'm pretty sure her condition was the result of me taking the hen off the nest too often and the humidity was too low. In the end, our little chick made it, although she continues to be delayed in growth. Not sure if it has anything to do with hatching sticky, or maybe there is something else wrong with her. (She is currently living in the house after sustaining a leg injury caused by an overly amorous rooster LOL).

 

[deerlady11]

Well so far we have one chick. One of her bantam eggs hatched late yesterday evening.



In this picture it also looks like the large egg has possibly pipped. The humidity in the room is very high right now. Something we are working on. We had just added sand to our coop a few weeks ago and we put the last of it in a few days ago. Well the sand was damp so it's brought the humidity up. Sparrow got off just for less than a minute this morning as I was feeding. She got a quick drink and a bite to eat and hopped right back on the nest. So here's to hoping that that large egg will be hatching today.

 

[K Epp]

I had a accidental breeding in my rabbits. I found 5 kits on the wire in a fur nest last night. Unfortunately I didn't find them soon enough and they had all died.I had given a rabbit to a girl I work with. I told her to check her rabbit. It was pulling hair. She gave it a next box. Neither of us are used to bunnies in the winter. What special precautions need to be made. Its dropping down in the 20's at night and some times in the teens here. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

She has 3 babies. They have put Mama and babies in a large fish tank with a heat lamp. I'm thinking that will be to hot with the glass and all. they are in a non heated in closed porch.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I had a accidental breeding in my rabbits. I found 5 kits on the wire in a fur nest last night. Unfortunately I didn't find them soon enough and they had all died.I had given a rabbit to a girl I work with. I told her to check her rabbit. It was pulling hair. She gave it a next box. Neither of us are used to bunnies in the winter. What special precautions need to be made. Its dropping down in the 20's at night and some times in the teens here. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

She has 3 babies. They have put Mama and babies in a large fish tank with a heat lamp. I'm thinking that will be to hot with the glass and all. they are in a non heated in closed porch.

Sorry to hear of your loss; that is always so frustrating. Hopefully someone on this thread is knowledgeable enough to be able to answer your questions, though it is on rabbits and not chickens.

However, you may have more luck on one of the rabbit threads you can find here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/22/other-pets-livestock

Good luck!
Lady of McCamley

 

[K Epp]

Thanks I did post it on one of the rabbit threads, but I thought I would try here since this one stays pretty busy.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

She'll know what to do. The only thing that I usually worry about with first time broodies is to make sure that they don't kick an egg out of the nest when they start to pip and hatch. Some of mine get "worried" when they feel movement under them the first time and not knowing what the movement is kick the egg out. So, I usually sit and quietly watch for a bit, just to make sure that she's not uncomfortable when she starts to feel them. Good luck!

@bumpercarr

I love watching the new mommies, first time broodies, with that worried look too...not only to make sure all is going well, but honestly they are a hoot.
One gal had the most incredible expression as if to say "what on EARTH is going on down there!!!!"

Oh how I wish I had gotten a video of it.

To her credit, she did stay the course and sit solid, and she was a good momma, even though the hatching nearly scared her to death.

Silly birds.

Lady of McCamley

 

[vpatt]

Olivia's 3 chicks are 4.5 weeks old now. Last nite when I went to lock up the coop she was on the roost with her chicks. They were still on the roost when I opened the coop this morning. I was surprised that they were out of the nest. But maybe it was warmer on the roost with the others. That nest must be getting more crowded as they grow. And it was below 20°.

Jessica seems to be doing fine with her 4 eggs. She comes off the nest every evening at suppertime. I don't notice her off at any other time. She seems dedicated to her eggs without the intensity that Olivia had. I believe she may have done this before. She was already laying when I got her and I don't know her exact age. I worry a bit about this extra cold weather with her leaving the nest.

It never occurred to me before but Jessica or Victoria could be Joe's mother! I got the five Doms from the same people and Joe was the youngest of the five and they were both laying when they came here. Those two hens don't have any thing to do with Joe as far as romance. That's so funny that one of them could be his mother. I had always thought of him as their brother. I know they are not avoiding his advances because of that.....but I think because of his age he has not yet earned his place as the leader of the flock. But he has been very nice around people so far.


The other two Doms have not started laying yet and they are huge and have very red combs. I have heard one of them sing the egg song and have seen one munching on oyster shell. They have been like this for at least a month! I am guessing they are holding out on me because it is winter. I don't mind waiting for eggs...I just wonder if they could be hiding eggs. I search every day and never find any.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Olivia's 3 chicks are 4.5 weeks old now. Last nite when I went to lock up the coop she was on the roost with her chicks. They were still on the roost when I opened the coop this morning. I was surprised that they were out of the nest. But maybe it was warmer on the roost with the others. That nest must be getting more crowded as they grow. And it was below 20°.

Jessica seems to be doing fine with her 4 eggs. She comes off the nest every evening at suppertime. I don't notice her off at any other time. She seems dedicated to her eggs without the intensity that Olivia had. I believe she may have done this before. She was already laying when I got her and I don't know her exact age. I worry a bit about this extra cold weather with her leaving the nest.

It never occurred to me before but Jessica or Victoria could be Joe's mother! I got the five Doms from the same people and Joe was the youngest of the five and they were both laying when they came here. Those two hens don't have any thing to do with Joe as far as romance. That's so funny that one of them could be his mother. I had always thought of him as their brother. I know they are not avoiding his advances because of that.....but I think because of his age he has not yet earned his place as the leader of the flock. But he has been very nice around people so far.


The other two Doms have not started laying yet and they are huge and have very red combs. I have heard one of them sing the egg song and have seen one munching on oyster shell. They have been like this for at least a month! I am guessing they are holding out on me because it is winter. I don't mind waiting for eggs...I just wonder if they could be hiding eggs. I search every day and never find any.

Thank you for the lovely update....here's to Jessica...how many more days/weeks does she have do you think. (I've forgotten.)

Olivia and chicks at 4.5 weeks are on schedule. My large fowl mommas teach their babies to roost alongside them around that age, and the babies are fully feathered and do fine. It is only my Silkie that would never quite cut the apron strings and continue to try to mother them even when they were larger than she was.

As to budding romance, you are correct, no worries with Joe and his mother. I've been reading up on breeding genetics in chickens and that is how the "big boys" get started...they choose the best male and female, then of that union, they breed back the best daughter/son to the parents, and do that several generations until finally they do one generation of siblings, then start the process again with daughter/son to parents, then finally siblings, until by the end of that round they have an established line (hopefully). Those experienced may correct me, but I'm pretty sure I got all that right. I was surprised to learn that inbreeding is not such a concern with the first generations but actually desirable.

Happy holidays to your flock...I look forward to updates on Jessica and her little clutch. <You go girl!>

Lady of McCamley

 

[deerlady11]

She did it!!! Wow who would of thought I would be so proud of little Sparrow for doing something that is just natural for her. She did a great job and she is being a great mommy. Thank you all for your great advice.