Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Lady of McCamley]

Just a note on the dry ice...the chickens don't fall asleep with it, they actually suffocate as they run out of Oxygen to breathe. It is not as "humane" as decapitation. Everyone has their own preferred method, but those who prefer not to do it themselves are better off finding someone else to do the deed. I still cry when I walk past the spot in the yard where our rooster is buried. Fortunately I've found someone that will take all my extra cockerels, but the sick ones still have be dealt with,

Actually, I beg to differ...if done properly with CO2, they do not slowly suffocate. I know this for a fact from my own use with my sick birds.

Also, my husband works in electronics and they have CO2 systems that dispense fire. Protocol is to get out immediately with the warning bell before the CO2 release as you will be unconscious with the first breath, dead within minutes...the natural instinct is to gulp the gas at first exposure, fill your lungs, the shock to the cortex occurs immediately, you become unconscious and then asphyxiate within minutes. I have had firemen confirm this fact with CO2. The American Veterinary Medical Association also concurs. (Long read...look at page 15 and onward at https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Documents/euthanasia.pdf) And yes, I do realize that CO2 use is controversial for some with varying reports as to the effects...note that most of the reports are subjecting birds to slowly increasing levels of CO2 while they are held in chambers because in commercial purposes, it is impractical to fill the chamber, then submerge the bird due to risk to humans.

I am only dealing with one bird and one small bucket. The trick is to create sufficient CO2 concentration BEFORE placing the bird into the container. I can use dry ice because I have such a small area to fill, I can assure adequate concentration. Let the cloud of gas build with lid slightly ajar to prevent too much pressure build up, then lower the bird into the thick cloud of gas, close the lid quickly. They gulp (which may or may not create momentary mucus irritation...the ax or the stun would create momentary irritation as well), then lose conscious, and in my experience stop fluttering in a matter of less than 30 seconds...secondary muscular convulsions as they are already dead. j

Anyway, that's been my experience. Culling is always a difficult and unpleasant job, but sometimes it just has to be done.

Sorry for your loss of your favorite rooster. I'm sure he had a happy life in your coop.

Lady of McCamley

 

[lauraschicks]

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! 

My first timer OEGB pullet just hatched 4 chicks (1 didn't hatch for no apparent reason) and is doing beautifully with them. Tonight they are 1 week old and today mama took them outside for the first time.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

@A6chickenhome
Good to know about Australorps. They have been on my list of breeds to try...just don't see them as often at the feed store.

As to age they get tough...generally anything over 5 to 6 months will be tougher especially under cage free conditions and even more so if free ranging...they are building those muscles as they forage. Depending on breed 20 to 26 weeks is generally ideal unless you are working with one of the true meat birds who come to table in under 12 weeks (often 8).

Some breeds are better (so I've heard) but commercial layers (most of what you get in the feed store for layers) won't be roasting tender at retirement...they need to be slow cooked with liquid.

Unless someone has found the perfect breed...lays beautifully, keeps weight well, still roasting tender on retirement....but all those criteria are counter to each other for various reasons.

My experiences
Lady of McCamley

 

[lauraschicks]

I just lost my first chicken, little Kachoo. She was a Cuckoo Marans and had not laid her first egg. I don't know what happened. I didn't count them when I let them out this morning, I was distracted by watching Sassy run for the nest to lay an egg. I went out about two hours later and could not find Kachoo. Finally I thought of the coop....thinking she might be checking out the nest box in there. She was there....laying flat on her stomach with her legs stretched out behind her. She was completely cold and stiff so I think she had to have died during the night. I couldn't find any marks on her and she had not been injured or acting sick. I wonder if she could have had something wrong all along....something I couldn't see. Sorry I know this is probably not the place to post this. I am sad and puzzled. I know there will be losses.

I recently lost my Svart Hona pullet in much the same manner except that it was after sbe became egg bound with her first egg (shell-less). I had treated her with hot baths and antibiotics for a week then returned her to the coop thinking she was okay, but worried that she'd not laid another. The next morning I found her hunched over and brought her back inside. She died an hour later. She stiffened seized and stretched out her legs and head and died while I was touching her.

I assume either I didn't treat her infection effectively, put her out too quickly, or that she was still eggbound in some way, or had something intrinsically wrong with her. I didn't send her for necropsy (I really wish I had), since I'll never know for sure what happened.

But I too am sorry for your loss.

 

[ChickyChickens]

LOL, i have 10 broodies at the moment... Some pics

 

[ochochicas]

I recently lost my Svart Hona pullet in much the same manner except that it was after sbe became egg bound with her first egg (shell-less). I had treated her with hot baths and antibiotics for a week then returned her to the coop thinking she was okay, but worried that she'd not laid another. The next morning I found her hunched over and brought her back inside. She died an hour later. She stiffened seized and stretched out her legs and head and died while I was touching her.

I assume either I didn't treat her infection effectively, put her out too quickly, or that she was still eggbound in some way, or had something intrinsically wrong with her. I didn't send her for necropsy (I really wish I had), since I'll never know for sure what happened.

But I too am sorry for your loss.

Sorry to hear about your pullet. If you ever have one become egg bound again, you can try giving her a 500 mg Calcium tablet. I ground mine up and put it in scrambled eggs. My hen was very sick,but passed a broken egg about 2 hours later. It took her about a month to recover fully though. I think I got really lucky since my hen is older and doesn't lay as well as she used to. It sounds like your poor girl might have had an infection, too. RIP little pullet

 

[A6chickenhome]

LOL, i have 10 broodies at the moment... Some pics How do people get so many broodies?. What breeds are they?

 

[vpatt]

@A6chickenhome
Good to know about Australorps. They have been on my list of breeds to try...just don't see them as often at the feed store.

As to age they get tough...generally anything over 5 to 6 months will be tougher especially under cage free conditions and even more so if free ranging...they are building those muscles as they forage. Depending on breed 20 to 26 weeks is generally ideal unless you are working with one of the true meat birds who come to table in under 12 weeks (often 8).

Some breeds are better (so I've heard) but commercial layers (most of what you get in the feed store for layers) won't be roasting tender at retirement...they need to be slow cooked with liquid.

Unless someone has found the perfect breed...lays beautifully, keeps weight well, still roasting tender on retirement....but all those criteria are counter to each other for various reasons.

My experiences
Lady of McCamley

@A6chickenhome
Good to know about Australorps. They have been on my list of breeds to try...just don't see them as often at the feed store.

As to age they get tough...generally anything over 5 to 6 months will be tougher especially under cage free conditions and even more so if free ranging...they are building those muscles as they forage. Depending on breed 20 to 26 weeks is generally ideal unless you are working with one of the true meat birds who come to table in under 12 weeks (often 8).

Some breeds are better (so I've heard) but commercial layers (most of what you get in the feed store for layers) won't be roasting tender at retirement...they need to be slow cooked with liquid.

Unless someone has found the perfect breed...lays beautifully, keeps weight well, still roasting tender on retirement....but all those criteria are counter to each other for various reasons.

My experiences
Lady of McCamley

I am very curious to hear your thoughts on the Buckeyes.....I have been interested in the Buckeyes and the Iowa Blues. I think mostly because they are said to be good foragers. I love my Doms too. I want a couple more EE's for their egg colors. But I'm very interested in your keeping 50% of your flock for the high egg count. I had been leaning in that direction but I not come up with a percentage. I was thinking of red and black sex links to carry the other breeds that I am interested in keeping. Well, I don't know if all sex links lay lots of eggs, but my little Sassy (RSL) sure does. Also, was looking at Rhodebsrs at the chicken swap yikes they were pricey! I will keep looking around at those.


This morning I spent an hour chasing a new layer away from her desired laying spot....lol.....what a video that would have made! She got up under the tiny backyard barn my hubbie keeps the mower in. I finally had to give up.....but when she came out I had already contracted with grandson number 4. He put boards around the building to block out chickens in exchange for breakfast. Even if I could reach under there for eggs I would not. We have rattlesnakes in the yard most summers and that looks like prime snake habitat to me. I just put out some new nest boxes/buckets so i hope she will like one of them. Anyone have a favorite type of nest to use for free rangers? I only have one who goes back in the coop to lay. The rest lay in easy for me to reach nests that I have put near their coop.

 

[ChickyChickens]

LOL..i dont know!!! Ever since i reached my 150 chicken flock i have been getting SOOO many broodies!! All of them are BArnayrd Mix and 1 is an NN (they grey one!)

 

[A6chickenhome]

LOL..i dont know!!! Ever since i reached my 150 chicken flock i have been getting SOOO many broodies!! All of  them are BArnayrd Mix and 1 is an NN (they grey one!)

You know, I have noticed a lot of people getting a lot of broodies when they have a barnyard mixed flock. That is when you let all the roosters and hens mate and just get a mixed breed chicken, correct????