Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[ready4thegirls]

I know this thread is from a long time ago but the response may help another in search of this question. I have had my silkie hatch at least 3-4 broods. The eggs have hatched anywhere from 20 days to 29! I had read that at 24 days to remove the eggs, but every time I try to interfere something bad happens so I just started leaving them until she abandons them and takes that hatched chics. I usually put food and water right next to her so she has incentive to stay an extra day or two. Then after she leaves, the NEXT day I remove the unhatched eggs. I wait because I have had some start to hatch a few hours after she leaves the nest and once they hatch I move them close to her and she takes them in. I have also tried moving them while they were hatching to her (she pulled them under like a backhoe) but they didn't survive so now I just leave things until it is done. I have noticed that if it is warm out, they are fine for a few hours while hatching even if she isn't sitting on them. On another note, I have never been able to move her away from the flock so I just always leave things alone in that regard. She protects the babies and usually runs the other hens out of the coop for most of the day. They brave it to get a drink and eat a snack then she runs them out again. We have only lost 2 chics, one I think got out of the run and never made it back in...the other I found in the coop. I figure nature knows best so it makes my life easier (since Mama does all the work), I don't worry, I don't interfere and it usually works out just fine.

 

[vpatt]

[quote name="chicknmania" url="/t/457488/old-fashioned-broody-hen-hatch-a-long-and-informational-thread/24190#post_14851879

Is she letting them stay under her at night?  If it's going to be sub zero and they are newly hatched, you might want to consider bringing them inside.  they do need help staying warm, until they get fully feathered.  That is, if you can catch them1
[/quote]

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She had still been sleeping in the nest with them...but becoming more reluctant to go in with them the last couple of nites.
Last nite was their first nite on the roost. When I caught them I put them by mama's side and I think she was good with that. I did put some extra straw in a corner for them, also, in case they didn't stay on the roost.....because they have been sleeping in straw. This morning they were fine. The last time I checked (I check them often in the bad weather.) One was outside with part of the flock and the other had stayed inside with the rest of the flock. They are six weeks old now. I was concerned because of the weather. If it had been warm weather I may have just shut them in the broody nest for the nite.

I have to say that they were a bit loud when I placed them on the roost. Olivia (the other broody but not their mom) kept pecking at my hand.....so she was more concerned for them than their own mom...or so it seemed.

 

[SarahJS]

Hello everyone. I have a silkie sitting on eggs. Today is day 23. No pips. I have candled a couple and I do see movement. At what point should I be worried?

 

[Hayduke27]

Hello everyone. I have a silkie sitting on eggs. Today is day 23. No pips. I have candled a couple and I do see movement. At what point should I be worried?

Do you hear any peeping coming from any of the eggs?

 

[812mommyof4]

Congrats on the new hatchlings... She must be a pretty big silkie if she was able to cover 12 eggs + a duck egg!    How long has it been since the first chicks hatched?  Usually if all eggs are set at the same time they tend to hatch within a similar time frame (usually within 48hrs from first hatch to last).... there can certainly be a 'johnny come lately' but after 2 days you would need to consider pulling left overs and placing them into an incubator to let the broody concentrate on the ones already hatched.

I moved her inside since it is so cold now in indiana. She has had several more hatch since the first one. I do have several back up broody hens also. So I'm hoping what eggs that aren't hatched yet I can move to another hen.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Hello everyone. I have a silkie sitting on eggs. Today is day 23. No pips. I have candled a couple and I do see movement. At what point should I be worried?

Were they all set at the same time? If so, somebody should be hatching. If not, you may have to adjust your date.

Cooler weather can play into a longer hatch date too.

I recommend watching and waiting another day. Then pick up an egg to see if you can hear any peeping. By day 25, unless you really got your dates mixed up, or the cooler eggs are the ones that will hatch late, it may be a bust.

There is never harm in just letting the hen sit and hatch if she is willing unless the eggs are starting to go bad.

You could also try again. Remove these eggs and set more. Silkies are such faithful broodies that if you do so immediately, chances are she will sit another 21 days. But I wouldn't stretch her beyond that as it takes a lot out of them. You may consider purchasing some chicks and placing them under her.

Lady of McCamley

 

[bramblefir]

Today is day 21 for Eunice! It looks like about half (or more) of the 16 eggs have hatched so far:



If I had been thinking clearly I would have counted the unhatched eggs because they don't wiggle around so much.

 

[SarahJS]

She started sitting sometime during the day on February 4th. We brought her inside and put more under her that night. It's hard to tell if there's any peeping because we have some recently hatched from the incubator that are peeping lol. But I candled one today and it is definitely alive.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

She started sitting sometime during the day on February 4th. We brought her inside and put more under her that night. It's hard to tell if there's any peeping because we have some recently hatched from the incubator that are peeping lol. But I candled one today and it is definitely alive.

Then wait...hopefully some will be hatching soon.
LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

The first chick is out!

Looks to be an OE (Isbar/Marans) from the dark egg shell and coloring...waiting for the Isbar chicks whose eggs are peeking out but no signs that I can see yet.

Mom is in lock down for the rest, so I hand fed her on her nest. She gobbled the scratch eagerly and even gave some to junior who took it willingly.

Good news....no head dot. Breeder said there was a chance one of the mothers could have been a Blue Birchen Cuckoo Marans which means any head dots would indicate roo...so yay, no hands down roo's yet.

One other OE to hatch and 3 Isbars....which I really hope I get...news to follow.

LofMc