Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[fisherlady]

Ooops...... I see K Epp already answered.

 

[K Epp]

I finally caved and gave my broody Australorp Louise of Thelma and Louise eggs. I was trying to postpone until the set date for the Easter Hatchalong. I gave her some LF that I will let her keep and raise and some bantam I will pull to the brooder after hatch.

 

[ShinShien]

If the egg is jiggling and/or cheeping then it is trying to get ready to hatch, it may have been a bit cooler for a day so maybe it is late. I would wrap it loosely in a soft towel or cloth and put it in a shoe box under a brooder light. adjust the height of the light from the box to get a temp of around 100* (I can't remember what hatch temp is supposed to be in an incubator since I don't use them)
You can use the search block at the top of the page to look up hatch temp for incubator and probably even do a search for 'emergency incubator' to see how others have set it up. I have done the shoe box and lamp for a couple with success.
Once the chick is hatched, dry and upright I would graft it back to mama hen if you can.

I do have heat lamps. I'll try that. If it hatches, when does it go back to Mom...when it's dry and able to walk?

Apparently, I can't read. You already answered that.

 

[Hayduke27]

There's a PIP!!!!

The cochin got off the nest for her break, so I ran out to look at the eggs, and 1 has a pip!!! I'm so excited!

Come on babies!!!!!!!

Here is a picture of the pip:

 

[vpatt]

[quot yay!e name="Hayduke27" url="/t/457488/old-fashioned-broody-hen-hatch-a-long-and-informational-thread/24360#post_14930735"]There's a PIP!!!! The cochin got off the nest for her break, so I ran out to look at the eggs, and 1 has a pip!!! I'm so excited! Come on babies!!!!!!! :cd Here is a picture of the pip: [/quote] Yay!

 

[ShinShien]

The 8th egg was cool by the time I got to it. The heat lamp kept fluctuating between 95 and 110 degrees. Got it to stabilize at 98, so I hope that'll work. Put egg under it in a plastic dog food bowl. How long do I give it before it's deemed dead, a day or so?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

The 8th egg was cool by the time I got to it. The heat lamp kept fluctuating between 95 and 110 degrees. Got it to stabilize at 98, so I hope that'll work. Put egg under it in a plastic dog food bowl. How long do I give it before it's deemed dead, a day or so?

I'd check for sound/movement in 24 hours.

Usually, if they haven't hatched within 24 hours, they won't....and it may not have been that it got too cold...that one may never have hatched no matter what.

The greatest lost in developing eggs is the first 3 days (quitters) and the last 3 days (hatching failures...lungs don't develop, isn't strong enough to pip/zip).

LofMc

 

[Kaylish]

I've got another 1st time broody in my bantam pen and Storm (the Silkie/Cochin that started my group brood in January) has decided to join her. So my 1st timer (one of the "twins", a "silver partridge" cochin) got 7 bantam eggs and I gave Storm 4 orpington eggs that were on day 5 from my incubator. Storm is definitely proving the theory that silkies love to brood. Her last hatch was January 26th! Is there anything I need to look out for with her brooding again so soon? Or with her hatching LF? I'll try and get some pictures this afternoon.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I've got another 1st time broody in my bantam pen and Storm (the Silkie/Cochin that started my group brood in January) has decided to join her. So my 1st timer (one of the "twins", a "silver partridge" cochin) got 7 bantam eggs and I gave Storm 4 orpington eggs that were on day 5 from my incubator. Storm is definitely proving the theory that silkies love to brood. Her last hatch was January 26th! Is there anything I need to look out for with her brooding again so soon? Or with her hatching LF? I'll try and get some pictures this afternoon.

She'll be fine with LF...you've given her 4 eggs and that is a good number...I have trouble getting 6 hatched with a Silkie in cooler weather as the fringe eggs seem too get to cold. The chicks will grow faster such that she'll be dwarfed by her children, but she'll do her best to keep them warm and loved and it will be endearing.

Since she is on almost an perpetual brood, just give her some extra treats that are high protein and good probiotics like chopped eggs and yogurt. You might put some Chick Saver vitamins/electrolytes in the water...that's like Gatoraid.

I typically just keep my perpetual mommas on the Chick Starter (non-medicated) and Chick Saver as it is high protein and high vitamins for those quick snatches of food she'll be getting and put out the calcium grit for those seasons she is actually laying (few and far between).

You should also check her over for mites/lice. Silkies are a magnet for those anyway, and a broody hen doesn't dust bathe as often which can cause a build up. I shake a little Poultry Dust (permethrin type) under the bedding (but not so it comes in contact with the eggs) and using a sock with the powder in it, powder puff her under her wings and at her vent. I once had a small out break when the babies were hatched, and I simply dusted momma really good knowing the babies would run through her feathers and get treated as well. I had no issues.

Happy hatching
LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

@Hayduke27

So? How's it going with the hatch under the Cochin?

LofMc