Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[vpatt]

how can i tell if my big girl eggs are firtle

There is a thread on BYC that explains this and has pictures. I am on a new kindle and don't know how to search for it to tell you the name of the thread.

 

[Faraday40]

Easter Hatch Update:
So worried when this morning when we had no pips. (Day 21-22)
Now we have 5 out of 6 eggs pipped. They'll be officially late, but I can deal with that much better than 0 hatching. (Especially when I couldn't think of what went wrong.) My best guess is that my broody was sitting on these eggs when the temps dipped down to the teens at night. I remember her water freezing solid many nights, so perhaps the initial incubation temps were lower than normal & delayed the hatch.

The eggs were placed in our incubator for the Easter Hatch-A-Long & new replacement (science project) eggs were put under the broody. I was so worried about our incubator being "off." We now have my daughter's fancy eggs in there for her 4H science project. I would feel horrible if we killed those eggs. Tomorrow she'll candle for her experiment, but they looked good last week. Meanwhile, the broody is continuing to sit on the replacement eggs. Both groups should hatch next Sat-Sun.

Just look at that determined little face!
Our Queen Cookie is enjoying breakfast in bed. Both water & food have been moved within stretching reach, so she never has to leave the nest. She also learned that we remove her waste right away, so when we go out to check on her, she makes a special poop just for us. (Always right on cue. What a trick!) Every time I incubate, I learn something new. Who knew a hen could poop on schedule!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

thanks for the info lady mc camley,my tillie2 hatched 4 of the 5 white leghorns yesterday. the #5 still hasn't hatched.how long do i leave it in the nest.will i need to water the 4 or should i step aside

So happy to hear you've got 4 of the 5. I wait at least 24 hours, many wait 48 hours after the first chick hatches. By 48 hours, for me it is a bust. What has hatched has hatched.

LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Yes, usually 3 days after the first eggs hatch the broody will abandon the nest and take care of the chicks. In hindsight, it is generally best to mark the initial eggs with a band around the egg (so that you can see it without messing with the eggs too much) and to remove any extras every day. That way, you don't have to worry about a staggered hatch and the hen abandoning viable eggs to take care of her chicks. So, what I would do is to prepare an incubator to take care of the eggs that may still be viable when (preferably before) the hen abandons the nest. I would remove the extra eggs and put them into the incubator (after candling to try to determine what stage they are at) 48 hours after the first egg hatches, probably about 24 hours before the broody abandons the nest.

As far as the two broodies go, I would candle the eggs as soon as possible, putting the more advanced group of eggs under one hen and the less advanced under the other hen....that way you may be able to avoid too much of a staggered hatch.

Now, the egg cleaning. I don't usually clean them under any circumstances. I will pick off the "chunks" of stuff that can get stuck to the eggs, but I don't wash them. I'm not sure what you should do in this case, maybe someone with experience with a broken egg in the broody nest can help.

I personally do not clean because if you do, you will wash away the anti-microbial blush that protects the egg. I've had eggs dirtied from a broken egg, even rotten egg, still hatch, although it is not ideal, and you do risk omphalitis (infected naval sites) on the chicks...but the broody coop is hardly clean. Just take away the mess as best you can, replacing with clean bedding. But I do not wash the eggs.

LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I went out today to see my hen and her hatch. She has continued to hatch for 5 days! I was going to take the eggs yesterday, but she was so insitant. Glad as 2 hatched last night BUT I found 2 of the older ones smothered.

Has this ever happened to any of you?

My broody has has a postpartum breakdown...I went out to find a few chicks screaming and cowering as she attacked! I kicked her out. i feel bad for her as she seemed so confused and is desperately trying to get back in. Weird. Must be hormonal?

They are all doing great without her; eating and drinking.

I believe what you've had is an over stressed hen due to an overly staggered hatch. She did not know what to do with the hatched chicks and the still yet living but unhatched chicks, and it over stressed her.

She may calm down. She is probably still trying to get back to sit on eggs that are undeveloped but near hatch. If you are careful and stand by and watch, you may try removing all unhatched eggs and leave only chicks and see how she does. It may be best to do this at night, and I would check on her frequently. If she is not going to settle to mother them, you'll have to brood them.

Sorry to hear of your experience. This is the main reason most of us discourage staggered hatching. Not all hens will respond this way, but some do.

LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Easter Hatch Update:
So worried when this morning when we had no pips. (Day 21-22)
Now we have 5 out of 6 eggs pipped. They'll be officially late, but I can deal with that much better than 0 hatching. (Especially when I couldn't think of what went wrong.) My best guess is that my broody was sitting on these eggs when the temps dipped down to the teens at night. I remember her water freezing solid many nights, so perhaps the initial incubation temps were lower than normal & delayed the hatch.

The eggs were placed in our incubator for the Easter Hatch-A-Long & new replacement (science project) eggs were put under the broody. I was so worried about our incubator being "off." We now have my daughter's fancy eggs in there for her 4H science project. I would feel horrible if we killed those eggs. Tomorrow she'll candle for her experiment, but they looked good last week. Meanwhile, the broody is continuing to sit on the replacement eggs. Both groups should hatch next Sat-Sun.

Just look at that determined little face!
Our Queen Cookie is enjoying breakfast in bed. Both water & food have been moved within stretching reach, so she never has to leave the nest. She also learned that we remove her waste right away, so when we go out to check on her, she makes a special poop just for us. (Always right on cue. What a trick!) Every time I incubate, I learn something new. Who knew a hen could poop on schedule!

I'm so happy your 4H project and broody project are progressing. And yes, it is amazing what they adapt to....or adapt you to...I once had a game bird that insisted on trying to roost on top of the coop...so every night I would go out and lift up the rake so that it could climb onto the rake, be lowered down, then gently placed in the coop, which it seemed to enjoy since it was lower on the pecking order and I think had trouble settling in. When I began to notice it waited for me at the edge of the coop roof, I began to suspicion someone was getting nightly maid service

Looking forward to updates on your projects...good little Cookie.
LofMc

 

[rebrascora]

Well it is a glorious day here and I have two Easter lovely chicks just hatched this morning. One is a Marans egg and the other is my CCLxRIR cross' olive egg. Another Marans egg is pipped but no sign of any progress with the other 4 yet. Now I really need to get myself into gear and build them a little broody pen as my brooder is in use as an infirmary. So excited to have chicks this early. My little bantam cochin/silkie cross is such a good mother but then with her genes, it would have been unusual not to be.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Well it is a glorious day here and I have two Easter lovely chicks just hatched this morning. One is a Marans egg and the other is my CCLxRIR cross' olive egg. Another Marans egg is pipped but no sign of any progress with the other 4 yet. Now I really need to get myself into gear and build them a little broody pen as my brooder is in use as an infirmary. So excited to have chicks this early. My little bantam cochin/silkie cross is such a good mother but then with her genes, it would have been unusual not to be.

Isn't that the truth...somehow no matter how many coops I have, I always seem to need one more.

So happy for your Easter hatch.
LofMc

 

[rebrascora]

Thanks. 3 out and one zipped last time I checked, two ginger chipmunk striped and a black with a head spot, which I anticipate will be barred, so I guess Harry is the daddy of that one. Must get some chick crumb tomorrow. Didn't want to buy some until they started hatching (thought it might be tempting fate) but forgot it was bank holiday weekend!

 

[vpatt]

I set five eggs from assorted hens under Jessica yesterday afternoon. So counting today as day 1 they will be due to hatch April 26. Did I count right, from the second day?

I thought Olivia was broody as she was on the nest about four/five hours today....but then she hopped off. I hope she or a coopmate will be willing to sit on eggs soon as I want to order eggs. Does it sound as if she might be thinking about it?