Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Johnn]

She's a Cream Legbar @Wishapup . Coco's chick was also a Cream Legbar

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Well that was stressful! I bought Lacey and Coco a day old chick each lastnight and both of the chicks must have been quite silent over night as I don't think they noticed they were there and were shocked when i lifted their wing up. Both attacked the baby, but after I threw their eggs away they started being nicer and just sat there whilst the chicks pecked them in the eye. Coco let hers go back under and Lacey pulled hers back under like an egg! So hopefully they should be ok! Think they were just scared as they're both first time mothers so was a bit risky getting day olds anyways.

She's a Cream Legbar @Wishapup . Coco's chick was also a Cream Legbar

That has been my curse of day old feed store chicks.

The day olds have already endured a big travel transition from the hatchery to feed store, and attempting another big transition from heat lamp to hen often becomes more than their systems can endure. It can help to load them up with electrolytes/vitamins with a Chick Saver, and if they look rumpled the next day, add some Sulmet or anti-biotic....the stress loss is often due to gut overgrowth from bacteria the first few days, coccidia the first week.

I seem to do better with 3 to 4 day olds. They seem to be over transportation stress from the hatchery (as in those that were weakened have died and been removed by the store) but still young enough to graft in.

Some feed store chicks never graft well as they have bonded with the heat lamp for heat source and always fear the big scary hen, rather than obeying her, especially if the hen seems unwelcoming at first (She may have given a startle reflex at a chick not staying under her....some peck at them to go back under in discipline which the feed stores take as aggression....some hens peck in aggression as they have not transitioned from hatching to brooding and are protecting the unhatched chicks from an intruder).

There is a real bonding time between hen and chicks those last few days of lock down just before hatch as the mother is talking to the chicks and encouraging them, and they in return are peeping back at her. The feed stores have not had that bonding time with the hen.

Sorry for the one loss. Glad the other chick is still with momma. Watch for any signs of feather rumpling as I do not feel "out of the woods" until at least a week after bringing them home, often not until 2 weeks.

LofMc
(and again...nice photo!)

 

[Johnn]

That has been my curse of day old feed store chicks.

The day olds have already endured a big travel transition from the hatchery to feed store, and attempting another big transition from heat lamp to hen often becomes more than their systems can endure. It can help to load them up with electrolytes/vitamins with a Chick Saver, and if they look rumpled the next day, add some Sulmet or anti-biotic....the stress loss is often due to gut overgrowth from bacteria the first few days, coccidia the first week.

I seem to do better with 3 to 4 day olds. They seem to be over transportation stress from the hatchery (as in those that were weakened have died and been removed by the store) but still young enough to graft in.

Some feed store chicks never graft well as they have bonded with the heat lamp for heat source and always fear the big scary hen, rather than obeying her, especially if the hen seems unwelcoming at first (She may have given a startle reflex at a chick not staying under her....some peck at them to go back under in discipline which the feed stores take as aggression....some hens peck in aggression as they have not transitioned from hatching to brooding and are protecting the unhatched chicks from an intruder).

There is a real bonding time between hen and chicks those last few days of lock down just before hatch as the mother is talking to the chicks and encouraging them, and they in return are peeping back at her. The feed stores have not had that bonding time with the hen.

Sorry for the one loss. Glad the other chick is still with momma. Watch for any signs of feather rumpling as I do not feel "out of the woods" until at least a week after bringing them home, often not until 2 weeks.

LofMc
(and again...nice photo!)

I didn't get them from a feed store, I picked them up from someones house. Think they were just use to having the heat lamp, even if it was only for a few hours. The baby didn't really seem interested in Coco, I had to put it under her before I left and it still didn't talk to her :/. Thanks!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I didn't get them from a feed store, I picked them up from someones house. Think they were just use to having the heat lamp, even if it was only for a few hours. The baby didn't really seem interested in Coco, I had to put it under her before I left and it still didn't talk to her :/. Thanks!

Yes...the heat lamp bonded...I never have any problem with the broody hatched babies in all kinds of weather, but getting an incubator hatched, heat lamp brooded baby to stick with the hen is so difficult...I have come to the conclusion it must be the "talking" they do those last few days of lock down that bonds them. And little baby chicks are so vulnerable to heat/cold stress those first few days that if they don't know to stay with mum, their systems really go down quickly.

Come to think of it, I even assisted hatched a hen broody chick (saran wrap situation), and even after being in ICU for about 4 days, it had no trouble bonding with the hen...where as the artificial incubator chicks just don't seem to get it.

Hopefully the other one will do well.
LofMc

 

[Faraday40]

I never realized a hen & chick could have problems bonding. Last year, I hatched some shipped eggs with poor results- only got 3. I didn't want to bother with setting up a brooder, so I simply put them in with a hen that had just hatched some eggs. (At most, the broody's chicks were 1 day older.) Likewise, my broody & incubator were given eggs on the same day last month. One of the broody's eggs didn't hatch, so I slipped an incubator chick in it's place. The chick was a little bonded to me, so I had to kind of push it under the mom. Once it felt the warmth, it learned. Didn't see it again for at least another 24 hrs. It just kind of disappeared under all the feathers. LOL I'm guessing the cold weather helped the little chick bond quickly. It now acts like all the others.

 

[Johnn]

Yes...the heat lamp bonded...I never have any problem with the broody hatched babies in all kinds of weather, but getting an incubator hatched, heat lamp brooded baby to stick with the hen is so difficult...I have come to the conclusion it must be the "talking" they do those last few days of lock down that bonds them. And little baby chicks are so vulnerable to heat/cold stress those first few days that if they don't know to stay with mum, their systems really go down quickly.

Come to think of it, I even assisted hatched a hen broody chick (saran wrap situation), and even after being in ICU for about 4 days, it had no trouble bonding with the hen...where as the artificial incubator chicks just don't seem to get it.

Hopefully the other one will do well.
LofMc

The other one is doing really well today . Lacey is being such a great mother to it and it seems to realize he's its mam now and is feeding with her and everything

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I never realized a hen & chick could have problems bonding. Last year, I hatched some shipped eggs with poor results- only got 3. I didn't want to bother with setting up a brooder, so I simply put them in with a hen that had just hatched some eggs. (At most, the broody's chicks were 1 day older.) Likewise, my broody & incubator were given eggs on the same day last month. One of the broody's eggs didn't hatch, so I slipped an incubator chick in it's place. The chick was a little bonded to me, so I had to kind of push it under the mom. Once it felt the warmth, it learned. Didn't see it again for at least another 24 hrs. It just kind of disappeared under all the feathers. LOL I'm guessing the cold weather helped the little chick bond quickly. It now acts like all the others.

I originally thought that, then I got chickens. I think it works better if you incubate at home and then take to a broody rather than the feed store chicks which have gone through institutional brooding and shipping...I personally think it rattles their little brains and definitely makes them weaker with transition stress, and thus likely more insecure and confused.

Some people can seem to just plop them under without a worry, but I have had issues and so have a number of others...lots of variables between mom, chick, environment, travel stress, breed.

BTW...glad you posted... HOW IS the big science project going? Broody vs. incubator. Updates????

LofMc

 

[Pyxis]

Lacie goose is still hanging tight on her nest, and it would appear my black australorp Green has decided to join her in the pursuit of hatching some eggs. If she is still sitting nicely on Friday I will slip some guinea eggs under her.

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

Lacie goose is still hanging tight on her nest, and it would appear my black australorp Green has decided to join her in the pursuit of hatching some eggs. If she is still sitting nicely on Friday I will slip some guinea eggs under her.

Goslings?! Oh, that has to be beyond cute. Post pics after hatch!

 

[Pyxis]

Goslings?! Oh, that has to be beyond cute. Post pics after hatch!

Will do! I can't even wait, I'm picking up some for me this Saturday, lol.