Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Wishapup]

If you have a small flashlight that has a lot of lumens, use that. I have a nice 200 lumens flashlight I got at Walmart that can see through even black copper marans eggs. I love the thing. Good luck and don't give up hope! With broodies I've found they almost always hatch on day 21 and not any sooner, and sometimes later, since they are getting off the nest, while most of us aren't cooling the eggs in our incubators.

My small flashlight doesn't have batteries currently. I've been using a larger one.

Nothing happened as of yet, but I went out and tried to candle. Only one I could see through was the older, paler Marans egg--wasn't good. But, I held other eggs up to my ear, and I'm pretty sure I heard one tapping! No chirping though. I thought I would only hear tapping after they are through the air cell and can touch the shell. So why no noise? Maybe I was imagining things...I'm starting to doubt myself...

 

[Wishapup]

I just went back again to check on that egg. It definitely is tapping and I heard a faint chirp! It's one of the fresher eggs. Even just one chick will be a success. I want to put eggs under another broody but I won't do it unless I get something out of this hatch.

 

[chicksurreal]

I just went back again to check on that egg. It definitely is tapping and I heard a faint chirp! It's one of the fresher eggs. Even just one chick will be a success. I want to put eggs under another broody but I won't do it unless I get something out of this hatch.

Yay! A pip and a chirp sound like success to me!

I had my first broody set on 11 eggs. A snake got four and all but two of the rest weren't fertile. The two that hatched are awesome and I have another broody sitting on six eggs right now, about a week into it. I love the broodys!

 

[chickchoon1]

Tuesday a.m. and 1 hatch last night and 1 trying. The 1 trying is mostly covered in membrane now and my "want" was to "help" it out but this happened with a previous hatch and chick made it out OK so I pray this 1 will also( I am TRYING to keep my nose out of the process) My flashlight kept rolling from its position and I was terrified it would break the eggs. Mama is talking tons to all of the activity so I guess shes doing well.

 

[Wishapup]

Yay! A pip and a chirp sound like success to me!

I had my first broody set on 11 eggs. A snake got four and all but two of the rest weren't fertile. The two that hatched are awesome and I have another broody sitting on six eggs right now, about a week into it. I love the broodys!

It wasn't pipped last night, just tapping on the shell! This morning the same egg is chirping quite loudly and still tapping. Expect it will pip soon.

Day 21, hear nothing from the other eggs.

Edit: This is going to be a long process, I just realized. I might not have a chick for 24 hours if it hasn't even externally pipped yet. At least it's alive!! It's an egg from my only Blue Ameraucana hen.

 

[chicksurreal]

It wasn't pipped last night, just tapping on the shell! This morning the same egg is chirping quite loudly and still tapping. Expect it will pip soon.

Day 21, hear nothing from the other eggs.

Edit: This is going to be a long process, I just realized. I might not have a chick for 24 hours if it hasn't even externally pipped yet. At least it's alive!! It's an egg from my only Blue Ameraucana hen.

Ah. Yes,it can be a long process. Lots of hard work for the chick. We didn't even know that ours had hatched until we went to remove the eggs because it had been 24 days that she was sitting on them.

 

[chickchoon1]

4 and 1/2 out of 9 hatched so she will have at least 5 kids.She is SO fluffed and watching. Hard job.

 

[Wishapup]

The egg is pipped!

 

[Wishapup]

4 and 1/2 out of 9 hatched so she will have at least 5 kids.She is SO fluffed and watching. Hard job.

Good for her! I hope you get even more! My hen is extremely alert too. Eating out of my hand but not interested in leaving the nest. She clucks to her pipped egg constantly.

 

[holm25]

I'm going to join! We have had chickens for almost a year now and have learned a lot about raising and keeping layers and have started hatching now with broodies and the bator!! I do have 2 broodies sitting on eggs. 1 has 7 chicken eggs the other has 5 Pekind duck eggs. And have many more hens making the "broody cluck".