Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Lady of McCamley]

I can't believe what just happened.

I thought I put ONE fresh egg and FOUR old eggs under her. Turns out I put THREE fresh eggs and TWO old eggs under her. I misread the dates because the pencil had rubbed off slightly on two of them; the others I had done in Sharpie.

...so end of day 22, over one hour ago: I opened up the 2 eggs that were clearly marked as old. Both just yolk, obviously never viable. I begin to open up the 3rd egg by carefully scoring at the air cell with a needle, like I did with the others. I chip away a sizeable hole. Then I see the white membrane move. It's alive

This chick is NOT ready to hatch. I must have poked a blood vessel, even though I was being careful, and it bled all over my fingers. I was panicking knowing that they can hemorrhage very easily.

An hour later: little Olive Egger is still alive in the incubator. No bleeding anymore. It doesn't look too bad. I have a full incubator going right now so all I had to do was rush it inside and tent it with a warm wet paper towel.

If it does make it, I'll wait until I'm certain it's strong/healthy to return to the hen. Right now it's looking at the next few days in the bator, absorbing blood vessels/yolk/hatching process to complete! Very risky.

Of course I'm not touching the last egg now. It's also an OE collected around the same date, and like the one I opened, there's no signs of it being alive. It's under the hen with the chick.

The chick hatched on day 21 with a rough navel. On day 22, another chick hasn't absorbed its veins. And the 3rd egg may be in a similar state. To me these things point to low incubation temps. I thought things were ideal under a broody, though--and she probably only spent 20 min total off the nest every day. I'm completely shocked to find one, potentially two, eggs alive and so behind schedule.

Add: I would have a better knowledge of what was going on had I been able to candle during incubation/lockdown, but these eggs have thick blue shells. So a complete surprise.

I'm referencing the assisted hatching guide for the poor little OE in the ICUbator [Intensive Care Unit].

I see you are in Canada...I find that ambient temperatures play into the overall hatching rate with broodies, especially if I am using (which I do) banties vs. large fowl. The egg(s) that tended to be kept right under her develop on schedule, while those that are closer to the fringes lag behind by a day or two. Often, while she does turn and switch, it seems some get the better spot more often.

I have lower hatch rates in the colder months vs warmer months....but for me it is still better letting the hen do all the work....and I really like how my cold month chicks mature faster as they are maturing with the lengthening days...often they are laying by 16 weeks with no apparent harm as adult birds (something hatcheries frown upon).


My experience
LofMc

 

[chickchoon1]

Early Thursday a.m. and mama BO is still concentrating on her unhatched eggs and it was only 35 degrees this am but chix are doing great. She abandoned them to eat and they didn't behave as if they were cold! I have to rearrange food/water so its closer to her nest for couple more days just in case there are any more hatches(so kids have food access!). I had an egg be viable 4 days after all the rest had hatched, once, so I am being cautious.Dearly wish I could post pics but you all know the cuteness factor!

 

[chicksurreal]

Early Thursday a.m. and mama BO is still concentrating on her unhatched eggs and it was only 35 degrees this am but chix are doing great. She abandoned them to eat and they didn't behave as if they were cold! I have to rearrange food/water so its closer to her nest for couple more days just in case there are any more hatches(so kids have food access!). I had an egg be viable 4 days after all the rest had hatched, once, so I am being cautious.Dearly wish I could post pics but you all know the cuteness factor!

That's awesome!

I'm totally amazed at how hardy chicks actually are. Our first broody hatched two eggs and she had them out running around in cold temperatures at 3-4 days old. She seemed to know when they got chilly and just squatted down on the ground for them to get under her wings. They're 3 1/2 weeks old now and doing great.

 

[Wishapup]

I see you are in Canada...I find that ambient temperatures play into the overall hatching rate with broodies, especially if I am using (which I do) banties vs. large fowl. The egg(s) that tended to be kept right under her develop on schedule, while those that are closer to the fringes lag behind by a day or two. Often, while she does turn and switch, it seems some get the better spot more often.

I have lower hatch rates in the colder months vs warmer months....but for me it is still better letting the hen do all the work....and I really like how my cold month chicks mature faster as they are maturing with the lengthening days...often they are laying by 16 weeks with no apparent harm as adult birds (something hatcheries frown upon).


My experience
LofMc

That is interesting LofMc. It actually has been pretty warm in the last week (but is now chilly). I wonder if the fringe was a factor too. I really like seeing the hen interact with her chick and I'm going to start the process again in a few days with my EE!

If the one in the incubator survives, I should have 3 chicks. I'm worried about all my eggs in the bator though--do you think the temporary high humidity is going to damage them? They are on day 12 and the warm paper towel makes some condensation on the windows.

14 hours later half-opened chick is still alive. It just moves, no chirping. I don't see any reduction in veins when I moisten the membrane to make it transparent. I can't tell how the chick is positioned at all nor can I see the beak. I think I'll keep waiting...

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

I candled an egg tonight and there is veining!!! In so excited I hope my girl gets at lest 1 to hatch. She is a banty and I put 6 of my BB Red eggs under her I'm so proud of my first little broody Stella

Go Stella!!

Sunday will be 10 days and I would like to candle, but the eggs I have are Welsummers. Is it worth trying? Have any of you had luck candling dark eggs like them?

 

[fisherlady]

Go Stella!!

Sunday will be 10 days and I would like to candle, but the eggs I have are Welsummers. Is it worth trying? Have any of you had luck candling dark eggs like them?

With dark eggs the only thing I would bother trying to look for is a stable air cell and a dark blob on the other end. Details won't show much with anything but the optimal light and conditions and realistically with our broodies the only thing I worry about is pulling clears or sloshy eggs at some point after day 10 to avoid any potential broken eggs or seeping eggs in the nest. Candling and pulling eggs isn't a necessity, since many hens will break and eat bad eggs, but some can explode and coat other eggs in the nest so I just do a quick check to pull the obvious problems eggs.

With eggs as dark as yours I would be happy seeing a stable air cell.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

With dark eggs the only thing I would bother trying to look for is a stable air cell and a dark blob on the other end.  Details won't show much with anything but the optimal light and conditions and realistically with our broodies the only thing I worry about is pulling clears or sloshy eggs at some point after day 10 to avoid any potential broken eggs or seeping eggs in the nest.  Candling and pulling eggs isn't a necessity, since many hens will break and eat bad eggs, but some can explode and coat other eggs in the nest so I just do a quick check to pull the obvious problems eggs.

With eggs as dark as yours I would be happy seeing a stable air cell.

Thanks, I'm pretty much leaving her alone, but I am curious because it's just too neat! I won't even pull any eggs from the nest. They are from Dheltzel, and he said some of them were a little older (1 week+) so it will just be interesting to see how she does!

 

[Pyxis]

Well, my broody BO (I really need to band and name her, lol) is too dedicated to her eggs. As I suspected, she is not getting off them unless I pull her off. She pooped in her nest too So since I had to clean that up anyway, I switched her from a five gallon bucket, which she pretty much had no room in since she's so big, to a litter box and she has taken to it well. I also covered her crate with clear plastic because two of her 'sisters' have taken to roosting on her crate at night and pooping on her food and water. So I guess I will have to make sure to yank her off the nest each day so that she eats and drinks.

 

[Wishapup]

End of day 23 - second chick just hatched! The last chick is still alive in the half-opened egg in the bator.

 

[Faraday40]

Well, my broody BO (I really need to band and name her, lol) is too dedicated to her eggs. As I suspected, she is not getting off them unless I pull her off. She pooped in her nest too

So since I had to clean that up anyway, I switched her from a five gallon bucket, which she pretty much had no room in since she's so big, to a litter box and she has taken to it well. I also covered her crate with clear plastic because two of her 'sisters' have taken to roosting on her crate at night and pooping on her food and water. So I guess I will have to make sure to yank her off the nest each day so that she eats and drinks.

Just wait & you'll have some great stories to tell! My orp did the same thing. Then she learned that I removed the poo when I made my daily check. She learned to hold it until she saw me, then BOOM! Time of day never even mattered. It was my presence that caused the reaction. My family is still laughing about it. (How I "potty trained" the hen. or how I bring out "the best" in our pets or even all the remarks about the broody's special presents made with love... or sh**.) I think you get the idea. Gross and amusing at the same time. In the long run all but one egg hatched & that one was a clear. The dirty little eggs hatched just fine.