Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Johnn]

Bella and baby Lacey

 

[saltandpepper2]

EMERGENCY: today is hatching day for my broody! I went out to check for any baby chicks, and found a chick trying to mover around.... in the membrane, the shell was almost completely gone, and there was still blood inside the membrane. Did the broody try to "help" the chick hatch? She's super protective over her broods, and I've never had issues before.. I ended of getting another egg, sanitizing the shell, and putting the chick's membrane in there so that it could hopefully finish hatching. I would put it in an incubator, but it take up to 2 days for the thing to stabilize. Is there anything else I can do????

 

[numzldr]

Our final hatch count was 12 chicks out of 14 eggs! Super broody!

Thats really good. My hatch didn't go as well. 3 chicks out of 9 eggs out of the 3 I cracked,1 had a full grown chick inside but no attempt was made to break out. The other 2 must not have been fertile. My son threw the other 3 in the beanfield n said 1 had nothing but wasn't sure about the other 2. I'm glad I have 3 live ones but... I do remember some saying about not counting ur chickens b4 they hatch....
My plan now is to buy a bator n hatch out eggs from momma australorp when she starts again n hope to lock in that broody trait. So does anyone know how old a rooster can b n still be potent? Mine is about 4 now. Obviously 4 were fertile. I don't know if he just didnt get to the other hens or what happened. His momma was a barred rock n papa was a buff brahma who had white wings so I don't think he was pure buff,but still a brahma.

 

[chicksurreal]

Thats really good. My hatch didn't go as well. 3 chicks out of 9 eggs out of the 3 I cracked,1 had a full grown chick inside but no attempt was made to break out. The other 2 must not have been fertile. My son threw the other 3 in the beanfield n said 1 had nothing but wasn't sure about the other 2. I'm glad I have 3 live ones but... I do remember some saying about not counting ur chickens b4 they hatch....
My plan now is to buy a bator n hatch out eggs from momma australorp when she starts again n hope to lock in that broody trait. So does anyone know how old a rooster can b n still be potent? Mine is about 4 now. Obviously 4 were fertile. I don't know if he just didnt get to the other hens or what happened. His momma was a barred rock n papa was a buff brahma who had white wings so I don't think he was pure buff,but still a brahma.

How many girls does he have? That makes a huge difference. From what I've read a roo can easily fertilize the eggs of about ten hens, but the more you have the lower the percentage of fertile eggs. I have one roo right now with 26 hens and the fertilization percentage is about 40-50%.

 

[chicksurreal]

Bella and baby Lacey

So sweet!

 

[Johnn]

So sweet!

Thanks!

 

[numzldr]

How many girls does he have? That makes a huge difference. From what I've read a roo can easily fertilize the eggs of about ten hens, but the more you have the lower the percentage of fertile eggs. I have one roo right now with 26 hens and the fertilization percentage is about 40-50%.

He has 12 hens. I had another roo that was 1/2 australorp 1/2buff orp n I had him with the hens while the rock was penned up.In June I gave a buddy 42eggs from that mating hoping to diversify the gene pool but something happened n 0 hatched. He said elec was off a couple hrs in the first wk. so they must of got too cool. That roo became fox scat. I have a new batch of mixed 'pullets' I bought last mo.that r 5-6 months old n there is 2 roos in that batch that look to b RI reds.
I don't know if a roo would ned a scrip 4 viagra as he got older or what.

 

[Faraday40]

Our final hatch count was 12 chicks out of 14 eggs! Super broody!

Outstanding broody!

 

[Faraday40]

Bella and baby Lacey

Awwww! How fun! Both are looking great.

 

[kilby]

Bella and baby Lacey

best one yet Johnn. Going to submit to calendar? If that is how it's done.