Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[fisherlady]

If I set a hen on a Friday I mark the calendar on a Friday 3 weeks later as 'due date', but start listening for peeping or tapping noises from late Wednesday on.... my silkie mix hen Gracie starts hatching religiously on day 20 no matter what breed egg I give her, often with all chicks out by the morning of day 21. Check on one of the silkie threads to see what their normal is, but I would have any alternative brooder or incubator plans in place by day 19 if you were planning to use them for any 'just in case' scenario.
Many folks have had a problem at hatch time and are scrambling to throw together an emergency brooder, having it planned out ahead of time will save worry later....it also seems that the more you plan for emergencies the less often you need to use the plans!

 

[slordaz]

We disassembled part of the hay bale caves and blocked it off so they can see her sitting on her eggs but not get in and add more eggs to hers, but was to keep the magpies out too. So no need to mark them as it's easy to close up so the others can't get in there. now the others that want to go broody are like hurry up we want in lol. We are having to build a different coop though too.

Their brooding space has to be covered as we didn't clip wings and only the duck and cornish x can't fly.

Getting excited 3 days to go and still all looks good eggs are almost to full looks like now with the exception of one but it is growing just seems a little slower

 

[Bernadine503]

Yesterday evening I gave my black silkie 5 eggs and my white silkie 3 eggs, who decided to go broody right next to her. I had more faith in my black silkie, Fifi, but it looks like Gigi has not budged either. This will be their first hatch. .... and I'm soooooo excited. We'll see in 19 more days!

 

[PD-Riverman]

We'll see in 19 more days!

If you set them yesterday---might be more like 20 days, being today is day 1. Good Luck!

 

[Bernadine503]

@PD-Riverman I will be counting down 20 days. .. so excited!

 

[PD-Riverman]

@PD-Riverman I will be counting down 20 days. .. so excited!

Its to late to add, but I give my silkies 6 to 8 full size chicken eggs each and they hatch that many--many times with great luck!

 

[Bernadine503]

Since it was their first time, they are only 7 months old, and haven't been laying eggs very long, I was afraid of giving them too many to keep warm. I didn't realize they could sit on that many eggs! If this hatch is a success I'll let them try a few more next time. The next 20 days are going to drag! LOL!

 

[Majd]

Hey guys, it's been long since i last checked out here.... But i thought I'd share my autumn broody that is hatching 14 eggs right now.

 

[Bernadine503]

Hey guys, it's been long since i last checked out here.... But i thought I'd share my autumn broody that is hatching 14 eggs right now.

Let's see photos! !

 

[Pure Poultry]

Well it is a week after hatch day and we have been delightfully surprise. Our Light Sussex hatched seven chicks

Sorry this picture only shows the first six chicks (all black) but we found a seven chick (yellow

) but I don't have a photo