Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[chickendreams24]

Yeah I know its hormonal but I also don't know how the flock would react and sadly we dont have the space in this coop to make something like that. Someday though. Or maybe next fall if she doesn't try again until then. I'm also fairly certain that some of our girls are hiding their eggs so if she randomly shows up with some babies I'm okay with it

 

[horselover1999]

I have a broody silkie on 7 eggs. This is day two. So excited!

 

[southernBelle79]

When candling eggs from under a broody, at what day should you remove eggs that do not appear viable? My rooster is a young silkie/polish mix and may have missed the mark on some my hens. It's day six and some eggs seem like they are not developing.

 

[fisherlady]

When candling eggs from under a broody, at what day should you remove eggs that do not appear viable? My rooster is a young silkie/polish mix and may have missed the mark on some my hens. It's day six and some eggs seem like they are not developing.

I usually pull on day 10, but that is because I just don't like to bother our hens before that and I know at day 10 there would be no question about which are clear or sloshy.
If you trust your candling abilities then you can do it whenever you are comfortable, for myself I just prefer to not have a bunch of' 'maybies' which cause me to bother the hen again.

 

[fisherlady]

I have a broody silkie on 7 eggs. This is day two. So excited!

It will seem to take forever but the wait will be worth it!

 

[horselover1999]

I candles the eggs about 3 times yesterday. It is a good thing that I have school today.

 

[chickendreams24]

Well we had a very cold windy day here last week and I'm pretty sure our broody broke after we let all the flock out in that. I'm kinda sad she broke but at the same time I'm hopeful that she'll try in spring if not her then maybe our silkies

 

[horselover1999]

My dad said that she can't be broody right now. He thinks I am going to remove the eggs tomorrow but if I can keep the eggs under her for 18 more days..... We have no way of breaking her so it would take longer than the incubation period to break her. There is no room for a wire cage and none of us has the time to take her off the nest all of the time.

 

[sktlmt]

I have a broody now. She lays eggs in the layer boxes but refuses to brood in there. She goes missing one night and it takes 7-10 days to find her. This time she hopped the fence and went into my neighbors rabbit cage in the very back where she was not visable without a decent flashlight. Found her and her dainty clutch of 19...she is at most a 2 lb hen. I candled the eggs 18 great 1 maybe...9 days to go. She is 1 year old and this is her 3rd clutch. She is trying to repopulate the chicken world!!!

 

[horselover1999]

We have some hard freezes coming up so I need to move her to the garage.