Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[horselover1999]

I have heard too many horror stories of broody hens attacking "expensive" chicks. I want show quality bantams later so I wanted to test her.

 

[southernBelle79]

This little chick pipped and chirped yesterday. Checked It at 5:30tjis morning. Still a pip. Got home to this. Another egg hatched successfully while I was a work. Second successful hatch just occurred why I covered momma's mouth because she wanted to peck at it. Is it normal for her to peck the chick as it exits the egg or was she trying to kill it? We have 9 more eggs to go. Some have pips. Also, what happened to this chick in the picture?

 

[Faraday40]

Not sure on the mama's intentions. I have seen curious siblings peck at eggs to encourage them to hurry up.(in an incubator)

When hatching with a broody, I just leave her alone & figure out how many hatched a few days later. My broody runs a little HOT, so her eggs tend to hatch around day 19. Perhaps they peck & eat to dispose of the shell membranes. (I never find all the shell halves, but I'm just guessing.) I've always been afraid to mess with the hen & eggs so close to hatching day. I just avoid her nest box from day 18-21.

Every once in a while I've read stories about psycho broodies who kill their chicks, but for the most part, simply leaving the hens alone works just fine.

I can't really see clearly what's going on in the pic. The chick looks like the membrane is still attached. That part's not a big deal because they usually crawl out. If it's literally stuck -almost glued- to the chick then the humidity may have been too low & the membrane started drying out. (try researching info on a "shrink wrapped chick")

Make sure it does not have an attached external yolk. If so, that could be a problem. (It hatched before the yolk sack could be absorbed.) Look up "herniated navel". Do not try to remove the yolk sack.

If it only has a red navel, they're usually fine in 24 hrs. Just apply some triple antibiotic ointment as a precaution & put it back. The belly will seal up on its own.

 

[southernBelle79]

The one pictured above was dead when I found it. I had to shield the second hatchling from beak, and assist with the third because she kept pecking at it. The fourth unzipped just fine. So I left 5 and 6 alone for the night at 11 pm. There are three other eggs that are not making and noise or pips. They were older when set, but seem to have been developing. Fingers crossed because those three are my mixes and I'm kinda curious.

 

[horselover1999]

My eggs go on lockdown tomorrow!

 

[Faraday40]

The one pictured above was dead when I found it. I had to shield the second hatchling from beak, and assist with the third because she kept pecking at it. The fourth unzipped just fine. So I left 5 and 6 alone for the night at 11 pm. There are three other eggs that are not making and noise or pips. They were older when set, but seem to have been developing. Fingers crossed because those three are my mixes and I'm kinda curious.

Sorry to hear about the loss. Hope some more chicks come your way!

 

[Faraday40]

My eggs go on lockdown tomorrow!

Very exciting!
Send some pics when they're out.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Is it normal for her to peck the chick as it exits the egg or was she trying to kill it?

I do not feel its normal. but I do alot different than what you are doing. First if I seen someone tilting, looking under my hens/removing eggs----I would probably football tackle them away from my hen----I would be so mad. I feel messing with a broody while she is hatching upsets her and can cause her do do things she would not normanally do---like pecking/stomping/etc. Picking up a about to hatch egg from under her or Tilting her in the last days causes a big drop in the moisture---(In My Opinion)---that she has built up for the hatch. I Never Bother Her the last several days. I have set/hatched about 70 broodies in the last year, all hatched their eggs and mostly all their eggs. If there was a unhatched egg left in the nest when she left the nest with the chicks----it was usually unfertile. Rarely a dead chick in the empty nest after she left but it can happen. My Personal feeling on this is-----they have the instint to hatch their eggs-----without my help-----so I let them do their thing. Sorry for your problems.

 

[nchls school]

I do not feel its normal. but I do alot different than what you are doing. First if I seen someone tilting, looking under my hens/removing eggs----I would probably football tackle them away from my hen----I would be so mad. I feel messing with a broody while she is hatching upsets her and can cause her do do things she would not normanally do---like pecking/stomping/etc. Picking up a about to hatch egg from under her or Tilting her in the last days causes a big drop in the moisture---(In My Opinion)---that she has built up for the hatch. I Never Bother Her the last several days. I have set/hatched about 70 broodies in the last year, all hatched their eggs and mostly all their eggs. If there was a unhatched egg left in the nest when she left the nest with the chicks----it was usually unfertile. Rarely a dead chick in the empty nest after she left but it can happen. My Personal feeling on this is-----they have the instint to hatch their eggs-----without my help-----so I let them do their thing. Sorry for your problems.

X 2, but it sure is hard to curb the curiosity and impatience.

 

[southernBelle79]

Well thanks for your advice. Good points made. I'm a newbie to hatching. The two eggs that couldn't unzip by themselves turned out to be two chicks that both have a missing outer toe on each foot and can't stand up. I will have to cull them if they make it through the night.
I don't think momma hen killed the chicken in the picture above. I think it died because it wasn't fully developed. I could be wrong.
I am happy with the four healthy chicks that did hatch.