Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Beyond Yonder]

Thank you, I will try your method. It sounds good for my girls needs. It's funny. As children we were surprised when a momma hen came out with babies and we never even thought about another hen trying to kill them. Who would have thought~

 

[nchls school]

Has anyone used game hens as broodies? How do they compare to Cochins? Will they let you near the babies or are they too protective? Thanks!!

I handled my serama hens a lot. When their chicks hatch they bring them to me. I have to be careful where I step. They do not seem upset at all when I handle the chicks. My silkie hens are just the opposite; they attack at the slightest provocation.

 

[feistychick]

I'm a total chicken newbie (got them as chicks in late April). We have 6 hens, 1 rooster, a young rescue chicken of unknown sex and 5 heritage turkeys.

I have my first broody hen (a BO named Blondie)! It took me a few days to figure out what was going on with her. I tried gently persuading her that she didn't want to live in a nest box (removing her and sending her outside). I picked her up last week and she had plucked her lower chest and belly area. I totally freaked out and zipped inside to consult BYC - thought she was sick. *Snort* figured out she was just determined to have babies - my husband is still snickering about my reaction She has the most adorable growl! She's been broody now for just over a week, and I decided that I'd give her some eggs to hatch and see how she does - starting to get super excited about her having babies now!!

I read the broody hen thread to get an idea what to do with my broody girl I've been admiring all the babies with mom pics - I hope she hatches at least a couple and is a good mom (she's such a sweet girl). I moved her into a large dog crate in the coop to keep get her out of the nest boxes. She wasn't thrilled about the move, but I put a couple of fake eggs in with her and she zipped them under her and settled in. After a couple of days sticking to the nest like glue, I gave her a batch of marked fertile eggs from our other ladies. I'm so proud of her, she hasn't moved much except to zip out and take care of herself.

Gave her eggs on Friday night (9 of them) and can't wait to candle them for the first time and see if anything is developing....I'm restraining myself so far and will try to be patient until day 7 or so (when a totally novice candler might actually be able to see something).

My husband thinks I'm a bit crazy to think a growling chicken is adorable She pecks and snarls at the other chickens if they dare put themselves within reach, but she's been pretty tolerant of me. No one has been adding contributions to her clutch, so I think I'll leave her there until she hatches - I don't want to chance breaking her broodiness by moving her a second time. I hope she actually sticks to it for 3 weeks but if not she can try again later (and I'll actually know what's going on lol).

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I'm a total chicken newbie (got them as chicks in late April). We have 6 hens, 1 rooster, a young rescue chicken of unknown sex and 5 heritage turkeys.

I have my first broody hen (a BO named Blondie)! It took me a few days to figure out what was going on with her. I tried gently persuading her that she didn't want to live in a nest box (removing her and sending her outside). I picked her up last week and she had plucked her lower chest and belly area. I totally freaked out and zipped inside to consult BYC - thought she was sick. *Snort* figured out she was just determined to have babies - my husband is still snickering about my reaction

She has the most adorable growl! She's been broody now for just over a week, and I decided that I'd give her some eggs to hatch and see how she does - starting to get super excited about her having babies now!!

I read the broody hen thread to get an idea what to do with my broody girl

I've been admiring all the babies with mom pics - I hope she hatches at least a couple and is a good mom (she's such a sweet girl). I moved her into a large dog crate in the coop to keep get her out of the nest boxes. She wasn't thrilled about the move, but I put a couple of fake eggs in with her and she zipped them under her and settled in. After a couple of days sticking to the nest like glue, I gave her a batch of marked fertile eggs from our other ladies. I'm so proud of her, she hasn't moved much except to zip out and take care of herself.

Gave her eggs on Friday night (9 of them) and can't wait to candle them for the first time and see if anything is developing....I'm restraining myself so far and will try to be patient until day 7 or so (when a totally novice candler might actually be able to see something).

My husband thinks I'm a bit crazy to think a growling chicken is adorable

She pecks and snarls at the other chickens if they dare put themselves within reach, but she's been pretty tolerant of me. No one has been adding contributions to her clutch, so I think I'll leave her there until she hatches - I don't want to chance breaking her broodiness by moving her a second time. I hope she actually sticks to it for 3 weeks

but if not she can try again later (and I'll actually know what's going on lol).

I would recommend candling around day 3 or 4...you will actually see more then than you will at day 7, if you are like most of us using a simple LED flashlight with a cupped hand. Day 3 or 4 you will see a nice web of veins...by day 7 you get to the dark blob on a half shell, and by day 14 it is mostly dark blob with air space at one end. After 14, you won't see much but dark blob...sometimes some movement if you hold it still long enough. Don't candle beyond day 18 unless you are checking unpipped eggs at day 22 or 23.

Have fun brooding and hatching with her. Be sure to have a safe place for her to take her babies once they hatch. New babies will draw predators, and during winter predators are usually hungrier, so securing her especially at night with the babies will be important too.

Keeping my fingers crossed you get a good hatch.

LofMc

BTW: Here are my favorite hatching animations that show the time frame of development.

 

[feistychick]

I would recommend candling around day 3 or 4...you will actually see more then than you will at day 7, if you are like most of us using a simple LED flashlight with a cupped hand. Day 3 or 4 you will see a nice web of veins...by day 7 you get to the dark blob on a half shell, and by day 14 it is mostly dark blob with air space at one end. After 14, you won't see much but dark blob...sometimes some movement if you hold it still long enough. Don't candle beyond day 18 unless you are checking unpipped eggs at day 22 or 23.

 Have fun brooding and hatching with her. Be sure to have a safe place for her to take her babies once they hatch. New babies will draw predators, and during winter predators are usually hungrier, so securing her especially at night with the babies will be important too.

Keeping my fingers crossed you get a good hatch. 
LofMc

BTW: Here are my favorite hatching animations that show the time frame of development. 

Woo hoo - I get to candle earlier!! Thanks for the links, I'll watch them tomorrow and candle tomorrow night I'll be using a simple flashlight - so I'm glad you told me to check soon. I have a small coop and run that is secure that I gave a good cleaning on the weekend and checked to make sure there's no holes anywhere. The "big chicken" coop and run is not baby-proof (welded wire fencing) so I had planned to move her as soon as they hatch. We have lots of coyotes, eagles, hawks and raccoons (I discovered the hard way that they love chickens), so everything is pretty secure now.

I'm going to need lots of luck to wait this out without fussing too much - she's way more zen about this deal than I am I just hope she ends up with a couple of babies for all her hard work!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I had a hen go broody yesterday. ON THE SHORTEST DAY OF THE YEAR!!!
I think the unseasonably warm weather and the added coop lighting (13 hours) have her thinking it is spring.
If she's still broody at the end of the day tomorrow I'll move her to a broody apartment.

 

[Kassaundra]

I thought I had posted some pics here but I guess I got side tracked on my way to the thread. Here is my broody and her chicks. I kept trying to talk her out of the idea of chicks in the winter, but she wasn't having any of it.

 

[Faraday40]

Woo hoo - I get to candle earlier!! Thanks for the links, I'll watch them tomorrow and candle tomorrow night

I'll be using a simple flashlight - so I'm glad you told me to check soon. I have a small coop and run that is secure that I gave a good cleaning on the weekend and checked to make sure there's no holes anywhere. The "big chicken" coop and run is not baby-proof (welded wire fencing) so I had planned to move her as soon as they hatch. We have lots of coyotes, eagles, hawks and raccoons (I discovered the hard way that they love chickens), so everything is pretty secure now.

I'm going to need lots of luck to wait this out without fussing too much - she's way more zen about this deal than I am

I just hope she ends up with a couple of babies for all her hard work!

We like our simple 9 LED flashlight. If the end is flat, you can either glue a washer (or cut out a mini foam circle) to the end of the flashlight. Eggs are not flat, so preventing that little stream of light from escaping really helps illuminate the egg. If you have neither a washer nor foam, just make an "o" with your fingers - You always have those!

I used to get to candle, but now my DD is the expert candler & recorder. She prefers the incubator because there's more to monitor & view. However, the broody hen approach is great because there's little work for us.

 

[feistychick]

We like our simple 9 LED flashlight. If the end is flat, you can either glue a washer (or cut out a mini foam circle) to the end of the flashlight. Eggs are not flat, so preventing that little stream of light from escaping really helps illuminate the egg. If you have neither a washer nor foam, just make an "o" with your fingers - You always have those! I used to get to candle, but now my DD is the expert candler & recorder. She prefers the incubator because there's more to monitor & view. However, the broody hen approach is great because there's little work for us.

Cool - thanks! I think I'll just use my fingers for now, and track down some foam, etc later ....I'm not patient enough to hunt for foam or washers after work today

 

[nchls school]

A new serama family. Wish the picture was better.