Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[CharlotteRenee]

The mom won't take them out for a couple of days, then they take them out freely.  They just need a safe dry protected spot.  The chicks can spend a lot more time out from under the mom then what people who strickly "light" brood chicks would ever believe.  When they get to feeling cool they will get under mom for warmth.  Or when mom thinks they have been out and about to long she will call them to the nest or to get under her outside in their yard.

how long will they raise them for?

 

[Kassaundra]

how long will they raise them for?

Depends on the broody. I have had moms call it quits when the chicks are 3 weeks, and I've had moms still letting the fully grown (nearly) chicks try and sit under them. I think 5 - 7 weeks is about normal though.

 

[CharlotteRenee]

Depends on the broody.  I have had moms call it quits when the chicks are 3 weeks, and I've had moms still letting the fully grown (nearly) chicks try and sit under them.  I think 5 - 7 weeks is about normal though.

Ok thanks!!

 

[nchls school]

Depends on the broody.  I have had moms call it quits when the chicks are 3 weeks, and I've had moms still letting the fully grown (nearly) chicks try and sit under them.  I think 5 - 7 weeks is about normal though.

A huge X 2.

 

[nchls school]

I wish you Luck. Things can be alot different in your area than mine, When by broody is in her last 3 days---"I" would Not bother her---I would not tilt or lift her to see if a egg is pipped or hatched. I would just leave her alone till she finishes and comes off the nest. In my area she needs all the moisture she has built up to hatch the eggs----tilting/lifting her causes the moisture to escape. Might not affect you.

I can not totally disagree with you. I always recommend that people leave hens alone that are close to hatching. My situation is a bit different in that my hens are extremely tame; there is no upset with the hens when I do my routine checks (3 times a day). I have never lost a chick because of my intrusion. I have lost chicks when I didn't check- either from eggs being crushed or a hatched shell fitting over a unhatched egg making it impossible for a chick to hatch. My latest batch is in a tupperware container on the dining room table. My avatar hen has three of the four eggs hatched; the fourth egg will be late in hatching as it is an egg I found pushed off to the side and cold. That egg was put under a silkie broody and candling shows that the egg contains a living chick-just not sure when it will hatch. Overall, I agree with you in that it is best to leave hens alone while eggs are hatching.

 

[dancemomx4]

We have 3 broody girls and because I felt bad for them sitting on eggs that would never hatch I bought them some fertilized eggs. Our first four should start hatching any time now, I am so excited! I am however very nervous every and having a hard time because I won't get to see the babies hatch like I did with the mommies. Tomorrow is day 21 for Peeps four eggs, fingers crossed!

 

[feistychick]

We have 3 broody girls and because I felt bad for them sitting on eggs that would never hatch I bought them some fertilized eggs. Our first four should start hatching any time now, I am so excited! I am however very nervous every and having a hard time because I won't get to see the babies hatch like I did with the mommies. Tomorrow is day 21 for Peeps four eggs, fingers crossed!

So exciting - hope you'll post some pictures after they arrive

 

[generaldsherman]

What is redneck wire? and good idea about the wire on the bottom. I will put it on the bottom and I guess on the top under the roof. There is quite a big crack around the door opening. I have never had an animal get in the covered run, but I'm sure as soon as I put babies out there, well, you know Murphy!

aKA: bailing wire, just any wire you can cut and use to hold things together with

 

[PD-Riverman]

I can not totally disagree with you. I always recommend that people leave hens alone that are close to hatching. My situation is a bit different in that my hens are extremely tame; there is no upset with the hens when I do my routine checks (3 times a day). I have never lost a chick because of my intrusion. I have lost chicks when I didn't check- either from eggs being crushed or a hatched shell fitting over a unhatched egg making it impossible for a chick to hatch. My latest batch is in a tupperware container on the dining room table. My avatar hen has three of the four eggs hatched; the fourth egg will be late in hatching as it is an egg I found pushed off to the side and cold. That egg was put under a silkie broody and candling shows that the egg contains a living chick-just not sure when it will hatch. Overall, I agree with you in that it is best to leave hens alone while eggs are hatching.

Good!! I never bother nor look under them the last few days and very seldom have a problem---so different Locations, different ways of doing things. Good Luck!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Chicks are pipping here

Kind of excited as this is my first trial batch with my Barnevelder roo....yup, he's fertile.

This will also be my first attempt at backyard sex linking....if I did the "math" right, I should have black females and males with a head dot for barring as I used California Grey hens with my Barnevelder rooster.

From what I can see, I've got one girl hatched (appeared all black with the quick check) and another pipping...which will be 100% as I only set 2 Cal Grey eggs for this trial under my broody Silkie. (I don't think the brown egg from my Rhodebar or Welsummer/Wyandotte was developing well, but we will see in another day).

Encouraging as well as I did not do anything special...I just plunked eggs under her, let her sit on pine shavings over wood, tried to keep the shavings deeper due to the wet and cold (some wet seepage at the edges due to very heavy rains...we had 13 inches of rain in December!).

I ddin't even remove the other 2 bantam Cochins who snuggled tight with momma during the cold (and once kicked out some eggs, and twice have laid more eggs which the Silkie had under her...there's 1 dud now, but I didn't worry about it as they are small eggs).

So actually, I made a point to just let nature take its course with little intervention from me. This will be both a test and a relief after those failed hatches with the Isbars...seeing happy healthy little black chicks running around that had no special care other than mommy....hopefully the other one will pip easily today...it is cold and dry.

LofMc