Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[losttexan]

Also, if your broody is sequestered in a coop or separate area, you may want to give her a tub of dirt with a scant amount of poultry dust, DE or ash mixed in so she can take a dust bath. This will help give her a bit of relief. The little ones will most likely join in (I've had them start at 2 days old).

 

[vpatt]

Well it seems my little Scarlett was not serious. When i checked her the other day another hen was on Scarletts nest and i have not seen her back.on that nest again. I did move the kennel there and put the nest in it......which probably guarantees that no hen will want to set there ever again. But someone will raise chicks before long.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Well it seems my little Scarlett was not serious. When i checked her the other day another hen was on Scarletts nest and i have not seen her back.on that nest again. I did move the kennel there and put the nest in it......which probably guarantees that no hen will want to set there ever again. But someone will raise chicks before long.

Bummer...our best plans are often laid waste by silly birds.

I just discovered this morning that I lost one of my new chicks...can't find it anywhere...not sure what happened...I know I had 2 yesterday but today I only have one. Can't figure out if it somehow squeezed out of the run (looks like that would be hard to do as I just re-did my parameter check)...no body...no evidence of predator (bedding would have to have been scattered or hen feathers too).

For the next hatches, I will likely have to go back to locking the broody and babies in the hutch with only the non-brooding banties below in the dog crate and run until babies can navigate the long ramp....couldn't do it this hatch as I don't have enough heated dog bowls and we are in a cold snap. Water was freezing too quickly to replace before momma and babies got too thirsty.

Hopefully this last chick is smarter, stronger, something-er and will grow into a fine hen.

I really like leaving the chicks down with momma so all can forage in the run, which is the best long term, if I have resilient enough chicks....which I'm trying to breed for.

Oh well. Disappointment is something I've gotten used to with broody and raising chickens....something about not counting them before they're hatched...after they're hatched....before they start laying...after they should be laying....

LofMc

 

[nchls school]

Bummer...our best plans are often laid waste by silly birds.

I just discovered this morning that I lost one of my new chicks...can't find it anywhere...not sure what happened...I know I had 2 yesterday but today I only have one. Can't figure out if it somehow squeezed out of the run (looks like that would be hard to do as I just re-did my parameter check)...no body...no evidence of predator (bedding would have to have been scattered or hen feathers too).

For the next hatches, I will likely have to go back to locking the broody and babies in the hutch with only the non-brooding banties below in the dog crate and run until babies can navigate the long ramp....couldn't do it this hatch as I don't have enough heated dog bowls and we are in a cold snap. Water was freezing too quickly to replace before momma and babies got too thirsty.

Hopefully this last chick is smarter, stronger, something-er and will grow into a fine hen.

I really like leaving the chicks down with momma so all can forage in the run, which is the best long term, if I have resilient enough chicks....which I'm trying to breed for.

Oh well. Disappointment is something I've gotten used to with broody and raising chickens....something about not counting them before they're hatched...after they're hatched....before they start laying...after they should be laying....

LofMc

Disappointing for sure. And it alway SEEMS to be that one chick that is just the right size, shape, color, etc. that is lost.

 

[vpatt]

Yes last summer i had a little yellow chick from blue and black parents and i was so eager to see what she would look like as she grew up. So of course she was the one i lost. But i am sure there will be plenty of chicks soon.

Sorry you lost yours, LofMc.

 

[tjo804]

Sorry for you loss LofMc.

 

[feistychick]

Blondie decided she was done sitting on day 20 Her eggs were stone cold this morning, I have no idea how long she was off the nest, but she's still out running around with the other girls. I brought the eggs into the house, but I don't have an incubator - I took them into the closet to candle them and I don't see or feel anything moving Most of them look pretty full though. Any chance of saving the chicks? I'm sure that I can go to TSC and find something to incubate in, but I don't know how to tell if anything is still viable....any advice on how to tell or what I can do? Thanks in advance.

 

[fisherlady]

Blondie decided she was done sitting on day 20

Her eggs were stone cold this morning, I have no idea how long she was off the nest, but she's still out running around with the other girls. I brought the eggs into the house, but I don't have an incubator - I took them into the closet to candle them and I don't see or feel anything moving

Most of them look pretty full though. Any chance of saving the chicks? I'm sure that I can go to TSC and find something to incubate in, but I don't know how to tell if anything is still viable....any advice on how to tell or what I can do? Thanks in advance.

A shoe box with a soft washcloth and a heat lamp... set thermometer on top of eggs and adjust lamp as needed, damp paper towels laid around eggs for humidity... far from ideal but if chicks are viable they should move around after warmed up... heating pad wrapped around them could be used too...

 

[nchls school]

A shoe box with a soft washcloth and a heat lamp... set thermometer on top of eggs and adjust lamp as needed, damp paper towels laid around eggs for humidity... far from ideal but if chicks are viable they should move around after warmed up... heating pad wrapped around them could be used too...

Blondie decided she was done sitting on day 20 Her eggs were stone cold this morning, I have no idea how long she was off the nest, but she's still out running around with the other girls. I brought the eggs into the house, but I don't have an incubator - I took them into the closet to candle them and I don't see or feel anything moving Most of them look pretty full though. Any chance of saving the chicks? I'm sure that I can go to TSC and find something to incubate in, but I don't know how to tell if anything is still viable....any advice on how to tell or what I can do? Thanks in advance.

Be careful that the eggs do not get over 102 degrees.

 

[tjo804]

Blondie decided she was done sitting on day 20

Her eggs were stone cold this morning, I have no idea how long she was off the nest, but she's still out running around with the other girls. I brought the eggs into the house, but I don't have an incubator - I took them into the closet to candle them and I don't see or feel anything moving

Most of them look pretty full though. Any chance of saving the chicks? I'm sure that I can go to TSC and find something to incubate in, but I don't know how to tell if anything is still viable....any advice on how to tell or what I can do? Thanks in advance.

Warm them up great suggestions here already.

I had 5 eggs get abandoned by my broody. They got down to 50 deg. she had 5 chicks hatched already. I know the eggs were alive before she got off them and when they were cold NOTHING.
They all hatched! I put them under a newly brooding broody and had to rescue each one as it hatched. I think the hatching took longer as well do to the chilling. Be patient and get em warmed up.

Good Luck
Let us know how things go.