Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[fisherlady]

Very cute!

My newest hatch from yesterday.

Adorable! Love the 'eye makeup'!

 

[nchls school]

Adorable! Love the 'eye makeup'!

...and that is why my wife named the chick Cleopatra.

 

[fisherlady]

...and that is why my wife named the chick Cleopatra.

A very appropriate name

Now , fingers crossed that it is a pullet!

 

[Coop de Grass]

Triumph! I put fertilized eggs under my Buff Orpington, Buffy, and on Day 21 this is what happened! Hoping for a few more!

 

[fisherlady]

Congrats Coop de Grass!

 

[checker1981]

When people talk about abandoning the nest what does that entail?

I put 8 eggs under a broody hen last Saturday. She got off them and went into the yard the first day for a few hours, another hen went in and laid an egg there and broke one of the fertile eggs. Every day she leaves the next for about 2-3 hours and walks around the yard. Is that normal? I thought they just get off the nest to poop and eat/drink then back to the nest.

Also, some how she picked up an egg and moved it to another nest with her this morning. We put a mark on all 8 eggs, since we through away one egg we found the 6 marked eggs in her old box and 1 marked egg under her in a new box. We moved her back with the other egg, but I didn't know a chicken could carry or move an egg.

 

[fisherlady]

When people talk about abandoning the nest what does that entail?

I put 8 eggs under a broody hen last Saturday.   She got off them and went into the yard the first day for a few hours, another hen went in and laid an egg there and broke one of the fertile eggs.   Every day she leaves the next for about 2-3 hours and walks around the yard.  Is that normal?  I thought they just get off the nest to poop and eat/drink then back to the nest. 

Also, some how she picked up an egg and moved it to another nest with her this morning.   We put a mark on all 8 eggs, since we through away one egg we found the 6 marked eggs in her old box and 1 marked egg under her in a new box.   We moved her back with the other egg, but I didn't know a chicken could carry or move an egg.

It sounds like your hen isn't totally committed...maybe because of inexperience or her hormones haven't hit the right level yet. Most hens only leave the nest for short periods, 2 hours is too long unless you have temp well into the 80s or more.
For a so/so hen you should provide her a private and quiet area where no other hen can access and the only nest available is hers. You can see if she settles but she may just not be ready. Some hens just never quite get it.

And yes, they can transport eggs quite efficiently.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I didn't know a chicken could carry or move an egg.

I hear others mention this, but I have never seen it happen in my MANY years having chickens, But I always move all my broodies to a private hatching pen---so they have no need to move eggs or steal eggs because there is No other eggs or nest in these pens. Most hens will not be happy with a move if you just move her and her eggs during the day or night when see can see whats going on. I always have my broodies set-up in a movable nest for a day or two then I move the nest at night without touching her, without a flashlight(only flash the light for a second if needed to get my bearings)----move nest, eggs and her in the nest to a waiting/set-up/food/water hatching pen. Out of the 60+ I have moved in just the last year or so ZERO abandoned their new nest/home. and ALL hatched, and all had almost 100% hatch for fertile eggs. none had staggered hatches or hurt/pecked chicks from other chickens. Its the Only Way I would "do it"! Good Luck!

 

[Coop de Grass]

@checker1981 I am new to chickens, but my BO went broody and I watched her in the nest box for several weeks before I put eggs under her - she is now 8 1/2 months old - I took her out each day before and during the setting process. She was never out of the nest for more than 20 minutes.

@fisherlady I have been fascinated at watching Buffy rotate her eggs. How would she move it from one nest box to another? I am going to look for videos!

 

[Coop de Grass]

I could use some advice on when to move the new mom and babies. I am not happy with the set up right now. I put an old dog crate in the coop around her nest box, but once the hatch is done how long do I have to wait?