Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Turk Raphael]

Some folks wish for a broody and fall short, year after year? My brother doesn't really appreciate broodys but according to him, every last bird he owns has gone broody at least once this season and more than half seem to serial offenders.White Chanteclers and Dark Cornish. The DCs were no surprise but the WCs are almost equally so. It's funny what one gets when they don't want it.

 

[ameliadanielle]

I never wanted a broody. My "plan" was to have 12 egg laying hens. :| That turned into losing 2 as chicks, and then having 9 hens and a roo as my EE baby, my favorite, turned out to be a boy.

I planned on raising no chickens. As I had simply bought layers. Not broody breeds. I knew nothing about egg laying breeds. So my two buff orpingtons became excellent incubators. Lol.

Then I bought silkies specifically to hatch eggs. Horrible luck with them. I've only had 1 silkie in a year go broody. Now I'm having issues with terrible broodies. The ones that love to go broody but break eggs and poop the nest. Lol. Just love an entire nest of 10 eggs under a silkie mix.

I don't know if the heat has made my chickens crazy but pretty much anything that isn't a silkie wants to go broody and raise babies right now. Even my ducks are broody. In this HEAT.

 

[carlf]

Here is my broody hen, "Little Hen". She's a Barred Rock, born in February 2014. When she lays, she lays a smaller than normal brown egg. Ever since she matured, she has gone broody about every 2 months. So this spring, when she went broody, we got 11 fertile eggs for her to set. I put them under her on the 3rd or 4th day she had been setting on the nest. She took right to it, turning & re-arranging the eggs as she should. She would "growl" at me and puff up when I opened the nest box lid and when I picked her up to check the eggs. But she only pecked me twice in 21 days and not very hard.
After 21 days she hatched all 11 eggs and was a fantastic momma. It was really neat to watch her brood the chicks and show them food. Lots of vocalizing. And it was really cute when they all tried to ride on her back.
Her peeps are now 8 weeks old. About 5 days ago she started laying again and also stopped letting the chicks get too close.

If you have a broody hen, I highly recommend letting her set, very rewarding to watch a momma hen at work!

One the nest with the first peeps peeking out:


Momma showing peeps the food in my hand:

 

[vpatt]

Well, my little chick didn't make it after all. I believe i should have isolated her longer (as suggested). By the time i realized she was in trouble i did separate her, but it was too late. And i guess i will never know, there could have been a reason she wasnt able to hatch on her own. It makes me feel sad , tho.

 

[h2oratt]

Well, my little chick didn't make it after all. I believe i should have isolated her longer (as suggested). By the time i realized she was in trouble i did separate her, but it was too late. And i guess i will never know, there could have been a reason she wasnt able to hatch on her own. It makes me feel sad , tho.

Sorry she didn't make it.

 

[vpatt]

Sorry she didn't make it.

Thank you.....i know these things happen, but it is hurtful, even so.

 

[BirdieBirdie]

Here is my broody hen, "Little Hen". She's a Barred Rock, born in February 2014. When she lays, she lays a smaller than normal brown egg. Ever since she matured, she has gone broody about every 2 months. So this spring, when she went broody, we got 11 fertile eggs for her to set. I put them under her on the 3rd or 4th day she had been setting on the nest. She took right to it, turning & re-arranging the eggs as she should. She would "growl" at me and puff up when I opened the nest box lid and when I picked her up to check the eggs. But she only pecked me twice in 21 days and not very hard. After 21 days she hatched all 11 eggs and was a fantastic momma. It was really neat to watch her brood the chicks and show them food. Lots of vocalizing. And it was really cute when they all tried to ride on her back. Her peeps are now 8 weeks old. About 5 days ago she started laying again and also stopped letting the chicks get too close. If you have a broody hen, I highly recommend letting her set, very rewarding to watch a momma hen at work! One the nest with the first peeps peeking out: Momma showing peeps the food in my hand:

Carlf, Congratulations on the beautiful flock!My Noche (one just like yours) is on her second hatch. She hatched her first batch on 4.9. And went broody again 3 weeks ago. We have 6 eggs under her and they are due on the 10th. Hope my batch will be as adorable as yours! What breeds do you have there?

 

[oesdog]

My wee hen is about to become a mummy in the next few days.

That should increase my terrible chicken Math !!!!!!!!! As I only have two birds one is broody and the other is a fugitive not even mine but in hiding! -lol

Oes

 

[PD-Riverman]

My wee hen is about to become a mummy in the next few days.

That should increase my terrible chicken Math !!!!!!!!! As I only have two birds one is broody and the other is a fugitive not even mine but in hiding! -lol

Oes

Good Luck!! Being I do not know the back ground---what breed of eggs is she setting on?

 

[oesdog]

I don't know - a lady brought them for me from church when I told her I had a broody. She has hens and a roo so her eggs are fertile. I just swaped the duds for these and the hen stayed. So all good so far. I asked the lady what kind of chickens she had and she said "oh I have all sorts they are all different colours?!" -lol Not quite what I meant. Anyhow they are chicks !

oes