Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[sharaw20]

I don't mess with them until day 23 or if the hen leaves the nest with other chicks already hatched. In our experience a hen who is given eggs all at the same time generally hatches everything viable within a 36hr time frame.

Thank you. I have my doubts . I put a dozen under her and not one I think is going to hatch. We are in Ontario Canada so it's going to start getting cold so I'll probably wait now until the spring summer.

 

[sharaw20]

If a hen is broody she will sit on her eggs. So for 22 days now she has been sitting. But I think what I have left are duds . So if I were to get another batch of fertile eggs and stuck then under will she sit there for another 21 days. Or should I give her a break. We live in Ontario Canada so it starting to get cold and I want the chicks to be ok in the weather that is to come. Or if I should better wait till spring summer.

 

[ameliadanielle]

Blacks, blues, and an oddball!

 

[fisherlady]

If a hen is broody she will sit on her eggs. So for 22 days now she has been sitting. But I think what I have left are duds . So if I were to get another batch of fertile eggs and stuck then under will she sit there for another 21 days. Or should I give her a break. We live in Ontario Canada so it starting to get cold and I want the chicks to be ok in the weather that is to come. Or if I should better wait till spring summer.

We are in Pennsylvania and hatch year around, even in 10*F temps...but our coop is slighltly elevated with an insulated floor and we do sand floor and have it organized to allow the flock room to scratch or dust inside when they don't want to go out. The outdoor run is partially roofed and during winter the open sides are covered with canvas panels for wind protection....so they actually have a pretty broody friendly set up, even in bad weather.
Chicks are incredibly hardy when raised in colder environments, so by 6 or so weeks these chicks are roosting with the rest of the flock and rarely under the broody.

So after all of my rambling I think the best answer for your question is 'it depends on your coop set up'. Evaluate your set up for space, wind protection, dusting availability and roosting space for young birds and go from there.

 

[fisherlady]

Blacks, blues, and an oddball!

Beautiful little group!

 

[ameliadanielle]

I finally candeled the schrodingers egg that hadn't hatched yet. It was empty. But I got 8 babies out of 9 eggs. Not bad.

 

[fisherlady]

I finally candeled the schrodingers egg that hadn't hatched yet. It was empty. But I got 8 babies out of 9 eggs. Not bad.

That is a good hatch rate!

 

[my3monsters]

Ok, I am such a total newbie, please help! I have 6 adult hens and 8 young chickens we got as hatchlings in May. Two of the hatchlings have turned out to be roosters. The other day my son noticed what we thought to be mating behavior between one of the roosters and one of the other young chickens (pullet?), we giggled and moved on. Monday, we went out to check for eggs and one of our adult hens was camped out in the nest box. Ok, maybe she is just resting. But she hasn't moved that we know of since (3 days). Is it possible she actually has a fertile egg under there? Is it wise to let her sit it this late in the year? I would love a new baby chick, but man I feel so in educated!!

 

[fisherlady]

Ok, I am such a total newbie, please help! I have 6 adult hens and 8 young chickens we got as hatchlings in May. Two of the hatchlings have turned out to be roosters. The other day my son noticed what we thought to be mating behavior between one of the roosters and one of the other young chickens (pullet?), we giggled and moved on. Monday, we went out to check for eggs and one of our adult hens was camped out in the nest box. Ok, maybe she is just resting. But she hasn't moved that we know of since (3 days). Is it possible she actually has a fertile egg under there? Is it wise to let her sit it this late in the year? I would love a new baby chick, but man I feel so in educated!!

It is possible they are fertile...
If you are going to let her set you have to mark the eggs you want her to hatch and remove any new ones laid by other hens daily. .
See my above post about colder brooding.
Plan now for how you will have to handle her after hatch...do you want her to stay in the flock to raise them or keep them separate? What will you do about extra roosters? Do you plan to let them free range? Is the coop chick friendly?
And now is the time to read up on options...go back about 20 pages and read other questions and answers which have been posed here, there is also another broody hen thread you can read up on. Good luck with your hens no matter what your decision.

 

[my3monsters]

It is possible they are fertile...
If you are going to let her set you have to mark the eggs you want her to hatch and remove any new ones laid by other hens daily. .
See my above post about colder brooding.
Plan now for how you will have to handle her after hatch...do you want her to stay in the flock to raise them or keep them separate? What will you do about extra roosters? Do you plan to let them free range? Is the coop chick friendly?
And now is the time to read up on options...go back about 20 pages and read other questions and answers which have been posed here, there is also another broody hen thread you can read up on. Good luck with your hens no matter what your decision.

Thank you so much, I guess I will let her set and see how it goes

Kind exciting. But let me just expose my ignorance a little further. Once she has laid an egg and decided to sit on it, she will not lay any more, correct? So she should just have the one egg and will just get one chick, does that sound right?

BTW, anyone in the Atlanta area looking for a beautiful mixed breed black and gold rooster? I can't keep two