Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Here are the two new poults!

 

[nchls school]

Here are the two new poults!

How wonderful!!!! I sure do hope mine hatch. The seller recommended I use the incubator not having much faith in broody hens. I, on the other hand have more faith in broodys than I do in incubators. With four hens on the job I should get something. Time will tell.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Here are the two new poults!

How wonderful!!!! I sure do hope mine hatch. The seller recommended I use the incubator not having much faith in broody hens. I, on the other hand have more faith in broodys than I do in incubators. With four hens on the job I should get something. Time will tell.

I've only used broody hens so far and I prefer a reliable broody too. However, I have 4 eggs in an incubator right now for the first time. We shall see! This broody was not as good, maybe due to a lack of experience. Only two of her eggs hatched, although it looks like most developed well.

 

[Violetsfeathers]

I've only used broody hens so far and I prefer a reliable broody too. However, I have 4 eggs in an incubator right now for the first time. We shall see! This broody was not as good, maybe due to a lack of experience. Only two of her eggs hatched, although it looks like most developed well.

I have never used an incubator, I prefer broodies. I have an incubator but I've never used it, I'm afraid I'll mess up and kill them all. It's the kind you have to turn by hand

 

[Emslilflock]

I'm using both a hen and an incubator for the first time. My broodys eggs are set to hatch around the 14th of March. Seeing baby chicks everywhere is definitely upping the anticipation!

 

[Violetsfeathers]

Two of my chicks hatch this weekend! (March 4th!)
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[PD-Riverman]

I have the broody nests blocked off (they have food and water) so other won't go in and lay eggs/ pick on them. One of my non-broodies kicks hens off the nest just for fun and then walks away... until the broody returns.
I take the broodies out to excercise and take a dump

Removing broodies can cause problems as you already seen--but more that a broke egg at times. Can you fix her a bigger area where SHE can get off her eggs when she is ready but the other hens can not get to her. Just for Info too, having set 72 broodies just last year----most(none of my 72) do not eat or get off the nest the last 2 or 3 days---that's their way of increasing the moisture to hatch.

Two of my chicks hatch this weekend! (March 4th!)

How many eggs do you have set? More than 2? If so you have a staggered hatch---do you plan to remove these 2 as soon as they hatch so she will continue setting to hatch the others and not leave the nest???

 

[Violetsfeathers]

Removing broodies can cause problems as you already seen--but more that a broke egg at times. Can you fix her a bigger area where SHE can get off her eggs when she is ready but the other hens can not get to her. Just for Info too, having set 72 broodies just last year----most(none of my 72) do not eat or get off the nest the last 2 or 3 days---that's their way of increasing the moisture to hatch.


How many eggs do you have set? More than 2? If so you have a staggered hatch---do you plan to remove these 2 as soon as they hatch so she will continue setting to hatch the others and not leave the nest???

I know not to make the hens get off the eggs or disturb them 3 days before they hatch. I have two broodies one of them is in a pen that she can get up and eat and drink, but the other one is in a blocked off nest box.

Yes, I do know it is a staggered hatch. Of the original eight eggs I set only two survived, so I set eight more eggs a week later and four would've survived but I broke one.
I have two eggs hatching this weekend and 3ish eggs hatching next weekend, one broody will hatch the two and another broody will hatch the 3.

My fertility rate is awful, I don't know what's going on. Last year I hatched four out of four eggs and all went well.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Two of my chicks hatch this weekend! (March 4th!)

Pics or it didn't happen!

 

[Violetsfeathers]

Pics or it didn't happen!

Hasn't happened yet ! they are GOING to hatch this weekend March 4

But I'll be sure to post pics when it does!