Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Chicken Huck]

An oldtime cock fighter used a silky rooster over game hens to produce "the all time best broodies". I have tried this and they are the best broodies and excellent mamas. The silkie blood calms them down, but they still have the wild instincts of the game. Also the silkie increases the amount of feathers so the bird can cover more eggs. I had one of these silkie x game hens that sat on 20 eggs and hatched 18 (the other two were infertile). She raised all but one to "teenage"; the one drowned in the water dish.

 

[Pstock44]

14 days completed on our 1st time hatching. My wife keeps telling me to stop telling her how many days are left, she can't wait to see the chicks hatch and time isn't going fast enough for her. Lol

 

[karenerwin]

I have a Barred Rock, first time broody. She has been sitting a long time! She started off broody and then about halfway in another hen started taking over the nest every time she got off. After a week of trading back and forth ( the other broody was sitting on 2 eggs and the Barred Rock was sitting on 6), the other broody won the nest. She ended up hatching 1 chick and then on the 2nd day she and the chick left the nest (it was a raised nest, so the chick couldn't get back in). Anyway, when I got home (April 7th) I found the abandoned nest and put 4 eggs in the incubator not expecting anything to happen. 2 days later a chick hatched and then another! Another couple of days and a 3rd chick hatched! I was able to put these chicks under the Momma with the 1 chick. On April 12th the Barred Rock hatched out the 2 original eggs in her nest, but rejected them. I didn't find them until after the 1st one was dead and the second one was very cold. I put that chick in the incubator and then the next day put her under the Momma with the 4 chicks. On Easter this chick was found dead in the chicken yard after she had been seen an hour before doing great. I think maybe one of the other older chickens stepped on her or otherwise harmed it.

Anyway, the Barred Rock is still sitting on eggs. When the 2 hatched, she had 16 others under her. 2 or 3 days ago I pulled 2 eggs that were stinky and she was eating. Now she is down to 11 eggs. ( I also pulled 3 clears and numbered the rest of the eggs she is sitting on).
So, my point for all this background information is: When do I say "enough is enough " and pull the rest of the eggs & put them in the incubator and try to break her of her broodiness? I am thinking of giving her until the end of the month. What do you think? You, being those who are more experienced with broodies.

Edited to add: Yes, I know I should have separated her and blocked it off so that the other hens couldn't have added their own eggs to the nest!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I have a Barred Rock, first time broody. She has been sitting a long time! She started off broody and then about halfway in another hen started taking over the nest every time she got off. After a week of trading back and forth ( the other broody was sitting on 2 eggs and the Barred Rock was sitting on 6), the other broody won the nest. She ended up hatching 1 chick and then on the 2nd day she and the chick left the nest (it was a raised nest, so the chick couldn't get back in). Anyway, when I got home (April 7th) I found the abandoned nest and put 4 eggs in the incubator not expecting anything to happen. 2 days later a chick hatched and then another! Another couple of days and a 3rd chick hatched! I was able to put these chicks under the Momma with the 1 chick. On April 12th the Barred Rock hatched out the 2 original eggs in her nest, but rejected them. I didn't find them until after the 1st one was dead and the second one was very cold. I put that chick in the incubator and then the next day put her under the Momma with the 4 chicks. On Easter this chick was found dead in the chicken yard after she had been seen an hour before doing great. I think maybe one of the other older chickens stepped on her or otherwise harmed it.

Anyway, the Barred Rock is still sitting on eggs. When the 2 hatched, she had 16 others under her. 2 or 3 days ago I pulled 2 eggs that were stinky and she was eating. Now she is down to 11 eggs. ( I also pulled 3 clears and numbered the rest of the eggs she is sitting on).
So, my point for all this background information is: When do I say "enough is enough " and pull the rest of the eggs & put them in the incubator and try to break her of her broodiness? I am thinking of giving her until the end of the month. What do you think? You, being those who are more experienced with broodies.

Edited to add: Yes, I know I should have separated her and blocked it off so that the other hens couldn't have added their own eggs to the nest!

I'd pull now. The BR hen is obviously confused and stressed. Many hens are not sure what to do with staggered hatches and excess foot traffic.

She's done her time and hasn't handled things well due to the stress. Let her stop being broody, keep her outside the nest area if necessary. Sounds like she will break easily anyway.

Take eggs and hatch what you can get. Brood on your own as they will be too little to put in with the first batch and the other hen.

And yes, next time mark eggs, set at the same time, isolate hen. You'll have much better results in your situation.

LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Beautiful sunny day today, should be 70 degrees.

So, I let Olive out in the inner run with her brood. Seven of the babies have followed, 2 are still left in the coop wondering where everybody went (hopefully they'll clue in soon).

Momma and some of the noisier hens have had words through the fence. Barney the roo is hot on the scene to make sure things don't get out of hand.

Nine healthy babies. Pics below.


LofMc (and Olive and the chicks)

 

[karenerwin]

I'd pull now. The BR hen is obviously confused and stressed. Many hens are not sure what to do with staggered hatches and excess foot traffic.

She's done her time and hasn't handled things well due to the stress. Let her stop being broody, keep her outside the nest area if necessary. Sounds like she will break easily anyway.

Take eggs and hatch what you can get. Brood on your own as they will be too little to put in with the first batch and the other hen.

And yes, next time mark eggs, set at the same time, isolate hen. You'll have much better results in your situation.

LofMc

Ok, Thanks, I'll fire up the incubator and then go pull them later tonight. Thanks for your advice. I realize that I couldn't put them with the first broody. I already have other chicks in a brooder, but I will need to set up a separate brooder for any new chicks that hatch as they would get run over by the chicks in the brooder, I think.

 

[NysiaAnera]

Beautiful sunny day today, should be 70 degrees. So, I let Olive out in the inner run with her brood. Seven of the babies have followed, 2 are still left in the coop wondering where everybody went (hopefully they'll clue in soon). Momma and some of the noisier hens have had words through the fence. Barney the roo is hot on the scene to make sure things don't get out of hand. Nine healthy babies. Pics below. LofMc (and Olive and the chicks) [COLOR=B42000] [/COLOR]

Awe, cuties!

 

[NysiaAnera]

We were outside most of the day yesterday getting things done, and I kept thinking I was hearing peeping from the first brooding Brahma's nest. I brushed it off as hearing the chicks outside, and it only sounding like it was coming from her nest box. It happens frequently. Later, my phone dinged and it was a Hatchabatch calendar reminder that it was day 18 for that hen. Now I am all excited, and wondering if I actually was hearing peeping from her nest box! Lol I doubt it, because I think if anything, her chicks are most likely to hatch late, not early. I will be keeping an eye out though! Time to get a maternity screen up!

 

[scarlette533]

Ok, so we just got Cochins about a week ago, and I think one of my hens may be broody... Leona has been following the rooster all week, today she REFUSES to get out of the nesting box, she even tolerated me loving on her. (If not a little reluctantly) Normally that shags her out of the box immediately... but she refuses to get out. Sheldon and Bernadette are free ranging and she's just in the box chilling... and yelling... I know she COULD just be laying... it'd be our first egg. However my question is, if she IS broody, should I let her hatch the chick? We ordered 15barred rock chicks and were hoping to incorporate them into our 3 bird flock... would hatching that chick help her feel more motherly to the new chicks? Maybe help incorporate the flock better? I'm so lost! Lol

 

[scarlette533]

Ok, so we just got Cochins about a week ago, and I think one of my hens may be broody... Leona has been following the rooster all week, today she REFUSES to get out of the nesting box, she even tolerated me loving on her. (If not a little reluctantly) Normally that shags her out of the box immediately... but she refuses to get out. Sheldon and Bernadette are free ranging and she's just in the box chilling... and yelling... I know she COULD just be laying... it'd be our first egg. However my question is, if she IS broody, should I let her hatch the chick? We ordered 15barred rock chicks and were hoping to incorporate them into our 3 bird flock... would hatching that chick help her feel more motherly to the new chicks? Maybe help incorporate the flock better? I'm so lost! Lol

Nvm. Just taking her time for her first lay in the new coop... jumped the gun I guess. Lol