Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Lady of McCamley]

Also....because I am still having trouble navigating the new BYC....where did the pictures go that used to be with each thread in gallery view? I have searched for an answer and can't find it.

No idea. I'm still stumbling around a bit myself. You may want to post that question on the Wish List for the New BYC forum.

Lofmc

 

[bald Rooster]

Im sorry my fellow chicken keepers. My Leg horn going broody was enough for me.
She did great for a young hen.But I have too many chickens in all my coops to let her raise them. I'm pretty certain most would have died. Crazy Chicken got mites I believe, and is still ripping feathers out.She has been back in the coop close to two weeks now.And to be honest I think the hole brooding hen thing is to hard on them and isn't the best way these days.If your flocks 8 or less maybe fun but I have near 60 and 4 Turkeys.I do not have a predator problem in my Runs and the last thing I want to deal with when I arrive home Is dead chicks and my 4/5 and 8 year old grandchildren.
All her chicks are thriving in my brooder.

 

[Molpet]

Also....because I am still having trouble navigating the new BYC....where did the pictures go that used to be with each thread in gallery view? I have searched for an answer and can't find it.

right now they seem to be missing.. somewhere in this thread they talk about pics https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...rsion-discussion-information.1172392/page-136

 

[Curnow]

Thanks for the experienced reply. I do have a plan B in place. Brooder still set up from last incubator hatchlings that just moved up to juvenile pen attached to my adult yard. This Broody seems far more tolerant and gracious than my others. I moved her into out smaller house we use for brooding and juveniles when I had another Broody with new chicks. She stuck to her nest and never got upset with the other hens chicks when they got curious and checked her out. I have since partitioned that house in halves, and she shares it with 17 juveniles that are 5 weeks old now. They do not have sight or sound separation....and she has still stuck to then nest and never appears to be annoyed with the lively juveniles.

 

[Flock Master64]

Hey, I have a broody buff brahma and one of her eggs started hatching this morning. It's been taking all day to hatch and it still isn't out yet.

 

[asheshp]

just wanted to give an update on my broody leghorn and her 9 chicks. she is a great mama! I did try and let her take the babies out today to free range with the flock but Mama hen wasn't having anyone even look at the chicks, she attacked if someone showed any interest. I put her and the babies back into their mini coop and will have to just keep them seperate until she us ready.

 

[mistymac]

Wish me luck! Today I'm starting the eventual attempt of moving my broody! She's been setting for 9 days now.

Step 1: place her current nest (in current place) in a small plastic tote. ACCOMPLISHED!

I just put it back in the same place everything else was. My plan is to eventually (maybe) move her and the nest to a separate area/coop. If she isn't having it, I'll just fence her in place I'm hesitating to push her too much because she is a first time broody AND I'll be placing shipped eggs under her once they arrive (in a few days).

She seemed a tad confused (I made the swap while she was out for her daily watering and feeding) and noticed something might be different, but she crawled right back in.

Fingers crossed this works!

 

[ZachyWachy]

My broodies tend to just be happy with a nest, and they are all first time hatching eggs. l have never done this before. If they haven't sat on specific eggs for awhile, then l can move them and they are happy. If they have been setting on eggs, then they are confused for a little bit until they realized that it is just a different nest, but the same eggs. However, l do only move them to a sectioned off part of the coop so they aren't moving more than a couple feet.

 

[Sparkle110]

Hi, so I have had 3 broody hens for about 3 weeks now, some of the eggs are due to hatch anyday now (Yesterday was the earliest hatch date) The 3 broodies are

1. Rainbow a disabled black Americauana

2. Wormie (She got that name beacuse she was the first the get a worm is her flock) a White Chatecleir

3. Hackles (She's got a bit of a temper when she is being handeled) a White Chatecleir

I want to get some chick starter and water in the coop as soon as a chick hatches, I have sorta done this before, it was last fall , 14 eggs set, 12 hatched, 5, suvived the first day, 3 made it to 2017, 1 was rehomed, 1 was culled beacuse it was a roo (the one that was rehomed was also a roo) and we could not find it a home, only 1 is still around at our farm, I don't want a repeat of that, last time I counted the eggs (I think that was last week) there were 21 eggs, probably more now...



Help?

~ Sparkle

 

[mistymac]

So, the kids and I just received some hatching eggs in the mail (first time!). My plan is to tuck them under my broody after they rest for 24 hrs.

Upon inspection, there were a couple sweating, one cracked and several look oily (? maybe or maybe just porous?)

I am totally new to purchasing hatching eggs and read that they should rest and NOT be turned for the first several days.

Should I fire up the incubator for the first several days (to set them upright for air cell reasons) and then after a few days tuck them under broody to avoid her turning them the first few days?

Which eggs should I definitely cull out prior to setting... (cracked, porous, sweating etc.)?

These are bantam eggs so I know our chances are even slimmer

OR should I abandon our broody all together and just plan to hatch these in the incubator?

TIA!