Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Sparkle110]

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!

I can't help you but I do know a thread simlar to this one where you coudl go and ask

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-sunshine-hosts-bantychooks-and-more.1137467/

The first post on there should have some info to help you

Good Luck with your eggs!

 

[ZachyWachy]

I was wondering; we have two mommas now(one with one chick that hatched like a month ago, and one with two chicks that hatched sundayould like to know when would be a good time to let momma take her chicks in with the flock. The flock freeranges and we have had a dog show an interest in attacking small birds, she might not though because last time she was just a puppy and now she seems to just like to herd them(she is a collie) and only snaps at them to get them moving. There are also feral cats and hawks, but the hawks haven't even shown a passing interest in the chickens so l'm not worried about them. Anyone have an answer?

 

[bald Rooster]

I was wondering; we have two mommas now(one with one chick that hatched like a month ago, and one with two chicks that hatched sundayould like to know when would be a good time to let momma take her chicks in with the flock. The flock freeranges and we have had a dog show an interest in attacking small birds, she might not though because last time she was just a puppy and now she seems to just like to herd them(she is a collie) and only snaps at them to get them moving. There are also feral cats and hawks, but the hawks haven't even shown a passing interest in the chickens so l'm not worried about them. Anyone have an answer?

I have a Australian Shepard that loves to heard my chickens but I can not let him near the little ones because he nips them and that sometimes will kill them.

 

[buterflysbeauty]

Hello all. I have a broody (red laced wyndottee)Big Mama, our top hen and rooster (she bosses around our roo)! I was able to get a dozen rare barred holland hatching eggs that i was going to give her. 1. Can she hatch and raise hopefully 12 babies? 2. And most importantly after talking with a chicken expert at Cornell we might have either bronchitis or newcastle due to pour flock sneezing, coughing, etc. She suggested that we keep the babies seperate from our main flock till at least 4 months. We have 3 chicks in a brooder now. Unfortunantly, I doubt I can keep everyone seperated especially as they get older. Our flock roams our property. We have 3 additional chicks that are with another hen that hatched them and they are fine integrated in the main flock. Thoughts on giving the barred hollands to the best mama hen. The Cornell professor said to close my flock until everyone was healthy. After they are healthy, they are being treated with herbs and vetrx and have already stopped coughing. Can I sell the holland eggs in the Spring?

 

[Teacherchick18]

Hello! I hope it's ok if I jump on here with a question. I just had one of my Ameraucanas go broody. Since I don't have a rooster, the poor thing is sitting for nothing! I always hatch in an incubator and have several doz chicks cheeping away right now which is why I think she's gone broody. I've decided to get her some eggs to hatch, but I've never let a chicken do my hatching before. Any suggestions or things I should know about broody hen hatching vs incubating? Thanks!

 

[Faraday40]

Remember Cookie?


Well she's back in action!

 

[Faraday40]

Hello! I hope it's ok if I jump on here with a question. I just had one of my Ameraucanas go broody. Since I don't have a rooster, the poor thing is sitting for nothing! I always hatch in an incubator and have several doz chicks cheeping away right now which is why I think she's gone broody. I've decided to get her some eggs to hatch, but I've never let a chicken do my hatching before. Any suggestions or things I should know about broody hen hatching vs incubating? Thanks!

I think the biggest thing to know is that all eggs must be started at the same time (or else the hen will get confused on whether to get off the nest to care for chicks or abandon chicks to remain on nest.) I like to mark the eggs with a Sharpie so I can remove any newly added eggs.

 

[fisherlady]

@Faraday40
Cookie is Awesome! Having a hen like her in the coop is like having a pot of Gold! Adorable pictures!

 

[Teacherchick18]

I think the biggest thing to know is that all eggs must be started at the same time (or else the hen will get confused on whether to get off the nest to care for chicks or abandon chicks to remain on nest.) I like to mark the eggs with a Sharpie so I can remove any newly added eggs.

Thanks! I put a doz eggs under her all at the same time and marked them all. My biggest concern right now is that I've read a lot about moving the hen. Right now she's in a nest where everyone lays. I don't want the eggs getting broken when others come in while she's away. Should she be moved? How would I do that? Or is it possible to get the others to lay elsewhere? Or is the shared use of the nest not a problem? Thanks!

 

[Faraday40]

You can move her or keep her in place. It depends on your flock dynamics. If your broody is already at the top of the pecking order, then I doubt you'll need to do anything. If she's in the middle, her hormones may give her the edge she needs to stay in her chosen box. If she's a bantam fighting with LF, you may want to do something to prevent bullying.

In my case I either put up a barrier to prevent the other bigger hens from entering, (and then let the broody out for a daily bio break). I just use some garden deer netting for my barrier. OR I move the hen & all her eggs into a "broody apartment" so she can have some privacy.