Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[mandi427]

We found one of our buff orpingtons with a nest of eggs under one of our trees yesterday. She apparently snuck out of our fenced in chicken yard to lay her eggs. My husband candled one when we moved her to a chicken tractor for protection and estimated it at about 1.5 week development. So, we're hatching chicks under a broody for the first time! Any advice?

 

[Molpet]

We found one of our buff orpingtons with a nest of eggs under one of our trees yesterday. She apparently snuck out of our fenced in chicken yard to lay her eggs. My husband candled one when we moved her to a chicken tractor for protection and estimated it at about 1.5 week development. So, we're hatching chicks under a broody for the first time! Any advice?
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Keep the food and water so she has to get off the nest. Some people have had them poop on the eggs if they can sit and eat.
She will get off for around an hour most days. Usually when your not around. Needs a dust bath spot.
She knows what to do... usually lol

 

[Imse]

My Hubby was just out to check the coop. At least one chicken has hatched tonight. This will be an exciting day
Now would be a good time to have a videocamera out there, but we don't.

 

[Imse]

I was just out there to check on her, and now I saw a little completely black head peaking out under the feathers. If you zoom in, it's under the wing in the right if the picture.

But I wonder, do I have do worry if the get water? I think that some of the eggs are to be hatched 24 h after the first ones? Do mama Persille take care of it all?

 

[BullChick]

Mama hen knows to stay put for a while. Even if she were to get up, the eggs will be fine while she drinks.

 

[BullChick]

I think most of us keep a chick waterer and feeder nearby.

 

[Imse]

I think most of us keep a chick waterer and feeder nearby.

We have food and water nearby.

 

[Abigrayl]

Hi, thanks for an awesome post! I have my broody locked up and I take her out once a day.

The reason she’s locked up is because she always goes back to the layer box after she goes for her poop so if I don’t keep her locked in there she will lose her eggs. It’s not ideal. Next time I will move her to a separate broody run I have now set up. Since I’ve already moved her once (out the layer box into a kennel in the coop) I don’t want to risk moving her again.

My question is: Do I need to stop taking her out after day 19 for the lockdown? Or can I keep forcibly taking her out and just not touch the eggs myself? She always moves them around when she gets back on the nest after her 30 minute break.

 

[Imse]

Things are happening in the mama nesting box. We hooked up a baby monitor in there. So yesterday evening we sat watching and saw at least 4 chicks.
This morning my husband counted 8 chicks. And he took a picture with 8 chicks.

We put food and water just outside the nesting box, so the hen can reach it from where she lays, because I have a feeling that the eggs are hatching over 3 days. Not ideal with hatching over so long time but someone snuck in and layed some more eggs.

Mama Persille is teaching her chicks to eat and drink and it is so amazing to watch.

 

[Molpet]

Hi, thanks for an awesome post! I have my broody locked up and I take her out once a day.

The reason she’s locked up is because she always goes back to the layer box after she goes for her poop so if I don’t keep her locked in there she will lose her eggs. It’s not ideal. Next time I will move her to a separate broody run I have now set up. Since I’ve already moved her once (out the layer box into a kennel in the coop) I don’t want to risk moving her again.

My question is: Do I need to stop taking her out after day 19 for the lockdown? Or can I keep forcibly taking her out and just not touch the eggs myself? She always moves them around when she gets back on the nest after her 30 minute break.

The eggs need the extra humidity the hen produces by staying on the eggs the last few days... lockdown