Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[stonykill]

A few pics of "Black Broody" and Mama S out eating. Mama is a mellow girl, does'nt act nearly as broody. Black Broody on the other hand is hysterical! Black Broody is on day 15.

Mama is on day 1 with 9 Sumatra eggs under her.

Black Broody

Mama S

 

[BlackBart]

Quote:
Some Broodies eat, some don't. Some come off the nest and do the gigantic Broodie poo, some don't. They know what they are doing, it is instinctual to them.
They will also kick eggs out of the nest, while others will eat the kicked out eggs. Somehow they know the eggs that are infertile or there is something wrong with them.
I have also seen Broodies kill chicks that were born malformed. Not a happy sight, but its nature.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
Beautiful!

 

[Miss Lydia]

oh my gosh stonykill, they are georgeous!!! and aren't they hysterical, mine scream and walk around with their feathers all open like that, and if we could understand chicken they are probably saying "Don't touch me I'm with child"

 

[NotAFarm]

Quote:
I know she isn't a "Broody Hen" but...that's what I hear my Muscovy girl say when she gets off the nest. The whole time she is out walking around, she makes this sqeaky noise and is all ruffled. If the drake approaches her, the sqeak gets louder and she lowers her neck and puffs up even bigger. It is hysterical to say the least!! Gotta love those broodies......whatever species they are!!

 

[angidee]

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Wanted to share a picture I was able to catch of my bantam cochin with the first of the chickies hatched.
I had put eggs under her over 3 days (not the smartest thing to do). This little chickie was hatched on Tuesday, I saw another open egg last night and I am hoping the rest will hatch today.
I opted to put the food close to the momma so she didn't feel the need to leave the unhatched eggs. She seems to be teaching the one baby chickie how to eat from right there...it peeks out for a moment, gets a couple morsels and goes right back under momma. It is the cutest thing EVER!

 

[Miss Lydia]

yep i have Muscovies too notafarm and they aren't any different than the chickens in the way they act. except they act that way longer. Good luck on the hatch, none of mine have gone broody yet.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Very sweet picture angidee, love those pics of mama and babies

 

[mrsmaonaigh]

Dumb question. Do broodies go on "lock down"?

 

[Miss Lydia]

yes mine do about 2 days before hatch they will not leave their nest.