Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[NotAFarm]

Quote:
My broody SLW got off the next every morning for a few minutes right up until she had a chick hatch. Then she stayed on the nest until the hatch was done a day and a half later (11 out of 14 eggs-one egg left in the nest, one dead chick found buried in the bedding when I moved them into different pen and one egg gone).

 

[mrsmaonaigh]

Thanks!

 

[angidee]

Update:
My broody hen stayed until every egg was hatched. The first was on Tuesday afternoon and the rest were either during the night or this morning.
Sadly, it looks like her one bum leg may have beeen the demise of one of the chicks. It looks like it might have been smoothered...she had been having a tough time balancing while the first chickie was peaking in and out :-( She is even remaining on the nest with the other 4 running around...maybe to try to keep the it warm?
Momma did such a great job staying on her nest for 2-3 additional days for them to hatch, it's sad that one didn't make it.
I removed it, so I hope momma will start cruising around with the other babies soon.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So sorry you lost one

 

[sandracollins]

I moved my b.o. tonight into a bigger dog crate because she broke another egg yesterday and I think it was just because she just dosent have enough room.She settled down when I moved her but I noticed when I was moving the eggs that two were cold so they must not have been under her properly,she has 17 call duck eggs under her ,I candled them all and 15 were fertile so I put them back under her. Do you think the cold eggs have a chance or should I have removed them ?

 

[Miss Lydia]

It's hard to say because you know when they leave the nest the eggs cool down so maybe leave them and candle in a couple of days and decide then.

 

[stonykill]

Quote:
any broody eggs I've checked while broody was out were still quite warm. I'd still give them a shot, either under her marked, or in an incubator

 

[sheila3935]

My BA hatched 6 out of 7 eggs today. The 7th is in the incubator it was a full week behind the others. Someone must have laid an egg in her nest when she got up.

 

[angidee]

It seems broodiness is contagious! With the chickies hatching for momma, it seems the cheeping sound has made my third cochin decide she now wants to hatch some eggs. Looks like there are even more chickies in our future.
This time I will do it correctly and put all the eggs under her on the same day....no staggered hatches anymore.

 

[NotAFarm]

I think you're right about contagiousness!!! I have a broody now that started acting that way just after my SLW hatched. Maybe the cheeping of the chicks triggers a hormone. Congrats! Keeping the hatch close is easier on you and mama hen!