Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[mrsmaonaigh]

Eeeeekkkk!!!! The broody that I had mentioned that got off the nest and sat on the wrong nest yesterday at 23 days hatched at least one baby! I went outside to check this morning and heard the cutest little peep! She is still sitting but I'm so excited! I didn't think they would make it but it is such a relief!

 

[bburn]

Quote:
I had a Gold Laced Cornish go Broody and raise three chicks. One of my best Broodies ever.

Well, I am sure glad to hear that. I had not given a thought to this chicken going broody. She is in my mixed flock that is RIR, one Partridge Rock, one Cornish, and two EE's. All but the EE's have been together since we got them as chicks. I just thought of them as my egg layers.

I know I need to move her to be secluded from the others. I have the corner almost ready. WHEN do I move her? And take the eggs she has under her? Or place new eggs under her?

 

[stonykill]

she let me see one! That will teach me to not have the camera ready

 

[BlackBart]

Quote:
I had a Gold Laced Cornish go Broody and raise three chicks. One of my best Broodies ever.

Well, I am sure glad to hear that. I had not given a thought to this chicken going broody. She is in my mixed flock that is RIR, one Partridge Rock, one Cornish, and two EE's. All but the EE's have been together since we got them as chicks. I just thought of them as my egg layers.

I know I need to move her to be secluded from the others. I have the corner almost ready. WHEN do I move her? And take the eggs she has under her? Or place new eggs under her?

You could try moving her now. But she might go back to the spot she picked out. If she does then try to block it off from the other hens. Some hens will help her out by laying their eggs in her nest. If you do leave her there, she can stay with her chicks until a few days after the hatch (with food and water)
I would swap the eggs anytime but do it carefully and slowly. I usually swap around dusk.
When I move the hen it is usually around dusk too. I put her in a cardboard box with hay and place her eggs under her. Transfer her to her Broody kennel and place her eggs back under her. Most of the time the hen stays but some are really stubborn and want to go back to the place they picked out.
Nothing more stubborn than a broody bantam hen

 

[threeboysmom]

Pearl did it!
This was her first time going broody and she sat dutifully on her 6 eggs and 3 hatched! They were shipped eggs so we were right at the 50% hatch rate. The other three we opened and two hadn't even started to form anything and the other had a fully developed chick but it looked like it's brain was on the outside of it's skull?!

Here she is with her three babies, the big one is an Easter Egger, the two little guys are bantam Millie Fleur D'Uccle. I can't believe how great she is with these gals... not bad for a first time mom!

 

[quiltnchik]

Here they are! Still waiting on 3 more eggs (1 Silkie and 2 barnyard-mix), but I'm thrilled with these 4 if this is all that hatches.

Momma - "Silkie Poof"

Black one is the barnyard-mix and the other 3 are from her own eggs.

 

[Chicklette 1]

Great photos and they are all so healthy looking! Congrats!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Aww chicklette1 thats so sweet a picture and she is tiny, glad to hear she and the others are doing so good, and love your coop too. Congrats stonykill now put that camera in your pocket

and sweet pictures of yours quiltchick what color are the silkie chicks going to be? I am hoping for Sat. for the rest of ours

oh and forgot to say how precious your pictures are threeboysmom. congrats on all the hatching

 

[annaraven]

Quote:
Well, I am sure glad to hear that. I had not given a thought to this chicken going broody. She is in my mixed flock that is RIR, one Partridge Rock, one Cornish, and two EE's. All but the EE's have been together since we got them as chicks. I just thought of them as my egg layers.

I know I need to move her to be secluded from the others. I have the corner almost ready. WHEN do I move her? And take the eggs she has under her? Or place new eggs under her?

You could try moving her now. But she might go back to the spot she picked out. If she does then try to block it off from the other hens. Some hens will help her out by laying their eggs in her nest. If you do leave her there, she can stay with her chicks until a few days after the hatch (with food and water)
I would swap the eggs anytime but do it carefully and slowly. I usually swap around dusk.
When I move the hen it is usually around dusk too. I put her in a cardboard box with hay and place her eggs under her. Transfer her to her Broody kennel and place her eggs back under her. Most of the time the hen stays but some are really stubborn and want to go back to the place they picked out.
Nothing more stubborn than a broody bantam hen

My Buffy is that kind of stubborn. So how do I "block it off" from the other hens?

 

[Zoomom]

Love the pics of Silkie Poof and the chicks.

My Silkie girl isn't that poofy.