Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Sunny Side Up]

Carol.in.WV :

...Do you think she can incubate those eggs without her "fluff" on her belly? Maybe that is why one of the other eggs broke?

I am not sure but I have noticed some of my broody hens with bare bellies and I think they pull out their own feathers to make better contact with the egg...​

I believe that all broody hens shed/pull out feathers on their breasts before brooding, they're called "broody patches". I think it not only provides better contact with the eggs but also helps provide moisture & humidity. I bet it also helps them feel the chicks when they begin to pip in the shells.​

 

[Chicklette 1]

Carol.in.WV :

. I do have one concern - they had a bout of poultry lice a few weeks ago that I treated them for, but Sky's abdomen is still pretty bare. Do you think she can incubate those eggs without her "fluff" on her belly? Maybe that is why one of the other eggs broke?

I am not sure but I have noticed some of my broody hens with bare bellies and I think they pull out their own feathers to make better contact with the egg. Has anyone else noticed this? ...OK I have not read to the end of the thread yet​

Yes, a few of my broodies have done the same. I think the reason you gave is correct. For contact and warmth.​

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well Congratulations Terri O they are so cute.

it is probably pretty good. If you don't want alot of chicks then do like i do I only let them sit 3 or 4 each but some of mine only had 2 each and both hatched, and when I did the float on the ones left to hatch out of 8 only one sunk so I still have 7 more chicks coming. One of my hens has 4 eggs under her the other 3. we have to practice birth control around here.

sorry your girl gave up Carol, I went into town for about an hour came home and one of the newbies that just hatched on Sat. was screaming outside with no chicks in site, went inside the coop and another hen had her 2 beside her own 2. don't know what happened but these hens look identical, I call the the twins and I have 3 sets of them, so just took a guess whos was whos, missed the first time but think I got it straightened out hopefully, I have to leave them all in the main coop because thats the only safe place for them. I need a barn

 

[azhenhouse]

Quote:
The bantams are so cute, and tiny. My 6 year old son is happy because they are now his chicks. He named them Opey, and Jazz. We can't even get close to the other chicks. Momma won't let us anywhere near them.

No, I hate to say that I haven't done anything about the ducks. I have been in contact with a rescue group out of Phoenix, and they are telling me I should keep them at the lake. I am trying to decide what would be the best for the trio, but it is hard. I will be posting an email that I received from the group this afternoon. It explains their opinion on the matter. It will be posted on the thread I have open.

 

[Miss Lydia]

so quiet tonight, I had to move my Bantam that is sitting and due to hatch on the 28th,

we have a small coop 3'x4' and we made it into a duplex so we could put the last 2 in their own room. I went out today and found this bantam sitting on newly laid eggs and her 4 sitting in her nest box cold. so don't have a clue if the chicks are okay . will probably do the float test tomorrow again to see. went into town for about an hr. and came home and one of the new mamas was standing outside of the coop screaming, couldn't find her 2 chicks anywhere, went inside and there they were with another hen and her 2. this gets more complicated as it goes, I didn't know who went with who, and noone was talking. Finally got moms and chicks together. I think what happened was mama went out calling her 2 chicks and they didn't follow but saw this other hen with her 2 and decided she would do. I sure hope these new moms settle down some in the next couple of days. This is nerve wracking. and another 2 mama hens were fighting, it didn't amt to anything my Brahma hen broke it up. So hope everyone else had an adventerous day. I sure did..

 

[NottinghamChicks]

Oh my Miss Lydia, such complications

I am so glad I only had one momma, her five babies keep me on edge. I am always worried about the other hens but so far so good. Hope things settle down for you and yours.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks NC, next year I think I'll put them all on birth control pills

when i couldn't find those 2 chicks today i thought for sure someone had killed them, it was so upsetting to see her so distraught. your chicks and mama doing good?

 

[NottinghamChicks]

Quote:
I am so glad that you found them safe at least. Poor momma...

My five are doing really well and Fiona is an amazing first time mom. Thanks for asking

 

[akatennant]

Maybe someone can help me out. I've got ten eggs under my broody silkie. Seven are serama eggs and three are silver sebrights. I had twelve to start with, but one cracked and she somehow pushed one of them out and it got too cold. The good thing is that with both of those eggs, an embryo had developed. One was around day five and the other was day nineteen(sad....it looked fully developed.) Here's the deal. I sat the serama eggs under her 22 days ago and the sebright eggs 21 days ago. None of them have hatched yet! I never candled any, but like I said, the two that were lost had embryos, so I'm guessing the others do too. Does anyone have any advice as to why they haven't hatched?

 

[Miss Lydia]

maybe you got the dates wrong? I really don't know. Sorry.