Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[smallcitychick]

What a beautiful little chicken family barefootmom!!! And, wow! You might just be overrun with baby ducks!

 

[Booswalia]

Today is day 18 of my first broody hatch. What should I be doing to get ready? I feel like there should be something for me to do.
I have the hen in a doghouse with a screened door closed. She has food and water in there and seems quite comfortable but what do I do when the chicks hatch? Should I leave the door open and let her defend the chicks from the other two clowns who will for sure pick on her and the chicks? I can't keep it closed for ever. What about food? They have organic layer mash now. Should the chicks be fed something different?
Inquiring minds will need to know very soon.

 

[annaraven]

Well - as suspected my Buffy had her eggs start hatching on Cinco de Mayo. Two so far.

She doesn't like when they poke their heads out though, so I'm leaving them under her. We'll see when she wants to show them off...

 

[farmerChef]

All the eggs(6) under the broody have pipped!! it's day 20 for her! I'm so eggcited, I walk by the cage every 15 minutes to listen for peeping. She's a fierce broody, so I was only able to look under her once this morning, that's when I noticed the pips!!

 

[Booswalia]

Anybody?

 

[chickette]

Barefootmom, your place looks like so much fun in the spring

I hope all your little ducks hatch

Those are some great pics. This is really nice to see all the folks with spring chicks

Congrats to all

 

[BarefootMom]

Quote:
I would leave the door shut, I have my broody closed off from the other chickens. She gets very ansty when the other hens get near her chicks. I am feeding start and grow to mine. Chicks shouldn't have have layer food becuase of the high calcium percentage (at least that is what I have read). I plan on keeping the chicks locked up with their momma for at least a few weeks or so.

 

[chickette]

Quote:
I am happy to hear such excitment from you

and cannot wait for us to catch it over here. Keep us posted!

 

[BarefootMom]

Quote:
It is a lot of fun and such a learning experiance for my kids (Cooper will be 4 in August and Sophia just turned 2 on May 1st) We are going to sell some pullets and some boy fryer rabbits this Saturday at the sale barn...and possibly some more muscovey hatching eggs...going to TRY not to bring home anything else! lol

 

[Miss Lydia]

really you don't have to do a thing Booswalia, mama will take care of everything, like BarefootMom said don't feed the chicks layer, they need chick feed, and mama can eat it too. As for keeping her locked up we have differing opinions on that one. My hens brought their chicks out on day 3 and took them right into the main coop and all the adults haven't bothered them at all. I did do like someone suggested and when I put the chicks feed outside I put a plastic milk crate over top of it so the rest of the chickens and ducks wouldn't eat it. just so it wouldn't get eaten so fast.


congrats to annaraven and Farmer chef, looking forward to seeing more pictures, anna they are precious chicks!!

We give our duck eggs away. I should try to sell them, never thought of that but we live so far out from the largest city, and don't know of anyone who would buy them here.