Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[stonykill]

Today is day 18 for my 3rd Broody Sumatra of the season.

Yesterday at 3 weeks and 3 days old, my 1st broody Sumatra aka Black Broody, moved her and her little ones out of the nest, and in with all the other Sumatra's. Here she is yesterday morning with only 1 chick visible. The others are under her.

here is my Blue Sumatra mama..... who's name has always been mama, but I've been calling her mama b recently...this morning with her little ones. She is VERY camera shy.

more little ones coming next week. I should easily reach my goal of 60 chickens this year...as I already have 58....

. And the season is still young!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are so cute Stony, and the mama are gerogeous. I have more coming next week too. we'll be hatch buddies!! My little hen that can't hardly walk, is still taking care of her chicks, it's suppose to rain today so i haven't let them out. She is alert and her chicks are 3 weeks tomorrow. I did find round worms in her poop, but not alot, i didn't worm my broodies when i wormed the rest of my chickens guess I should have. I just wish i knew what was wrong with her. I did worm her and used epernix on her for mites and lice but they don't have bugs because I do that once a month anyway. I was so worried it was mareks and now i don't think so since she has no other paralysis beside her legs aren't working right. plus she is very alert. If anyone can think of anything that I could be missing, please let me know. Thanks!!

 

[greeneacre]

I have been sucked into the Broody Hen incubation method. I have been following the thread and looking at all the adorable pictures of hens with their little biddies crawling all over them. I have been working since fall to build up a flock of cochins and breed Blue Frizzles. My frist pullet to start laying did so about 3 weeks ago and had since gone broody. She is currently on day 2 of sitting on 6 eggs from my BLRW's. It is amazing how flat the can make themselves. She hasn't gotten the evil velocirapter hiss down yet and will just make small noises if I try to look under her. She was getting up and eating in morning and returning to her spot in the coop( no eggs-since I was collect them) not budging and if I moved her she would wait until I was out for the pen and go right back in. she now has food and water right by her and didn't come out this morning. Can't wait to see if she hatch these guys out.

 

[SallyF]

My chicks are almost two weeks old now; yesterday they got to go for their first dust bath with Chickie Mama.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi greenacre, and welcome

congrats on your first broody. I am on my 7th and also 1 broody duck.

We are constantly

over all the baby pictures.. If I was you i'd put her food far enough away from her that she has to get off the nest, if not she will poop in it and boy is that messy and nasty. she'll go out and do her business at least once a day.

Sweet picture Sally F

 

[stonykill]

Miss Lydia, 1st thanks, she is a beautiful girl!
If your broody were mine, I'd make sure she had a LOT of protein. BOSS, lots of chick feed, ground up hard boiled eggs etc. She may be physically spent. I forget if you said you added vitamins to the water, but if you didn't I would do that too.

 

[foxinachickenhouse]

I am loving and learning so much from this thread. Feeling almost, mostly, somewhat prepared for some hatched eggs. Though not counting any yet...
We now have TWO broody silkies. They are working together as I had hoped they would. Little Bit in the back on her 8 eggs. Desiree in the front on her 7 eggs. I gave them 8 eggs each and they have each kicked out two. Somehow they are three eggs up between them. I guess someone laid a couple more after they stared to set...? I candled the egg Desiree kicked out yesterday and it was partially developed with a too huge air sac. Mama knows best after all. Little Bit's are due to hatch on the 19th and Desi on the 30th. I'm so nervous, I hope we can sell these chicks!

Desiree giving her best attempt at stinkeye. Her heart is clearly not in it though, she is so sweet, she trills when I pet her on the nest.

 

[Miss Lydia]

thanks stony, I have been giving her extra protein in the form of kefir and meal worms but will give her egg this evening, I carried her around to the front of the house where mostly mamas and chicks hang out and she is content to just hang out with her chicks. I made her a concoction thias morning of kefir canned dog food and beef hearts ground up. don't think she ate any, it's all for the chicks. then after I took her around front I put it out close to her and the other hens and chicks devoured it.

so will wait till I put her up to give her anything else.

that is a cute pic Fox, and that stink eye is just a little too soft..

 

[mskittydjs]

Quote:
Those girls are toooooo cute!!!!

I so want a silkie!!!

Well, been off for about a week and it has taken me 2 days to catch up on the thread. Congratualtions

to all who have hatched and are now enjoying their own little fuzzy butts!!! Cinderella is doing great with hers. They are about 10 days old and look good! She is such a good momma! Nutmeg is being a very dutiful broody and doesn't get off the nest. I put food and water by her and she hasn't touched it. I have to check her eggs every evening and remove the "extras" that are laid. Thankfully, I thought to number them at the beginning and it has paid off! She started with 12 eggs but I kept finding 2-3 out from under her so I figured that was too many for her though she is much bigger than Cinderella. Since that was in the first 2-3 days, I just removed 4 and let her keep the rest. Wednesday night, my son and I candled them and removed one. It was just a flat dark mass. The rest showed good veining and slight movements. I will recandle 2moro or Sunday and see how it is progressing. Nutmeg is one of my 2 Spice Girls (her sister is Cinnamon) that were rescued from the 4H fair when the owner just left them. They were blue ribbon winners too! The guy that runs it says some people do that every year! Guess where I will be next year to rescue the ones that are left!!! Anyways, now I have my light wheaton/gray Ameracauna, named Ghost, who has decided to go broody too!!! It IS CONTAGIOUS!!!!

She now has 6 under her and they are numbered too since she nor Nutmeg have done well when I tried to move them to a separate broody cage. I see Ghost get off the nest everyday and go eat, poo and drink. She told off a BO who decided to help her keep the eggs warm yesterday while she was out taking care of the basics. Funny how you can understand what they are saying!!!

My friends love to hear my chicken stories! So I figured Nutmeg should hatch on or about the 26th and Ghost about the 30th! DH says no more!!! Guess we'll just have to see!

MissLydia...praying for your girl! Keep us posted!
Stony...what kind of babies are those! They are beautiful!
SallyF...dontcha just love watching babies take their dust baths?? I know, I do!!

Again Congrats to all and can't wait to see more pics!!!

 

[Chicklette 1]

Quote:
Is she drinking water? If not then some of those chick electrolytes may perk her up enough to eat better. They really helped my girl when I thought he was dying. Of course it is not "medicine' but it does seem to help. Good luck, I know you must be very worried.