Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[harewizard]

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OMG!!

How adorable!!

Thanks for sharing!

Lisa

 

[harewizard]

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Thank You GG Chicken Mom!

I may try your way with a bright (LUM) flashlight. I'll be sure to post what I find, IF I find......

Lisa

 

[DAFox]

I didn't see this thread.
So far this year: 2 sets growing out away from Mom. 2 sets Mamas quit too soon. 3 sets of chicks with Mama hens. 6 sets of eggs under broodies. 3 Broodies waiting for eggs. And 1 may be practicing being broody -- did not stay on a nest last night, but, did the night before. She's pulled feathers out of her breast...
Two of the broodies are repeats already from this year.
The three waiting for eggs will get them at the same time. I don't know if I will let all 3 raise the babies, though I would prefer to do it that way. I am running out of room.

Broodies, broodies everywhere, and not an egg to eat!

Dale-Ann

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like you have your hands full DAFox, me too 7 broodys plus a muscovy broody, all have had their clutches but one hen and the duck, and room? I'm thinking my dh and I will move to the coop and let the chickens take over the house

my little mama hen is still alert and eating and with her chicks, just very unsteady on her legs. I still have hope for her though.

congrats TerriO


annaraven, still looking for pics of ernest with those mamas and babies

what sweet pics Nottingham love them

 

[Tbird84]

I always try to candle at least once while they are brooding. Once time, I had my little bantam sitting on 6 eggs. I candled at 2 weeks to find out all were not fertile! So, the neighbor had me put one of her Araucana eggs under her. She hatched it out 2 days early! The Muscovies were the worst! They wanted to lay like 22 eggs but couldn't sit on them all. I had to pull some and put them in the incubator for the first 2wks until I could candle and get rid of rotten eggs. Only once did I not candle, and there were 3 rotten eggs. Congrats to all the new chicken moms! I've got babies everywhere and more due in these following weeks. I even have barn swallow nesting in the barn! Yea!!

 

[DAFox]

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Do I get to count Barn Swallows, too (along with the 12 current broodies with chicks/eggs/waiting for eggs)? I've got 6 nests. Cheeping from 4. I love my barn swallows, in spite of the mess. Don't ever have to worry about mosquitoes.
Dale-Ann

 

[Tbird84]

Well, if we can count the swallows, then I can count the starlings in the shop and the sparrows in the garage!

Oh I can't wait! my ducks are due between Monday and Wednesday! Here's hoping for a whole troop of yellow fluffy butts!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Tbird, sounds eggciting around your place too. Our ducklings aren't due till first of june, so looking forward to ducklings, it's been about 4 years since we let any of ours sit.

 

[Sudsy Chick]

I love weekends! I get to watch the girls all day! One broody has already been out; the other is waiting for me to kick her out.

I tried to candle again last night. It just didn't work - the blue eggs are so dark! I looked around and found that I'm not the only one having issues.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=53809&p=2

love this quote from the thread "I tried to candle my last/first batch of Ameraucanas, and all I did was make myself feel inadequate, and....who needs that?"

Not me!

And we're finally past the 1/2 way mark...10 days and counting!

happy to hear Miss Lydia's hen is still doing well

good luck to everyone with broody girls!

 

[stonykill]

I had to break up a Broody fight this morning. I hear a ruckus, and Blue Sumatra Mama B and the other black broody sumatra (who will hatch her clutch any day now) were fighting big time. Mama BB (Black Sumatra) had gotten up for a few minutes to eat and drink. The 2 nests are only a few feet from each other. I don't know who started what, but when I got there they were fighting like roosters. I reached down, ungloved and picked up the Black Sumatra. That allowed Mama B to round up her chicks, then all was well. I didn't even get pecked!