Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Glenmar]

Hi Guys,
I have my very first 2 broody hens. One is a Langshan and the other is a Barred Rock. Currently they are in the same coop with 5 other hens.
I plan on giving them some fertile eggs in the morning. They have been broody for about a week now. I will catch up on reading this thread, but if there is any immediate advise let me know.
thanks

 

[KickingChicken]

Hi-
I posted this question on another thread, is that going to get me in trouble?

My broody and 5 hour old chicks are fenced in to one side of this coop so they have an indoor area and the nesting area. The coop is 4 feet off of the ground. Does anyone have suggestions on what they would do in this situation. I moved her when she first went broody and she just wouldn't have it. So I let her go back to her original spot and fenced her off. It's so far off the ground, the chicks would die falling if i take the fence down, but I am sure mama is going to want to get out sometime soon.

 

[foxinachickenhouse]

Well, day 22 here and nothing so far.

I am trying to remain hopeful. This morning I went out with the stethoscope and tapped on the eggs and listened...nothing.

 

[featherz]

Quote:
Are the blue babies BLRW? They are beautiful!!! How much do you have to watch a broody after a hatch? Do they just get weak from all that setting? Thanks for putting up w/ all my Q's!

No, the babies are blue cochin x brown EE. I have no idea how much to watch my broody - this is my first one. She seems to be doing a great job so far! And she's gobbling up the yogurt and egg that I mixed in with the crumbles (as well as feeding it to the chicks of course).

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Do you have a dog crate if so then tomorrow night after they go to sleep take her and her chicks put them into the crate close it up and set on the ground under the coop, that way when she gets ready to take them out which maybe Sunday, she'll be on the ground. But she probably want to take the chicks right back into the coop so you might want to put a wider temp ramp so babies won't fall off when going down .

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
just relax mama will take care of everything!! and Congrats!!

 

[KickingChicken]

Quote:
Do you have a dog crate if so then tomorrow night after they go to sleep take her and her chicks put them into the crate close it up and set on the ground under the coop, that way when she gets ready to take them out which maybe Sunday, she'll be on the ground. But she probably want to take the chicks right back into the coop so you might want to put a wider temp ramp so babies won't fall off when going down .

Thank you for the solution. I think its a great idea. There will be a dog crate on the ground in case she prefers that, but if she does want to use the upper nesting area the wider ramp will provide safety. What a simple but wonderful solution- thats why I ask the experts! Thank you.

 

[featherz]

What do you do in this situation? My broody had her chicks about two days ago. There were two eggs left under her that were added maybe 5 days behind (I forgot to mark the eggs, duh!). I took them out and stuck them in my bator for giggles - they were too dark for me to say for sure if viable or not.

I've got other eggs in the bator due to hatch in a week so still at 40% humidity and on a turner. Candled the eggs today and see a chick about to pip into the air pocket (or so it looks). Stuck them back under broody #1 with her chicks as it's nighttime and she'll stay put.. But in the morning, should I move the eggs to broody #2, who is only a week into broodyness? which is the safer option for the chicks? it may take another two days for either of those eggs to hatch.

Or I could put them back in the bator and just let them hatch there if they can.

 

[Mtn Margie]

Hi Glenmar! We can be broody hatching buddies. I have a BO that I just put 6 eggs under an hour ago and will add 6 more tomorrow or Sunday. She was soooo happy! And yes, all of those horror stories about the broody poos were true.

 

[NellaBean]

Two new chicks today. I had to move the eggs to my mottled cochin broody, as the barred cochin was smashing eggs accidently, with her 3 chicks.

2 eggs hatched under the mottled girl.

I moved them back to the barred cochin broody, who now has 5 chicks. There are at least 5 eggs left under the mottled girl, since it was staggered.