Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

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Its very important that they have fluids, pedilyte or gator aide or electrolytes for chickens. try to get them to drink some by dribbling it along their beaks, be careful not to get into their nostrils. I didn't know they had cocci. is that one of the symptoms of cocci? Have you seen any blood in their poop? call your vet and ask if they know someone who see chickens. is it just 2 of your chickens showing signs of being sick. How many birds do you have total? alot of questions I know but are you feedinbg mama and chicks med. feed? if they have cocci, you need to treat asap with corid or sulmet. but sounds like they may have https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2880325#p2880325 . you can get injectable antibiotics at the feed store too. keep us updated. if your chickens have cocci and crs they may get help with sulmet
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[countrygirl911]

well my broody is doing a good job she is on day 6 and she leaves the nest at least once a day that i know of and she is very protective of her eggs she growls and hisses if anyone comes close

 

[Miss Lydia]

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If you haven't already you might want to check her nest at least in the evening, just to make sure no one has joined her and laid an egg in there. that way you can keep up with hatch day better. I mark the eggs too. Great news won't be long till you hear peeping

 

[Equine_Angel]

Alright...so I candled my eggs under my one broody hen, which has actually been taking turns with another broody hen. I have 7 eggs that are completely dark and have an air sac. I will assume that I will have new chicks in less than a week. The second broody hen that has been taking turns in this nesting box has laid an additional two, but one was a dud. The other has already started to vein. With this other egg that is only at Day 5 or so, should I keep it in that nest or take it out and give it to another hen to sit on, or put it in the incubator?

Also, the hen has nested on the highest nesting box and I do not want to move her because of stress. Should I wait until the eggs have hatched and then move her into a lower box?

 

[Miss Lydia]

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If your worried you'll stress her out by moving her wait till eggs hatch then move her, I would take the egg on day 5 and put it with another broody or put it in the bator, I don't think it would be a good idea to leave it if there is only a week to go on this batch... Looking forward to hearing and seeing pictures of your new chicks..

 

[countrygirl911]

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If you haven't already you might want to check her nest at least in the evening, just to make sure no one has joined her and laid an egg in there. that way you can keep up with hatch day better. I mark the eggs too. Great news won't be long till you hear peeping

we are marking them today when she got off yesterday one got in and layed an egg we knew which one it was since she started out with no white eggs can not wait to see mamma and baby chicks together

 

[phasianidae]

Here are some pictures of my "pile" of broody Silkies. About a month ago I just stopped picking up the floor eggs (mostly Silkie eggs) and this is the result

 

[Miss Lydia]

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How many chicks under that pile of broodys? and Congrats on the sucessful hatch, but with tha many hens sitting how could you not have!!! very pretty girls I might add!!!!

 

[phasianidae]

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How many chicks under that pile of broodys? and Congrats on the sucessful hatch, but with tha many hens sitting how could you not have!!! very pretty girls I might add!!!!

So far I have only seen one chick, but I have not lifted them up to look for more. Who knows how many could be under there

I expect it will be quite the staggered hatch though.

 

[phasianidae]

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What kind of bedding is that? Did she brood the the eggs on that the whole time?