Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

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Well Congrats on 2 broodys, and

we look forward to hearing from you and pictures gotta have those pics...

isn't that the coolest thing to hear peeping inside the egg...

 

[glenstorm]

I have a mottled Java that has gone broody in the past 48 hours. This is her second broody period this spring. She sat for three weeks in early April. The hen is a year old.

I am expecting 6 fertile eggs next week. This is my first attempt to hatch eggs and I was planning on using an incubator. However, I am open to letting the broody hen do the incubating for me. I am wondering if anyone has insight about the situation. Are hens generally consistent on their commitment to sitting? i.e. If she sat for 3 weeks last time does this indicate she'll last the whole time? Does a recent broody spell tend to reduce the expected length of other spells? If the eggs don't get here till next week is it risky to wait that long to get real eggs under her? Are there other considerations I should be considering?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[Miss Lydia]

If you want her to hold on till next week I'd put something under her to sit on golf balls fake eggs. even unfertilized eggs just to keep her sitting. And if she was broody already this spring she'll most likely stay for the duration. you say she sat for 3 weeks did she hatch anything? It's an awesome experience to let mama do her thing then get to watch her with her chicks. Congrats and expecting news of a great hatch!!!

 

[Fuffy]

To the newbies!

And congrats on your broody mammas! Can't wait for pics...(I'm a nosy old bag from accross the water

)

 

[Fuffy]

Hermione is sitting tight and fast on all those eggies!

Bless her, she's such a little trooper!!!

Just PLEASE let some of them hatch and be girlies!!!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

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So good to hear Hermione is staying with it.

hoping for pullets too!!

hey you are not a nosey ole bag from across the water.

 

[lclough1998]

Just waitng for my DD's to wake up so we can go check to see if anything has developed overnight! Thanks for the welcome. This has been a great experience for us! DH is just shaking his head. Never thought he would have goats and chickens! lol Thanks for the support, I will get pictures up as soon as we can.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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and so good for future [DD] chicken lovers! will be waiting for pics.

 

[glenstorm]

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She did not hatch anything the first time. I don't have a rooster so she was sitting on unfertilized eggs. Hopefully this clutch of eggs will hatch a rooster and we can do this again. I have an Australorp that started brooding when the Mottled Java stopped. The Australorp finished and the Mottled Java began her second spell. I guess they are alternating. For a while they were both sitting on the same nest.


Thanks for the insight. I'll keep you posted on how things progress.

Dan

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
She did not hatch anything the first time. I don't have a rooster so she was sitting on unfertilized eggs. Hopefully this clutch of eggs will hatch a rooster and we can do this again. I have an Australorp that started brooding when the Mottled Java stopped. The Australorp finished and the Mottled Java began her second spell. I guess they are alternating. For a while they were both sitting on the same nest.


Thanks for the insight. I'll keep you posted on how things progress.

Dan

Thats pretty typical of hens if one starts they all will at some point, we are on our 8th broody since April, but I keep the eggs under them to a minimum, most hatched 2 one 1 and one 3, and now we have a Muscovy hen sitting. so it's kinda be going strong. Some breeds more than others tend to go broody, and from all thats been said oon this thread, when a chick is hatched by a broody they seem to go broody themselves when grown. I'm sure you'll have a roo out of your eggs. We have 2 and they are great.