Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

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Congrats jordanhaspinkhair, got pics?

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Hi kannna, and congrats on the broody, she should do all the work you just sit back and enjoy.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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My goodness Julie put the eggs under your broodys, that will be one less thing you'll need to worry about, Sorry about Hubby, if I was closer I'd come help out. Congrats on the broodys, at least they will take over any responsibilities for their chicks which will leave you time for everything else. Just make sure they have plenty of food and water close by. I feed my broodys starter grower that way when chicks hatch it's right there for them also. Keep us updated.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well thank goodness my Brahma that hatched chicks 6 weeks ago, has gone broody again because my Muscovy hen rejected her first ever hatched duckling and I put it under my brahma, she accepted it with out hesitation, also stuck another duck egg that had pipped under her which my M hen wasn't sitting on. so sad she seems to not know what to do now that her eggs are hatching.

 

[jordanhaspinkhair]

No pictures yet! I checked this morning- my broody is so sweet letting me gently lift her up to peek, no biting, just a little fluffing up. Chick wasn't out yet, the egg was more open but chick is still working on breaking free. It peeped again! My hen squealed with delight and looked down, and snuggled in more. I guess it can take as long as 24 hours for them to completely hatch? Hoping all goes well!

 

[stonykill]

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well thank goodness for that! Too bad about mama duck. I'm a little surprised, but then again my Pekins are cute as heck, but dumb as a rock.....so maybe it is a duck thing? lol

 

[JulieNKC]

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My goodness Julie put the eggs under your broodys, that will be one less thing you'll need to worry about, Sorry about Hubby, if I was closer I'd come help out. Congrats on the broodys, at least they will take over any responsibilities for their chicks which will leave you time for everything else. Just make sure they have plenty of food and water close by. I feed my broodys starter grower that way when chicks hatch it's right there for them also. Keep us updated.

Thanks, am on my way to do that now. My chickens are all getting gamebird grower since I have the ducklings and poults tight now. I've been throwing a handful in the nest when I feed the chickens for the broody momma. Of course they all want the same nest, even though there are 2 on the floor because I thought silkies liked floor nests. They used to use the other nests, now when I go in there there are or 4 chickens all piled on the same nest box, thank goodness it's a big one.

 

[Chicklette 1]

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My goodness Julie put the eggs under your broodys, that will be one less thing you'll need to worry about, Sorry about Hubby, if I was closer I'd come help out. Congrats on the broodys, at least they will take over any responsibilities for their chicks which will leave you time for everything else. Just make sure they have plenty of food and water close by. I feed my broodys starter grower that way when chicks hatch it's right there for them also. Keep us updated.

Thanks, am on my way to do that now. My chickens are all getting gamebird grower since I have the ducklings and poults tight now. I've been throwing a handful in the nest when I feed the chickens for the broody momma. Of course they all want the same nest, even though there are 2 on the floor because I thought silkies liked floor nests. They used to use the other nests, now when I go in there there are or 4 chickens all piled on the same nest box, thank goodness it's a big one.

Next coop I am putting in 2 15x15 nests and a couple of 12x12 because I now have 2,3,or even 4 broodies in one nest. I feel like they will smother each other and in this heat I really worry.

 

[Fuffy]

Well it's DAY 10 for Hermione.

I've been really good and left her to it ... Just giving her tempting treats and clean water every day. She is getting up once a day, and to be honest, I haven't even seen an egg since I put them under her. So the is coping really well with the dozen.

As it STILL hasn't rained here, and as the problem last time may have been to do with the humidity, I have taken to 'raining' in the nursery run. With a watering can. I think this should increase the humidity a little as the water evaporates. Does anyone have any thoughts?

The plan is to candle at some point this weekend...probably Sunday afternoon, and to remove any eggs that aren't viable. That way, at least Hermione will be more comfortable.

You are all still out there in cyberspace crossing all your available extremities for us, aren't you?

 

[joycenjohnb]

Well my one Serama hatched five eggs Monday. It was her first hatch and mine. I trie dthe incubator method with no success, so I decided to let nature take over. Worked great I even let her stay in with the rest of the flock and had no problems. I had one egg that pipped but she left it, when I was getting rid the the unhatched eggs I heard it peeping and when I looked ants were crawling in the hole. I cracked it open and got the ants off the chick and kept in in the house for a day until it dried then returned it to the mother and she took it right under her wing. All are doing great and this morning I heard a peep from under another hen. This natural stuff is the best.

The little one in the front is the one I helped.