Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[welasharon]

Quote:
They are seramas...kinda like a mystery gift. You never know what's gonna pop out and they change as they grow.

 

[jordanhaspinkhair]

welasharon, those baby chick pictures are the cutest!!


Update: Mama took the babies outside in the run yesterday! They loved it. They are getting along great with my other hen too.

This is probably a long shot, but can you tell hens from roos this early by their comb size? Two of the chicks have noticeable little baby combs, and one has nothing. I don't know the breeds of the chicks, they are just mysteries!

This one has the biggest little comb. 2 days old.

 

[welasharon]

Quote:
Ooops! Thought you meant my babies! LOL

 

[Equine_Angel]

Finally! Here is Mamma Hen and her only baby chick!!! Sorry that the picture is sideways.

She had two eggs explode and created a HUGE stink in the barn. Her other three eggs did not form to be anything.

Here is a question: Can I slip three baby chicks underneath her, hoping that she will mother them? I have three eggs incubating right now from another broody hen and they should hatch this weekend. I would give it to the other broody hen, but she hate Mamma hen's first chick. I do not want the same thing to happen to these little ones. Any thoughts?

 

[Alexander]

Yes you can.If she doesnt accept them place them in your brooder (if you have any) or under the other hen.

Good Luck!

 

[Ogress]

I currently have some chicks hatching out from under my broody, and I need to move everyone as they are in a high-up nest box, 4' off the ground!
My EE hen has been broody for 3 months, first on plastic easter eggs; I tried sneaking chicks under her after 3+ weeks and she attacked them. Then she sat on infertile eggs, and I couldnot break her of her broodiness, so I tried more chicks, and she attacked again. Then I got 4 fertile eggs from a friend and 2 hatched over night (Day 20), and she is just the sweetest mom! She was a mean broody, so I was rather shocked by this. As long as she can see her babies, I can pick them up with no aggression, then she gently helps tuck them under.

I need to move mom and babies so the babies won't fall. I have a grow-out coop with the other 2 batches of chicks in there. I'd like to put mamma and the new chicks in there too. Do I set up a nest on the floor? I have a 2'X3' wire-bottomes cage in there as well, it is on legs, the older chicks like to hang out under it in the day time.

What is the best way to move them? I'd prefer she not be in the coop with the other hens as they are all giant breeds plus 2 young exhibition orpingtons that I am afraid may step on the chicks. I also have an empty A-frame tractor type coop that I could move them into, but I would prefer moving them to the grow-out coop.

 

[farmerChef]

You will most likely have to put her in the empty one. She didn't accept the chicks when they where little. I doubt she would now esp that she has her own chicks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
good idea, but how will you cull out bad broody's if you don't let them raise their chicks? Part of being a broody is teaching the little ones how to be chickens. Being a broody is more than just hatching eggs. Besides, if you take chicks from 2 of them, I bet those 2 go broody again really quick. Food for thought.....

Yep!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well I don't know what is going on here unless the heat is getting to my hen, Came home from Church and went to check on everyone. My broody who I had down to hatch Tues. well one of the chicks had hatched out and evendently mama had killed it, now the other one is pipped and peeping up a storm and I am scared to death she is going to kill it, my dh said something could have been wrong with the first one which it may have been, but I don't have a bator so my only chance is to let her continue to sit and watch to make sure she doesn't kill this one when it hatches. Another first time mom and I have never seen anything like this, first my duck now a chicken. Whats going on?

On a happier note, baby duckling Hope is doing great, except I am it's mother instead of my duck

oh I don't mind i am in love already, but it would be alot better off with it's own kind.

 

[stonykill]

I am with your husband on this Miss Lydia. I would guess something was wrong with it, or at least that is what I would tell myself. Glad your baby duck is doing well!