Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[NellaBean]

LOL. I know who is who and who belongs to who.........

.......for the most part

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Hi guys, I have a broody question for the experts..


When I bought Mama she was broody, however the move seemed to have broken her of it. Well it's web about two weeks and she seems to be broody again. I have eggs in lockdown right now- day 21 tomorrow morning ( AND STILL NO PIPS!!!). anywho... If they hatch, can I just give her the chicks? Does it work that way?

 

[Tiss]

I had a 21-day broody whose eggs weren't viable. Saturday night, I took her eggs and stuck three chicks under her. When I checked them in the morning, they were all fine.

I think the key is to give them to her at night and let her think they hatched while she was asleep. Has she seemed broody again for 2 weeks or is she just now showing signs of broodiness again? I've read that they need to be broody a little while before they will take chicks.

I'm far from an expert, but good luck!

 

[Chicklette 1]

I now have FIVE broody hens in one nest and they do not seem to care if there are eggs in there or not. They have been broody for more weeks than I can remember now. I worry that some of them cannot breathe under the pile. I do take them out when I go in to bring a treat or to clean. I have opened the door to the nest area to let fresh air and light in there. Instead of getting over this , they seem to be adding to the group. I will be moving the whole flock to a new coop and pen in a couple of weeks and I hope that will break them. It was like a broody virus that keeps affecting more and more of them! It is only my banties that are affected, not my LF. Anybody else got the same virus??

 

[Chicklette 1]

Quote:
Miss Lydia, those chicks are adorable! What breed is the pretty mama?

 

[Babyban]

Quote:
Hi and

they should be fine sitting together, I had several hens last year share nests and chicks and it worked out great. You might have to move them to a larger nest, {maybe something temp} till the eggs hatch if you think they might break them getting situated in the nest they are in. If they have stopped laying then you won't need to mark the eggs but if they are still laying mark your original eggs so you'll be able to keep up with them. and yes leave the chicks with them, you'll enjoy watching mama and chicks and chicks learn everything they need to know from her. Congrats and keep us updated on progress.

Hi I just wantted to update you. They did fine. All three eggs hatched and they are both looking after them. In fact so is Dave the daddy He looks after the chicks as well as the hens. I believe I have one Cock and two hens. They are about three weeks old now and are getting their feathers. I would like to add some pics but don't know how!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Hi and

they should be fine sitting together, I had several hens last year share nests and chicks and it worked out great. You might have to move them to a larger nest, {maybe something temp} till the eggs hatch if you think they might break them getting situated in the nest they are in. If they have stopped laying then you won't need to mark the eggs but if they are still laying mark your original eggs so you'll be able to keep up with them. and yes leave the chicks with them, you'll enjoy watching mama and chicks and chicks learn everything they need to know from her. Congrats and keep us updated on progress.

Hi I just wantted to update you. They did fine. All three eggs hatched and they are both looking after them. In fact so is Dave the daddy He looks after the chicks as well as the hens. I believe I have one Cock and two hens. They are about three weeks old now and are getting their feathers. I would like to add some pics but don't know how!

Congrats!!!! I am no good at giving directions about posting, it took me forever to learn how.

can't spell either

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Miss Lydia, those chicks are adorable! What breed is the pretty mama?

She is American game. She was my first chicken along with her 10 chicks. She is grandma and now mama again. I know what you mean about broody virus. I have only one sitting now and she has been sitting on nothing for about 2 weeks, finally the Brahma stopped being broody last week, She is my only LF beside my game that has gone broody all the rest are my bantam and my bantam crosses. I thought I had an egg bound hen last night, when i went to do head count one of my hens was missing, found her in a nest box in the duck side of the coop, I had never seen her in the box at that time of day so I just assumed she wasn't able to lay her egg, vent was pulsing, so I bring her in and give her a nice warm soak massage her belly then examine her for an egg, nope nothing. evediently she was thinking about broodiness, Oh well she got the spa treatment, { I hope she doesn't tell the rest of the girls} :
heres another picture of mama and her chicks, she is such a good mama too.

 

[Chicklette 1]

That breed is new to me and she is really pretty. How nice you have had nice hatching experiences with her for so long. Keep up the good work! What was the father on that hatch?

 

[Fuffy]

Hermione's Bouncing Baby Buffys are 2 weeks old now