Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[stonykill]

Quote:
some of my broody's have been very determined like yours. If she is content in her nest box, and she were mine, I would leave her there. Mark her eggs with a marker in case someone else lays in her box, or in case she steals eggs.
It's always good to have a backup plan. But it sounds to me like she has a full on Brood going on.....

 

[Fuffy]

Quote:
some of my broody's have been very determined like yours. If she is content in her nest box, and she were mine, I would leave her there. Mark her eggs with a marker in case someone else lays in her box, or in case she steals eggs.
It's always good to have a backup plan. But it sounds to me like she has a full on Brood going on.....

Can I just add one thing?

Suggest giving her some falsies or golf balls to sit on until her eggs arrive.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[giggleboxfarm]

My broody chicken who did absolutely wonderful in the spring, went broody again a couple weeks ago, so I gave her the ameraucana eggs that I'd ordered. A couple days ago, she'd eaten one - figured it had just stopped and she was dealing with it.. well this morning there was another egg she got into and a dead chick laying there. They are due to hatch in 3 days. Sadness

A mess of other broken eggs in the coop as well. She was bound and determined that she was staying in the nesting box, which she did fine with last time. So I took the eggs since I'm not sure whats going on and I don't want to lose anymore. Maybe I can give them back to her once they hatch? I was looking forward to no more chicks in the house too.

 

[BooBear]

My girls all have been down with broody fever.
I let them have 13 eggs divided between them and all hatched. Lost 2 When Mrs. Grumpy rejected the chicks. Mrs. Grumpy only warms the eggs and does not like the chicks period. Took her remaining eggs and gave them to the other Mommas who did a great job.
Now I currently have 1 Silkie - Blueberry, who decided after her first week of just starting to lay she wanted to brood. Blueberry, despite being small is the most super fiesty of all the mommas in the flock. Not wanting to fight an overzealous broody, I marked 3 eggs and let her be. She has 1 more week before the babies are due.

Now Silkie 2 - Rita has decided she wants to brood. She has plopped her fuzzybutt right next to Blueberry and has swiped the eggs. They are in their catbox stealing the same 3 eggs back n forth. These chicks are gonna hatch out dizzy!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Thats funny, It was going on here last year. I had about 3 sets of broodys sharing nests and eggs, they would take turns sitting on the eggs then the other one would take over. Then when chicks hatched they shared that duty too. Cute.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Maybe when the chicks hatch you can just slip them under during the night? sorry you lost some, hard to figure out a broody, but there could have been something wrong with the chicks. I had it happen here a while back.

 

[BooBear]

Quote:
Thats funny, It was going on here last year. I had about 3 sets of broodys sharing nests and eggs, they would take turns sitting on the eggs then the other one would take over. Then when chicks hatched they shared that duty too. Cute.

Well I am thinking of getting another catbox and putting Rita in it along with some of the eggs I just won on the auction. I have the big round catbox that has the ramp leading up to the litter(nest) area. The Silkies like this as it is easy for them to get in and out of.
The bad thing is that I was not going to hatch anymore babies cus of the heat; I am so bad....

Now I am resorting to enabling my broodies with my addiction.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Thats funny, It was going on here last year. I had about 3 sets of broodys sharing nests and eggs, they would take turns sitting on the eggs then the other one would take over. Then when chicks hatched they shared that duty too. Cute.

Well I am thinking of getting another catbox and putting Rita in it along with some of the eggs I just won on the auction. I have the big round catbox that has the ramp leading up to the litter(nest) area. The Silkies like this as it is easy for them to get in and out of.
The bad thing is that I was not going to hatch anymore babies cus of the heat; I am so bad....

Now I am resorting to enabling my broodies with my addiction.

 

[Spitman]

Well I believe we are done with our first broody hatch , what could have been a nightmare , turned out to be another blessing. I put the last chick under my broody last night . The little fuzz butt had her hands full, trying to keep up with the older chicks . I didn't mark the eggs and that first week I did'nt relize the other hens were still laying eggs in her box 21 in all. I never saw her get off the nest and didn't no there were so many eggs

long story short , I left 2 eggs under her that piped they hatched first then 7 more hatched from my incubator over a seven day period . The broody seemed to take them all in , no problem. So with all that I did wrong in this hatch , I feel very blessed with the outcome there is always hope and the last chick did make it she had miner shrink rap and was stuck to the shell so she couldn't move around to zip the shell properly (I think)

. I did have to put her in the coop tonight she was a little lost but she will catch up to the other chicks soon thanks miss Lidia and others for your intrest and support

it's been fun and I have gained much wisdom .

night all

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
So glad to hear everything worked out. I know mama has her feathers full of chicks and sounds like she is up to the task. We all learn from our mistakes so next time you'll be ready. I have 3 hens that are broody right now and they are in the same next box. To my surprise there was an egg in ther this morning, How another hen managed to lay an egg in that box is beyond me, but there was one in there and when i let everyone out this morning there wasn't. They can be pretty sneaky. The 3 broodys aren't laying. So it just goes to show ya, if theres a will theres a way. always mark those eggs.

Congrats and pictures when ya can...

well I had 3 hens brooding in the nest box this morning and just went in to check and 1 more has decided to join the girls. No eggs just sitting.