Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[drdoolittle]

I'm so excited!! I have 4 broody hens with I don't know how many eggs (a lot), and when I went to check on them last night one chick had hatched! I really didn't expect for any to hatch-----just being a realist----but I'm pretty excited as another one should be out by tonight. I'll try to get pictures after work.

 

[stonykill]

Quote:
the day you set is day 0

stony where have you been? just because you set the record of the most amount of broodys doesn't mean we don't need you expertise. We have missed your posts. Broodys still a hatchin and problems cropping up, excuse the puns lol.

a thunderstorm took out my computer. My backup computer doesn't work well at all. So I borrow my beautiful wifes when she isn't using it

 

[sheila3935]

My Australorp is broody for the 2nd time this year. Guess she just likes being a mom. What I want to know is how in the world can she steal eggs from another nest? My nesting boxes set on top of each other 2 on top 3 on the bottom. She is in the middle bottom. She started out with 3 and now has so many under her she can barely cover them.

 

[Tiss]

Quote:
You probably have other hens laying under her. For some reason, an occupied nest is irresistible to the other girls. It always scares me that eggs will get broken, but I've been lucky so far.

May I suggest marking the original eggs with a sharpie? Then you can remove the new eggs each day and not have to waste them.

 

[wava1vaughn]

Hi from Ga. I have a question. Knowing the importance of humidity how does the broody control it?

 

[Miss Lydia]

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They know all the controls, sometimes you might see them actually standing up in the nest box, they have pulled all the feathers out of the under body just for that purpose. It's in their DNA!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
stony where have you been? just because you set the record of the most amount of broodys doesn't mean we don't need you expertise. We have missed your posts. Broodys still a hatchin and problems cropping up, excuse the puns lol.

a thunderstorm took out my computer. My backup computer doesn't work well at all. So I borrow my beautiful wifes when she isn't using it

Sorry to hear about your computer, but nice to hear you have a beautiful wife that lets you use hers..

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Congratulations dr. we'll be waiting

 

[Niss]

Quote:
They know all the controls, sometimes you might see them actually standing up in the nest box, they have pulled all the feathers out of the under body just for that purpose. It's in their DNA!

Remember how my eggs didn't hatch? My broody didn't pluck herself--could this be the culprit?
I'm also wondering if they need a nutritional boost befor I save the eggs. Some folks have told me my flock must surely be malnurished since I give them primarily a locally produced grain feed, but since they lay and seem happy I disregarded that

, but...is there a particuler feed they should get prior to hatching babies? I'm looking at it this way--my personal diet keeps me reasonably healthy, but I still took vitamines when I was pregnant...should I use a supliment in order to have better luck hatching my own eggs?

I also saw a thead on encuraging broodieness. Is that ethical? Is it too late in the year for my central PA climate?

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Day 19 here. Broody left the nest for a few minutes this morning so I took the opportunity to listen to a couple of the eggs. No pips yet. Didn't hear a thing. Candled the white egg. Looked to be text book day 19 and has clearly developed from the last time I looked on day 14. So I am assuming all is well for hatch on Saturday as scheduled.

My girl hasn't plucked any feathers out of her breast but humidity has been insanely high here so I'm figuring (hoping!) all will be fine. There also aren't any feathers in her nest at all. Plus, my broody seems to be keeping her 5 eggs truly under her. She is a bit bare underneath. I imagine the eggs are making contact with her skin underneath her. My girl is a Red Sex Link. Not exactly known for being good broodies! Who knows what her instincts are telling her.