Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Jloeffler]

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If it was me it would be condolences, stony wants to bring the Sumatra back from extiction [sp] all by his self. I have a broody hen just hatched the middle of march and a broody duck and another hen that is playing broody too, they have been playing musical eggs, until I go out remove them from the nest take the eggs and put them outside, [then they wait a while and go right back in] but at least I have the eggs.

I suppose if it's for a good cause... Wait, how many hens does he have all together?

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Layers should not eat medicated. Hopefully if you can't get non med. get Purina Flock Raiser crumbles, it's for all ages of chickens.

That's what think imfoing to use when the chicks finish their medicated bag and the layers finish their bag. Seems like it would be easier all around!

Miss Lydia, sounds like after 9 broodies you need a condolence card too!!

 

[slurrywidow]

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I wouldn't get Miss B Pants off of the nest either if you see that she is eating and drinking and most importantly poo-ing (is that even a word?

) I am pushing Mona off because she literally WAS NOT moving from that nest. Not a drop of food or water consumed and not one poop in the whole crate. She wasn't looking well, her comb was very dry and flopped over and her eyes just looked so dull. So I vote that Miss B Pants is doing great on her own. Doesn't time just move so slow?

Stonykill: 14?! OH MY! You must have nerves of steel!

Shepan2: Happy Hatching! Remember us when it comes time for pics.

BarnGoddess and Miss Lydia: I don't think I would be able to break a broody either. BUT, that said, I worry because I too am going to be out of space if this continues. And BarnGoddess, my Mona is a Cuckoo Marans so I am sending you good broody vibes.

 

[ilovethetabmeister]

My broody hen has stayed in the coop in her little room the whole time; now the eggs are starting to hatch and I don't know what to do. The coop is 3 feet off the ground; I am thinking about moving the mother and chicks once hatched to a small cage on the ground. I don't know if I should bring them inside since the nights are getting cooler (50s). Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also need to know how long it is supposed to take for the chicks to hatch; i added a few eggs under her in the first two or three days of brooding and am not sure if I should wait for them or not.

 

[EricH]

quick story - Dominique hen snuck in somewhere she wasnt supposed to be and laid a clutch of eggs. nothing to make a nest, just hard wood boxes... 1 chick hatched, she was the fiercest mother ive ever seen, even killed a half grown ameraucana that came in between the mother/chick. she suddenly disappeared when the chick was about a month old. Found her today, back in the same spot with 3 little peepers under her butt. get ready for round 2!

dominque x light sussex - the chick had a small white dot on head, the rest black - looks like a hen, and looks like it will be all black with some white barring on the neck.

out of the 3 new ones - 2 look like the previous chick, one has a much larger white spot. looks like he might be a boy.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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I'm SO jealous! I've been trying to find some decent dark Cuckoo Marans eggs. Hopefully have some lined up for the end of October which is a less than ideal time for hatching in my neck of the woods but works transportation-wise! Means I will be raising chicks in the house for a good long time this winter if they hatch!

(I have an EE named Mona ...

)

 

[Cindilou]

I was able to skip the wait.
My girl just hatched out chicks on Father's day and she went broody again a couple weeks ago.
Went to a chicken swap on Saturday and bought 4 chicks, 2 polish, 2 speckled sussex. Put them under her on Saturday night and she totally fast forwarded into mom mode.
Lost one polish though, probably a failure to thrive. The other 3 are fine so far.

She can't go broody again. I have no room for more chickens!

 

[shepan2]

My broody hasn't moved off her nest either...I'm just figuring she knows what to do...tomorrow is the day! I have a busy day planned so hopefully I'll hear peeping when I get home...

Going to the feed store to pick up some organic chick starter...it's the only non-medicated chick feed I could find. Thank you, miss Lydia and others for helpful advice!

 

[slurrywidow]

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I'm new to this myself but I've done a bit of reading and I'm the only one around right now so maybe I can help...
I think the advice about the coop is to either move her to a safe spot on the ground once all of the chicks hatch or I think there was someone on this thread that had a raised coop and the advice was to build some kind of a ramp with sides. If I remember correctly the person did end up just making a better ramp and then when it was time Momma just walked them down and showed them what to do. As far as the temps, again I understand that Momma knows best. She'll keep them warm by plopping down right on top of them if needed. I wouldn't worry too much about temps of 50. Eggs take about 21 days to hatch. I think you have a day or two that the chicks already hatched can live without food because of the yolk. Hope some of that helps. Have fun with your babies. Oh, we all love pics...hint hint.

(If anyone sees I gave incorrect info, PLEASE correct.

)

 

[slurrywidow]

Quote:
I'm SO jealous! I've been trying to find some decent dark Cuckoo Marans eggs. Hopefully have some lined up for the end of October which is a less than ideal time for hatching in my neck of the woods but works transportation-wise! Means I will be raising chicks in the house for a good long time this winter if they hatch!

(I have an EE named Mona ...

)

Don't be too jealous, her eggs aren't quite the lovely chocolate that I was hoping for.

They are a nice dark brown but not that true super dark that you see out there. She is a hatchery girl so I didn't expect they would be perfect. However, the job she's doing as a Momma-to-be...I won't fault her anything right now. Her full name is actually Ramona. Her sis that I got at the same time was Beezus. Can you tell DD had a hand in the naming? However, Beezus turned out to be...George. Sigh.
I hope you get those beautiful eggs in October and you have a great hatch! Hey, maybe you'll get really lucky and get one or two broodies right then and you won't have to have chicks in the house.

I dunno though, where you're from could a Momma even keep babies warm in winter? Brrrr.

(I have 3 EE's and they are my favorite!)