Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[joycenjohnb]

I had two broody Seramas sharing a nest and apparently two other laying in the same nest. I generally do not bother them at all when they are sitting. Yesterday the hens got off the nest and had 6 fluffy butts so I took the rest of the eggs out and candled them. By the way there was about 25 eggs under them. Most of them were not fertle except another 7 that I put in the bator. Today 3 of them hatched and the other 4 need a few more days. here are the 3 in the house. Iwill try to get pictures of the moms and the other 6 tomorrow.

 

[slurrywidow]

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Thanks for sharing! It helps those of us first timers with broodies remain patient (okay, okay, SORTA patient) seeing the prize at the end.

 

[Jloeffler]

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Thanks for sharing! It helps those of us first timers with broodies remain patient (okay, okay, SORTA patient) seeing the prize at the end.

Wow! You're at sorta? You are doing great!!

Great pictures Heatherkh! And congratulations!

 

[Niss]

At bedtime mama was 2 nests over and the eggs were cool. An EE hen had shoved her over but didn't bother covering the eggs. They are due to hatch Satuday...any hope?

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Seems to me it has to do with the roo, when the mamas have chicks the roos leave them alone till about 4 weeks into mama hood then they start messing with them, but most of the time they can still keep them at arms length, but when the roo finally wins out is when you start to see the mama going into the coop to start laying again and babies get the boot. so since she doesn't have chicks he probably has already had his way with her and she'll start to lay soon, unless she starts molting. This is start of molt most places.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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I wouldn't give up on them.

just try to check more often so you can rearrange her on them if someone has made her move.

 

[Jloeffler]

Quote:
Seems to me it has to do with the roo, when the mamas have chicks the roos leave them alone till about 4 weeks into mama hood then they start messing with them, but most of the time they can still keep them at arms length, but when the roo finally wins out is when you start to see the mama going into the coop to start laying again and babies get the boot. so since she doesn't have chicks he probably has already had his way with her and she'll start to lay soon, unless she starts molting. This is start of molt most places.

Unfortunately no new roo in that pen. This is the one we had to cull due to advancing aggessiveness with us. I've been looking for a 6 mo. old BO roo, but have yet to find one. Will this cause a problem?

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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His name is "Jackson". He is so a "Jack" to me.

Interesting to hear from Miss Lydia that the roos decide when it's time for the broodies to get back to the flock. In watching the whole broody business, it also seems like the chicks are dictating a lot about when they are ready for things. Poor old Mama is at EVERYBODY's mercy!!!

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Day 8:

2 more eggs have been removed from the nest, and eaten. I am now sure she selected, and moved them, personally, during the night (or early morning) because they were far from the nest, and placed on top of the feeder base (I use a chick feeder base for a mason jar, but with no jar, because she eats so little). The broken shells were spread in and around the feeder.

Could she really know they are not viable at this point, and be removing them to avoid exploders, later?
Or is she systematically eating her all her eggs?

11 remain in the nest, and she is sitting tight on them, as fiercely protective as ever.
At least I know she is eating and drinking and pooing (finally!)

Thanks, again, as always.

 

[heatherkh]

We lost a wee one yesterday. I'm assuming it wasn't a successful hatch, as I just found the poor thing on the ground outside the nest box with no obvious signs of injury. It was about 3/4 of the way fluffed up, but one eye appeared to not have opened (the other eye opened easily when I manually moved the eye lid). Poor little sweet thing. I think we still have six, but Momma was holding tight to the nest this morning. I brought her a little bit of watermelon and as she pecked at it from my hand, three wee peepers popped up and down like popcorn, pecking at her beak. SO adorbs. Made me feel a little better about losing one.