Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
X2 and I bet being a silkie she'll take those little fluff balls off your hands.

Thanks Barngoddess and Miss Lydia. I've tried twice before and not good results. One was a bantam cochin broody with one egg. She got off of it when it started chirping inside the egg and didn't want anything to do with it. I got home from work and it got cold and died in the shell. The second time was a seabright mom. She hatched her baby and then tried to kill it a week later. I'm going to try to leave them with the flock and see what happens.

After a total disaster last year with a Barred Rock (mostly likely due to my interference) I just had a successful broody hatch with a Red Sex Link. If she can do it, anyhen can. I have seen the light! I am converted. My Mama Broody is now 3 weeks in with 3 chicks AND moulting. I'm a believer.

I have faith. Your Silkie girl can do it!

Where is Peter Pan when you need him???

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
X2 and I bet being a silkie she'll take those little fluff balls off your hands.

Thanks Barngoddess and Miss Lydia. I've tried twice before and not good results. One was a bantam cochin broody with one egg. She got off of it when it started chirping inside the egg and didn't want anything to do with it. I got home from work and it got cold and died in the shell. The second time was a seabright mom. She hatched her baby and then tried to kill it a week later. I'm going to try to leave them with the flock and see what happens.

I have only heard wonderful things about silkie mamas and their chicks so hopefully it will that way for you.

 

[artsyrobin]

not only that, but a silkie will hop on eggs that a due to hatch any day, and is very determined to make it happen! My flo did that and now i am hearing little cheeps from a few of the guinea eggs!

and will growl just to make a point!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

I think a Silkie is in my future ...

(I am such a sucker for a broody)

 

[artsyrobin]

Quote:
i think silkies are perfect for brooding! in this case i made the mistake of putting some guinea eggs and a couple ee's under the first silkie, Noel, only when the ee's hatched she decided to focus on them, not the eggs, so i was watching the other silkie, Flo who kept going in the nest box, wanting badly to brood another batch, so out of desperation i gave her the guineas, and darned if she didn't immediately snuggle on them and take over! she's gonna be confused though- they should start hatching in the next few days, and guineas- she may be a little like...ehhhh???

 

[Jloeffler]

Quote:
I know what you mean! I've been watching the hatching egg auctions trying to convince myself I don't need any more right now!

 

[StupidBird]

Hi, everyone! I've got my first broody-acting hen - she sure is funny the way she puffs up and growls. Since she won't get off the nest box all this week, even though I've gathered all eggs, some family members want to let her sit on some to hatch.

All eggs lately look fertile; that white little bull's eye mark like the photos here on BYC.

Yes, we do have two roosters to twelve hens. Pretty high chance of being mutts. Since we get 6-9 eggs a day (four hens are rather old), thought I'd just mark up a day or two's laying and let her go at it. Planning on putting feed and water right there at her box, and as things progress, fence off that part of the coop for a bit.

Opinions? I'll be reading through these posts later.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
I know what you mean! I've been watching the hatching egg auctions trying to convince myself I don't need any more right now!

Someone not more than an hour from me was advertising Black/Blue/Splash Silkies. As you can see from my signature, I'm a total sucker for the B/B/S thing .... They also had pictures. It took every bit of my willpower not to turn the key in the car ...

But I'm sure it won't last. I will find some reason I need to go and get some of those eggs ....

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
Give her a handful of eggs to sit on - 4 to 6 - and have fun.

Not a thing wrong with mutts if you value the eggs they lay.

 

[heatherkh]

Stupidbird, That's exactly what we did and now we have six adorable little mutts happily peeping away under momma. We didnt candle, just let her sit and do her thing. Good luck!