Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[slurrywidow]

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Thanks for thinking of me.

No news yet. I candled on Sunday one last time just to see since I've never dealt with any of this before. Honestly don't think I learned much.

Eggs were just very dark with a large air cell on one end. Didn't see anything fun like movement or little legs, etc. We've still got 4 sitting tight under Mona. I have stopped moving her out of the nest each day and now I've seen evidence that she's left the nest to do her biz. I know, I know, you all told me nature knew best. Sometimes it takes my thick head a bit before it sinks in.

Wednesday is hatch day so I'll be biting my nails to the bone till then. Mostly I'm nervous that DD will be heartbroken if nothing comes of this. She's just completely beside herself with excitement. She'll tell anyone who'll listen about her "broody that didn't have a rooster to help her decide to have babies. My broody just decided on her own!". Strong girl, that one.

I'm so excited for you about your babies. I REALLY want to see pics. And the image of all your chickies rolled into one corner of fluffy goodness will give me good dreams tonight. CONGRATS!!

 

[slurrywidow]

Ok all...I've got new worries.

(Sorry, just love these little faces. They make me happy.) Anyway....did any of you do anything different to your runs in preparation of the arriving babies? I've never had little babies outside before. My coop is secure but my run is made out of chicken wire. It's just too big for the stronger, smaller holed wire to be affordable. These babies hatching are silkies. I'm in trouble aren't I? I've got tons of chicken wire left so would just double layering it but overlapping the holes the best I can work? What do you all do?

 

[chickbird]

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IN MY EXPERIENCE WITH MY CHICKENS, IF THEY HATCH OUT IN AN AREA WITH THE OTHER CHICKENS, THEY DO WELL...THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS IF YOU ALLOW YOUR CHICKENS TO FREE RANGE, SOMETIMES THE CHICKS GET SEPARATED FROM THE HEN OR THEIR IS DANGER FROM PREDATORS OTHER THAN THE CHICKENS. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH OTHER CHICKENS TRYING TO KILL THE CHICKS.

 

[perchie.girl]

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They make a cheap vinyl version of hardware cloth that you can buy at home depot. you could split that down the middle doubling the twenty five foot lenghth and line the run with that. Just down at the bottom so no one squeezes through the holes and gets lost. And a foot or foot and a half would be enough to keep the fuzzballs from squeezing through till they were old enough and too big to find a way out the bigger holes.

but any temporary barrier would work even feed sacks folded over and stitched to the wire with a zip tie......

 

[Fuffy]

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IN MY EXPERIENCE WITH MY CHICKENS, IF THEY HATCH OUT IN AN AREA WITH THE OTHER CHICKENS, THEY DO WELL...THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS IF YOU ALLOW YOUR CHICKENS TO FREE RANGE, SOMETIMES THE CHICKS GET SEPARATED FROM THE HEN OR THEIR IS DANGER FROM PREDATORS OTHER THAN THE CHICKENS. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH OTHER CHICKENS TRYING TO KILL THE CHICKS.

Thank you

The plan for next time is to have my broody house and run inside the main coop. May take the run away altogether once I'm sure Mamma is sitting tight. And then let her get on with it.

She will be able to defend her babies and will be much more a part of the flock

(I think

)

 

[Fuffy]

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I wouldn't panic too much...If the babies do 'fall out', mama will call them back pretty darn quick!

Also they won't be able to get through for more than a couple of weeks. But as you have the extra wire, go ahead and do what you can

 

[StupidBird]

Wow, so much to think about. But I won't count my chicks before they're hatched. Wait. Whoops. I am counting. I marked 9 eggs and keep taking out the other contributions that appear later.

Should I separate the broody from the rest of the flock? A temporary partition around that nest box, or move her to the old, unused pen/tractor?

 

[Niss]

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I wouldn't panic too much...If the babies do 'fall out', mama will call them back pretty darn quick!

Also they won't be able to get through for more than a couple of weeks. But as you have the extra wire, go ahead and do what you can

I agree. I didn't do anything special. Yes, little ones can stray though the fence, but I would only worry about it if they would be exposed to other chickens with out mama or you had a ton of neighborhood cats. So if all the chickens are in one run a chick exiting the run is not a biggy--it won't stay long without mom.

 

[Fuffy]

Whooops!!!

Couldn't work out why I wasn't getting any eggs...maybe just the odd one.

When Hermione went back with the rest of the flock, Helen was broody. But Hermione cracked her within 2 hours, I think.

Then Phoebe went broody and wouldn't let anyone else near the nestbox.

So by the time Phoebe gives up I should have 3 laying hens...but no eggs!

Yup...you guessed it: Hermione started sitting today on 14 lovely little eggies UNDER the chicken house.

Took them away. Tested for freshness and they all sank nicely, so my neighbours are all happy to help with the consumption

Have also blocked off the access to the place where she was. Which is a shame coz that's where they go to get out of the rain

Just another day in the life of a chicken mom

 

[Niss]

Fluffy--Can you reach under there? I wouldn't mind my chickens laying out of the coop if I knew all the spots to check. For instance, I have one egg in the stairwell to the basement everyday...not a problem since I now know to look there.