Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[LilyBee]

Looking for some help figuring out a likely hatch date as I'm a total newbie at this. I put three banty eggs under our bantam cochin on Monday, September 12 at 4:00 in the afternoon. I've read that banty eggs can sometimes hatch on day 19, so would that make hatch day this Saturday? or Sunday? I realize it is just a guestimate, but I'd love your expert opinions on when I should start listening for a peep. Thanks!

 

[bobcart]

Our first chick hatched on day 21 and the remaining 9 hatched on day 22. On day 23 mama left the two remaining eggs so I put them under another broody. I'm doubtful, but what the heck. Wow! This has been an amazing couple of days.

We lost two chicks. One only got half way out the egg and the other was out and fluffy. Upon close inspection, I found one wing was missing. Mama may have encouraged a little natural selection? The other may have been my fault. I had carefully reached under mama and eased an egg out yesterday only to see a chick actively opening up he top like a zipper. I couldn't feel that from underneath and was so startled that I quickly slid it back. I'm not for certain I put it back crack side up and that may have been too much to overcome...

The good news is that out of 14 eggs that candled good after two weeks, we have 10 healthy chicks. Here are the shots. It's pretty hard to get good photos and my hat's off to those who can do it!

Yeah!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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Congratulations!!!

Photos look just fine, btw!! Thanks for sharing.

 

[bobcart]

Interesting to note in the close up shot there is one chick with a yellow and white head. All the others have black heads. For the geneticists out there, we had a random assortment of eggs from three potential breeds of hens and three breeds of rooster. The single comb black Minorca rooster is top of the peck and very active! Another roo second in peck is a big fat Dominique and has a broken toe. He may not be represented at all because I don't see any chicks with the white spot evident for barred patterns and 2/3 of the eggs were laid by Dominique hens. Odds are that he'd be represented, but it looks like he wasn't. The other roo is a funky but docile polish we got thrown in for free. He doesn't like to hang out with any of the other chickens much. A true loner. I'm guessing he's the sire of the yellow and white head. So, if I'm right, some of these chicks may be pure single comb Minorcas, Minorca Redcap crosses. We only have one redcap hen and she is very flighty and not a great layer, so maybe few of those. If all this is true, we also have a lot of Minorca Dominique crosses. Problem is that they all look the same. It will be fund to watch what happens. For example, the Doms lay brond eggs and the Minorcas and Redcaps lay white eggs. What do you get with a Minorca Dom cross? I'm guessing white egg and black feather pastern are dominant genes, but we shall see.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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I've done 2 hatches so far (so I'm definitely not the most experienced); one in the incubator (spring) and the other under a broody (late summer). All large fowl eggs except for one bantam under the broody. Both hatches went 20/21 days and the bantam was the last to hatch.

Monday, October 3 would be day 21 ...

 

[heatherkh]

Adorable, bobcat!

LilyBee - I don't know anything about hatching banties, but someone here will. (And look! It took me so long to post someone already answered!!)

Rachel - congratulations! I'm not sure about when the official 36-hour window starts, but our hatching activity started on a Sunday afternoon and continued until Tuesday. I did have to fish 4 unhatched eggs out from under her once the hatching activity stopped so she would take the hint and get off the nest with the babies.

 

[bobcart]

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Thank you! They do really look like little fuss balls in person, so hard to focus when farther away.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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So precious!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

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day one is 24 hrs after you set the first egg, so hatch can start on sat., sun or monday being day 21. on sat start listening you may hear peeping. Good luck and let us know.

 

[Jloeffler]

Great pics, Bobcart!! I think they look fine too! Cute little peepers.

Heather, that's what I have been considering. I wouldn't mind a couple more JBs (a hen in particular but I'd rather have the chicks moved into a coop with someone who will protect them. The roo in the coop is one of the best I've ever seen and I think if she accepted them he would too. We'll have to see! I may try what you suggested... Maybe wait until the weekend when I can keep a better eye on them?