Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[stonykill]

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A sumatra huh? I am glad you warned me. I have one sumatra hen and so far I think she is using the nest box, but I am not sure seeing as that coop has 7 hens and I am getting 3 eggs. Hmm...maybe I have some yard searching to do. I can't seem to find any of my duck eggs anymore either. I have searched for those, but haven't found any, so maybe they are still in molt? And I think I have a critter getting in my shed, the big ladies are not giving me anymore eggs either. Maybe your sumatra has stolen them to add to her secret nest.

sounds like you did the best for them, when mine start to throw the bedding all over and into the food the door comes open and I let them out.

I wish I could leave them with mamma, it is soo much easier. With 9 broods this year, I have run out of room! I don't have any vacancies in the chick motel and I didn't want to put the babies in with the big girls, they are a little cranky this month.​

Try dealing with dozens of Sumatra hens hiding eggs

 

[Jloeffler]

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I noticed when the roos started going after the broodys it wasn't long till mama said her goodbyes to her chicks, except for my frizzle she was able to hold them off the longest. She stayed with her chicks 12 weeks. I bet your chick is adorable are you keeping it since you are down to one?

Originally I wasn't, but DH said, "so I guess we'll be keeping it since there's only one, huh?"

. Silly man! So probably. Hoping it's a girl.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
I noticed when the roos started going after the broodys it wasn't long till mama said her goodbyes to her chicks, except for my frizzle she was able to hold them off the longest. She stayed with her chicks 12 weeks. I bet your chick is adorable are you keeping it since you are down to one?

Originally I wasn't, but DH said, "so I guess we'll be keeping it since there's only one, huh?"

. Silly man! So probably. Hoping it's a girl.

They just don't have a choice do they?

hoping for girl too.

 

[perchie.girl]

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Sumatra's are natural egg hiders to begin with

. Add to that "mama" thinks she is a professional broody and

. I really want to make sure her nest is in a safe place. If I find it hidden somewhere in the disaster that is my shed, which has been taken over by 13 Sumatra's (yes, those 13 now live in there) I'll probably let her have at it. It's what she does so well

What you need to do is wire her with a little camera..... call it Chicken Cam or Broodie Cam.....

ONly a little serious here....

 

[stonykill]

perchie.girl :

Quote:
Sumatra's are natural egg hiders to begin with

. Add to that "mama" thinks she is a professional broody and

. I really want to make sure her nest is in a safe place. If I find it hidden somewhere in the disaster that is my shed, which has been taken over by 13 Sumatra's (yes, those 13 now live in there) I'll probably let her have at it. It's what she does so well

What you need to do is wire her with a little camera..... call it Chicken Cam or Broodie Cam.....

ONly a little serious here....​

I'd have to catch her 1st

. She'd be running around, and stopping to

.

 

[Niss]

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The only problem i can see is Muscovies take 34-35 days to hatch chickens 21. so you'll have to be sure to monitor the hatch close and keep up with your dates to make sure the you get the chicks out so mama duck doesn't leave the duck eggs behind. Let us know how it turns out and of course pictures are a must. I haven't tried hatching ducks with chickens because my muscovies are such good broodies and so are my chickens. But it can be done.

I think if this was my plan I would set the duck eggs, wait unitl day 13ish (don't trust MY math) and then set the chicken eggs so they hatch together.

Question on ducks--I am not getting any eggs right now, and have only ever seen eggs from the mallard...are they out there? Will the domestics (Cuyugas, Pekins, Sweeds) go broody in the coop? Will they go broody at all? I would love to get my hands on those cuyuga eggs, as well as have ducklings in spring! I promised the boy ducklings, so if I can't hatch some I will have to buy them...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
The only problem i can see is Muscovies take 34-35 days to hatch chickens 21. so you'll have to be sure to monitor the hatch close and keep up with your dates to make sure the you get the chicks out so mama duck doesn't leave the duck eggs behind. Let us know how it turns out and of course pictures are a must. I haven't tried hatching ducks with chickens because my muscovies are such good broodies and so are my chickens. But it can be done.

I think if this was my plan I would set the duck eggs, wait unitl day 13ish (don't trust MY math) and then set the chicken eggs so they hatch together.

Question on ducks--I am not getting any eggs right now, and have only ever seen eggs from the mallard...are they out there? Will the domestics (Cuyugas, Pekins, Sweeds) go broody in the coop? Will they go broody at all? I would love to get my hands on those cuyuga eggs, as well as have ducklings in spring! I promised the boy ducklings, so if I can't hatch some I will have to buy them...

Niss I think most ducks slow down or quit altogether this time of year. I know mine have. you'll see a change next year as days get longer. And heres hoping your boy will have ducklings come spring time.

 

[stonykill]

Quote:
I think if this was my plan I would set the duck eggs, wait unitl day 13ish (don't trust MY math) and then set the chicken eggs so they hatch together.

Question on ducks--I am not getting any eggs right now, and have only ever seen eggs from the mallard...are they out there? Will the domestics (Cuyugas, Pekins, Sweeds) go broody in the coop? Will they go broody at all? I would love to get my hands on those cuyuga eggs, as well as have ducklings in spring! I promised the boy ducklings, so if I can't hatch some I will have to buy them...

Niss I think most ducks slow down or quit altogether this time of year. I know mine have. you'll see a change next year as days get longer. And heres hoping your boy will have ducklings come spring time.

my Pekins have quit for the year. As I've said before a good friend of mine had a pekin go broody. So it can happen

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Niss I think most ducks slow down or quit altogether this time of year. I know mine have. you'll see a change next year as days get longer. And heres hoping your boy will have ducklings come spring time.

my Pekins have quit for the year. As I've said before a good friend of mine had a pekin go broody. So it can happen

I hang out alot on the duck thread stony and I have read of pekins going broody, but maybe they will hold out long enough for you to get some runner eggs set under a broody.

chicken that is.

 

[stonykill]

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my Pekins have quit for the year. As I've said before a good friend of mine had a pekin go broody. So it can happen

I hang out alot on the duck thread stony and I have read of pekins going broody, but maybe they will hold out long enough for you to get some runner eggs set under a broody.

chicken that is.

I'll have to find this duck thread. I have thought about slipping runner eggs under a Sumatra