Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

RareBreedFancier --so sorry! It's aweful to lose them, maybe worse when you don't even know why.

I also have major broody envy! DH doesn't get it, but the boy and I conspire at night and dream of spring ducklings. I don't even have an incubator to tide me over...so thank you all so much for sharing your stories and pics.

The good news at my place? My two remaining chicks from the September hatch show no signs of comb/waddels...although it might be breed they are mutts, one from a hamburg egg and one from an EE.
 
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Good news Niss!! and I don't have a bator either so always look forward to pics and stories. The Good and the Sad. nice to know theres a place to share both.
 
Rarebreed: So sorry, love. Hope you have more fuzzy butts right around the corner.

Apparently this IS an addiction! I've invested in an incubator and am now trying desperately to acquire some eggs to hatch. It's all I think about. As if it wasn't bad enough waiting for the incubator (fedex couldn't find our house....). Now I seem to get outbid on the auctions -always last minute... Those west coasters manage to stay up way later than me, and bid at the very last second. I did find a guy down the street who will sell me some Americanas, but I hear the hatch rate isn't so good.... Of course I'm thinking that an egg in the hand is worth 10 in the mail... Is that chicken math?
 
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your getting it.
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Well I have some good news, one of the eggs the broody abandonded in favor of her chick hatched last night. I'd planned to pop it under her with the other one but now the other one is gone I checked her this morning and I don't think she's interested in being a mother anymore.
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Looks like I'll have to keep it in the brooder or give it to one of the other broodies. No other eggs look like they are due in the next week or so.

I don't really want to brood a single chick in the house but I also planned to pop the broodie's eggs back under them when I got the new broody pens built. Anyone fostered on chicks a week or so different in age? I'm wondering if I should just brood the chick in the house till I have some more hatched and then slip them under one of the other broodies? Trying to work out the best solution because I really need these broodies to brood chicks, my brooder isn't big enough if they all hatch! Any suggestions?
 
well I looked at Mama's nest this morning while she was up being angry at the chicken world
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. She has 8 eggs left (she kicked out 5 the other day) . They are 8 of the largest Sumatra eggs I've ever seen.
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Blarneyeggs--I would guess that the eggs from the nieghbor being fresh and not having a potentially trumatic shipping experiance would put them on the same or better footing as auctioned eggs.

RareBreed--I have no firsthand experiance, sorry!
 
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Congratulations, stony! Especially the large eggs. Any idea when they are due to hatch??? (They are amusing when they do that 'everybody stay out of my way' terror routine.
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Congratulations, stony! Especially the large eggs. Any idea when they are due to hatch??? (They are amusing when they do that 'everybody stay out of my way' terror routine.
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As far as I know ( and I'm not 100% certain) she sat on Nov 28th. Mama is actually one of my calmer broody's. Not nearly as angry as the others. UNTIL her little ones hatch. Then she will even attack me for the 1st few days. Her normal routing ( 4th time broody since I got her a year ago in September) is to seek me out quietly for a private meal. Then if anyone gets in her way... the broody madness begins.
 

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