Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

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[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Hey everyone we are having a crazy 24 Hour Auction on our Ameraucanas... check it out!!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=8117345#p8117345

 

[silkie4]

Well then, I guess we'll leave the broody hen and egg in the coop along with all the others. This hen has mothered others before. I aquired her and two of her offspring this last summer from a farmer that was downsizing. He stated that she was a great mom and as far as I can see with her two "daughters" she still mothers them even though they are almost 10 months old now. In fact one sits in the nesting box with her and when we went out to candle the egg earlier tonight my daughter lifted up the momma and the other nabbed the egg and shoved it under herself. Maybe both are broody and only 1 egg available? I guess that could become a problem..... It seems that everyone (at least those that had been laying) stopped laying since there hasn't been another egg since last Tuesday morning..... I just hope she knows what she is doing since I obviously don't have a clue! lol....

 

[stargazingmommy]

Miss broody chickens duck egg has internally pipped! I'm finding it hard to trust the natural process and want to stick it in the incubator

 

[artsyrobin]

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What a nice Birthday present.

well, you figure they hold it all day, what i had to do with my silkie was check periodically and remove it, my cochin though will launch herself down the hall to get to the kitchen to poop, unless we nab her and put her out on the porch- much preferable to her leaving her 'gifts' in the house... also have learned to keep my hands off the eggs, if i need to candle, i will use the flashlight on the egg without touching it- now, i am convinced that with shipped eggs they are even more delicate, so the less handled the better..

 

[artsyrobin]

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well, you can always trust silkies to know what to do- mine are amazing- they let me look and touch,nothing seems to bother them- their only fault is not moving off the nest-so i had to pick them up and make her move around

 

[artsyrobin]

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even when the aircells don't look good to us, it is possible they will hatch, mama hen will know what to do- the less human handling the better

 

[silkie4]

Yes, I moved the 1 silkie hen who is not sitting on the egg out to the run today. Our cat decided to come thru the run door and the hen put out her wings and charged, scaring the heck out of our cat. It was actually really funny to watch. I bet Misty (the cat) won't go near the chicken coop for a while! Then then hen went out and ate a little then right back into the coop by her mom. I guess this chick may be lucky enough to have 2 mommas or at least 1 excited big sister!

 

[lswatson111304]

Im definitely not peeking again for a while i was just concerned because i couldn't see anything when i set them. I had to pick her up to check for poop anyway so i took a quick peek. She isn't getting up at all. Not even to eat. Is there any way to encourage her. Even if i place her in front of the food she won't eat. She just rotates on the eggs all day. Important removing the poop for her too. I hope she makes it the full time.

 

[artsyrobin]

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what i do is give mine the normal food, then sprinkle it with goodies, scratch, scrambled eggs- and leave it right under her beak- they won't eat alot when they are nesting, so anything they eat i will give.... they know what they are doing- hard not to worry though- then when the babies hatch they make up for it- also, you won't see much in candling at first anyway- here is a pic i found online, maybe it will help