Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[aoxa]

When is hatch day?


 

March 17th I am very excited! I am wondering what to do with her during lockdown? Should I not let her out? Right now she is in a crate, and I remove her twice a day for a poop. She will not leave otherwise, and I have closed the crate after leaving it open for a week (other chickens got in and broke 3 of the eggs!).

Should I not feed her so there is no need for bathroom breaks, or should I continue to do what I'm doing? If I leave her for any longer than 12 hours, she will poop where she is. I have food and water inside her cage (attached to the wire front). If I didn't provide that, she wouldn't stay out long enough to take care of all her needs All she really does before getting back in is poop, groom a bit and she's ready to sit again.

Eggs can get chilled really quickly at this time of year. I try not to keep her out for any more than 10 minutes unless it is above 0.

All of her little babies are so active! I was very surprised that all five are moving around, as two days ago I could hardly see anything other than in one (the silkie egg). Maybe it was because the eggs are brown.. I'm just so excited!

 

[stonykill]

I do have a self sustaining flock. My free range Sumatra's are self sustaining.

I would love to have a self sustaining flock!

Reminds me of the Nat Geo show Doomsday Preppers!!!

I love watching that show to see the chickens

I haven't wathced it either. I'll need to hulu it all at once as I promised my friend I would watch it. My friends brother is one of the behind the scenes guys on the show. His job is essentually to verify that these people are the real deal, and not just looking for 15 minutes of fame. At least that is how I understand it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

March 17th

I am very excited! I am wondering what to do with her during lockdown? Should I not let her out? Right now she is in a crate, and I remove her twice a day for a poop. She will not leave otherwise, and I have closed the crate after leaving it open for a week (other chickens got in and broke 3 of the eggs!).
Should I not feed her so there is no need for bathroom breaks, or should I continue to do what I'm doing? If I leave her for any longer than 12 hours, she will poop where she is. I have food and water inside her cage (attached to the wire front). If I didn't provide that, she wouldn't stay out long enough to take care of all her needs

All she really does before getting back in is poop, groom a bit and she's ready to sit again.
Eggs can get chilled really quickly at this time of year. I try not to keep her out for any more than 10 minutes unless it is above 0.
All of her little babies are so active! I was very surprised that all five are moving around, as two days ago I could hardly see anything other than in one (the silkie egg). Maybe it was because the eggs are brown.. I'm just so excited!

My broodys hatch day is the 17th too... a couple of days before hatch they will not leave the nest may not even get up too eat, but they know what they are doing so don't worry. I have been getting my broody out about every third day and she so far hasn't pooped in her nest. Just leave her alone and she'll take care of everything. Congrats and we'll be talking alot i have a feeling come end of next week...

 

[Niss]

I've watched the prepper show--they are mostly crazy people--they look for the most 'out there,' but the basic idea that our supply chains are fragile and having skills, tools, and supplys is the smart thing to do is what go me into chickens. My girls don't earn me money...I doubt they even pay thier own way although they are getting closer. But I wanted them because I thought I should learn HOW to raise them and have starting stock on hand just in case something bad happens down the road. Same with gardening.

That's part of the reason I love using broodies so much. I'm working toward a self sufficant flock. I have my heart set on BAs and SSs, but after this year I'm done with hatchery chicks. And if the S hits TF, I might not have the extra power to divert to hatching eggs, or so I tell the girls, plus it kept start up low to skip the incubator.

 

[countrygirl5]

That would have been soooo funny to watch had they seen it!!!

Everyone was alive and accounted for this morning. I noticed that Smokey kept the babies inside until everyone else had gone out. I usually check at night to make sure everyone gets where they belong.
So I cleaned the coop without interference. When I finished, I looked over towards the run I could see Smokey at the back with her babies. Suddenly I noticed a dark brown one hurrying along the bottom ledge of the run. I was worried it was in trouble. I guess I wasn't too swift this morning, because I don't have any dark brown babies, and then it occurred to me that it was moving oddly. That's when I noticed the long skinny tail! It was a field mouse! Apparently it came up inside the secure run from underneath the little broody coop. It got away this time by scurrying back into its hole. Everyone was out in the yard and missed it, or I think they would have been fighting over that meal.

 

[countrygirl5]

My hubby and I tried to watch the preppers show, but when the father was going to mock kidnapp his young kids to show them what being kidnapped would be like, we shut it off. . CRAZY! But I agree with the philosophy that we do need to be prepared. . we've been working toward self-reliance for many years now. Hence the chickens and the rabbits. We'd love to get some mini cows and mini goats and mini pigs, but we just don't have the land right now. I LOVE that I have a self sufficient flock. . I am going to get some brahma's from a local hatchery, whenever she gets some chicks. What are BA's and SS's? The local hatchery doesn't have much in uncommon breeds,and very few that are broody breeds. In fact, there are only two that are in the broody breed category that she carries. Right now I have 1 barred rock, 4 red-stars (which may become stew this fall), 3 americana's, 2 buff orp's, and 2 golden laced wyandott's. The roo is a silver laced wyandott, so it'll be interesting to see what hatches, cause I'm just using my own eggs.

I've watched the prepper show--they are mostly crazy people--they look for the most 'out there,' but the basic idea that our supply chains are fragile and having skills, tools, and supplys is the smart thing to do is what go me into chickens. My girls don't earn me money...I doubt they even pay thier own way although they are getting closer. But I wanted them because I thought I should learn HOW to raise them and have starting stock on hand just in case something bad happens down the road. Same with gardening.

That's part of the reason I love using broodies so much. I'm working toward a self sufficant flock. I have my heart set on BAs and SSs, but after this year I'm done with hatchery chicks. And if the S hits TF, I might not have the extra power to divert to hatching eggs, or so I tell the girls, plus it kept start up low to skip the incubator.

 

[countrygirl5]

Their hatch day is approx. March 24th (day 20)! I did pull up her tail feather today, just to see, and there was a med. sized, very smelly poo under there. It was covering one egg, so I picked her up, and moved her. Removed the poo, wiped the egg as best I could, and then left. She just stood there and watcher, like "What took you so long?" She didn't squawk or try to peck me at all, when I checked on her a little later she was back on. But it was cool cause my dd checked on her awhile after that, and she freaked cause she wasn't sitting on all her eggs, so I went out to look, and she was just moving them around, like a good mamma should. First time I've been able to see her move since she started!! She's gonna be a good mamma! Very excited.

Quote:

 

[CALI CHICK]

Hi Everyone, I'm excited to join this thread and hope to get some advice and encouragement from those who have broody hens.

My 7 month Buff Orpington has been "practicing" broodiness on and off for a couple weeks, but she would never stay on her eggs longer than a couple hours so I would take them. Then a few days ago, the other two hens layed their eggs in HER nesting box! Buffy is the only hen (out of 3) that uses her nest box...until this episode. She still didn't stay on these eggs either, but wanted in the tractor to "free range". I noticed Buffy puffing up like a beach ball or turkey and then pretending to be broody on a nest of dirt (while in the tractor). Buffy did this for two more days. She sleeps on the perch still, so I knew she wasn't completely broody. I considered that maybe Buffy was trying to "collect" enough eggs for her clutch and if she had more eggs...maybe she would STAY on them? I don't have a rooster, so their eggs would never hatch

however, I was curious if she would set on fertile eggs for 21 days.

So, I went and bought her some fertile eggs last night.

After I forced her out of the nest box for breakfast, I added 5 fertile EE eggs to her nest. After eating she gladly went back to setting on the new eggs and old (there are 7 eggs under her now). She has been setting on them for a whole 4 1/2 hours....................I have a long way to go, huh! It would be so awesome if she would actually hatch these. I really don't want to use the incubator because I want to use it for the Easter Hatchalong.

I have some concerns and questions:

1. The other 2 hens wanted to lay their eggs in her nest this morning. She would growl at them, but allowed them to crawl around her. I didn't know if I should remove them or not. My 10 year old son suggested putting "fake" eggs in the other nest box for them -because he was tired of playing referee. (He really was cute trying to keep them away from Buffy!). Well, it worked! They actually got in the other nest box (together) like they were broody on the plastic eggs/tennis balls. Then, after they both laid a real egg, they were ready to go to the tractor! Should I keep them out of Buffy's nest box or is it OK for them to add more eggs? I'm afraid they might break them or disrupt her.
2. If Buffy gets up and lets the eggs get cold, should I just use the incubator or give her another chance? I only paid $5 for the 5 eggs, but I don't want to lose them and I really want to do the hatchalong next Friday.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi Everyone, I'm excited to join this thread and hope to get some advice and encouragement from those who have broody hens.

My 7 month Buff Orpington has been "practicing" broodiness on and off for a couple weeks, but she would never stay on her eggs longer than a couple hours so I would take them. Then a few days ago, the other two hens layed their eggs in HER nesting box! Buffy is the only hen (out of 3) that uses her nest box...until this episode. She still didn't stay on these eggs either, but wanted in the tractor to "free range". I noticed Buffy puffing up like a beach ball or turkey and then pretending to be broody on a nest of dirt (while in the tractor). Buffy did this for two more days. She sleeps on the perch still, so I knew she wasn't completely broody. I considered that maybe Buffy was trying to "collect" enough eggs for her clutch and if she had more eggs...maybe she would STAY on them? I don't have a rooster, so their eggs would never hatch

however, I was curious if she would set on fertile eggs for 21 days.

So, I went and bought her some fertile eggs last night.

After I forced her out of the nest box for breakfast, I added 5 fertile EE eggs to her nest. After eating she gladly went back to setting on the new eggs and old (there are 7 eggs under her now). She has been setting on them for a whole 4 1/2 hours....................I have a long way to go, huh! It would be so awesome if she would actually hatch these. I really don't want to use the incubator because I want to use it for the Easter Hatchalong.

I have some concerns and questions:

1. The other 2 hens wanted to lay their eggs in her nest this morning. She would growl at them, but allowed them to crawl around her. I didn't know if I should remove them or not. My 10 year old son suggested putting "fake" eggs in the other nest box for them -because he was tired of playing referee. (He really was cute trying to keep them away from Buffy!). Well, it worked! They actually got in the other nest box (together) like they were broody on the plastic eggs/tennis balls. Then, after they both laid a real egg, they were ready to go to the tractor! Should I keep them out of Buffy's nest box or is it OK for them to add more eggs? I'm afraid they might break them or disrupt her.
2. If Buffy gets up and lets the eggs get cold, should I just use the incubator or give her another chance? I only paid $5 for the 5 eggs, but I don't want to lose them and I really want to do the hatchalong next Friday.

Go ahead and mark the eggs under her now that way you can remove the eggs the other girls layin her nest, I wouldn't try moving her since she has just started to sit. and as for the other girls maybe if you keep eggs in the other nest boxes they will use them if not just remove the eggs that aren't marked.
Hens know how long they can stay off the nest without hurting the eggs, so just try not to interfer unless she got up and stayed off an hour or longer. we've all experienced this and still had chicks hatch.. so all the best and please let us know how it goes..

 

[CALI CHICK]

Thank you, Miss Lydia

I'm not going to touch her (or any eggs) until I know she is seriously in this for the long haul! Fortunately, the fertile eggs are blue (from EEs) so I shouldn't have any problem knowing which ones are developing. The other 2 eggs are her pinkish egg and Rhody's brown egg. I might even leave the dud eggs under her for a week and then replace them with newly laid/warm eggs so she doesn't "miss" any of them. (I would hate for them to spoil and explode)

Well, it's been 6 hours and she hasn't moved off her nest box!

And, I thought incubating was stressful. By tonight I'll know if I can place a little more faith in her