Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

The area looks fine - when she poops it will be one great big one and you can clean it out pretty easily as long as it's not washed off the eggs. Just wipe or flick it off any eggs.

Momma and chicks could go out by day 3 after they've hatched. She'll leave and they'll follow her. If they get too far away she'll cluck them back to her. And she will protect them. Smokey seemed like it didn't bother her to have anyone else around - until the rooster grabbed one of the chicks and flung it. Boy, Smokey went crazy! She attacked the rooster and from that day on she pecked anyone that got within two feet of the babies. A fierce momma to be reckoned with!


Originally Posted by bobbieschicks

That patina comes eventually. I had a pretty clean coop until someone got bloody one night and apparently flung it all over the place. It looked like a CSI scene with blood splattered everywhere. As soon as it's warm enough I plan to repaint if the blood won't wash off.

They will learn the ramp - usually by the 1st week. You may have to help them learn, but if you don't they'll figure it out on their own eventually.


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Ah, now I see the multi-quote button. Haha! Sorry for the mess! (My replies are above.)

Another edit: I went back and looked at some emails I sent and that "weird" (to me) egg must be on day 18 or 19 after all. Ahead of the Delaware's egg by 48 hours. I think I better not disturb her/them anymore!
 
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Thank you. Yes I did go right to the coop and put them under her. I checked them at lunch today when I was checking on the chick I gave her...no pips yet none in my eggs in the bator either. I'll give them until Monday as I have new ones going into lockdown then. So if hers don't hatch should I just take them away so she will leave the nest with the babies??
I had to take my girls egg that wasnt going to hatch. I could tell she wanted to get up because she wasnt giving it much attention, at one point the chicks pushed it out from under her and she didnt know it until I took it she started screeching and shoved it back under her. I eventually took and then she got up and began teaching the chicks what to do.

I was told to give it to day 25 either she will kick it out before then or it will hatch or you will have to take it.
 
Quote: I had to take my girls egg that wasnt going to hatch. I could tell she wanted to get up because she wasnt giving it much attention, at one point the chicks pushed it out from under her and she didnt know it until I took it she started screeching and shoved it back under her. I eventually took and then she got up and began teaching the chicks what to do.

I was told to give it to day 25 either she will kick it out before then or it will hatch or you will have to take it.
That sounds like a good choice. I took Smokeys unhatched away once she got off them.
 
My silkies are still patiently sitting. These two share a nest box. In all there are 7 broody Silkies... and they have infected a Dom and two Spitz. Next week the day olds arrive... I hope they hold on!

 
My silkies are still patiently sitting. These two share a nest box. In all there are 7 broody Silkies... and they have infected a Dom and two Spitz. Next week the day olds arrive... I hope they hold on!

Awwwhhh pretty girls! My son wants a white silkie, he said it would be funny to try and find it in the snow. I reminded him we don't get much snow in Virginia and that the chickens don't usually come out in bad weather. Lol!
 
They are adorable.
love.gif

My silkies are still patiently sitting. These two share a nest box. In all there are 7 broody Silkies... and they have infected a Dom and two Spitz. Next week the day olds arrive... I hope they hold on!

 
Well it took awhile but here they are "Hens and Kittens"


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The Black Star hen is still laying in with the kittens, the Welsumer hen got booted by a Cuckoo Maran and now one of the free ranger Black Star hens thinks she wants a nest box of her own too. This place is like " One flew over the Cuckoo's nest" these days.
 

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