Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

Adorable! So many cuties. I wonder why she pecked away the extras. Were they perhaps roosters? LOL!

My broody hatch went well. We are on 2 weeks now. She had 14 but she started pecking and running off 2 of them. I was standing out side watching them and when she chased them off they ran to me and stood by my feet. So I picked them up and put them in with the incubator babies. Maybe that was her way of saying hello! I only need 12. She takes them all over the yard. but never in the middle. She keeps to the edge of the woods.

Everyone taking a dust bath.Buffy the BO mama and Gretchen the EE the real mom of some.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Interesting - Smokey didn't start laying again until the chicks were over 5 weeks old. So I don't know what to tell you. It may be that she's given up on the eggs. If you have a bator to put them in - you could move them. But if she gave up on them there was probably a reason. I'd leave them and see what happens - but definitely keep her confined tightly on the nest. Otherwise she'll move off and they'll get cold and definitely won't hatch then.

UPDATE: This is day 21 for one of the eggs-- the one that looks kind of funny. Not expecting anything. Also day 19/20 for the other egg, which when I candled last, looked great.

Problem is, the broody is getting restless. She laid an egg yesterday and went out and about in the run today. After a couple of minutes I put her back on the eggs and she is once again protectively growling if I get near.

Should I keep her in there just a couple ore days? Or take the eggs and incubate?

 

[stone_family3]

I thought about putting the babies under her if she'll sit back in the box LOL. So far all she is doing is puffing up and screeching at me like a Banshee.
Here are the bantie chicks I did get to hatch, I thought they were black dutch bantam (mama) and black cochin bantam (daddy) but the chicks are black and white so maybe their daddy is the white silkie, Elvis. LOL.

Sorry about Duchess giving up - maybe she could still raise the newborns? Glad you got two hatched - pictures please!

 

[stonykill]

Well I am so disappointed my little bantam hen has given up her 2 chicks at a little over 3 weeks old. She has started to lay eggs again so i think that was her cue to give up being a mama. I am going to wait till tonight and see if she takes them into the coop with her to keep them warm if she doesn't let them get under her or she gets on the roost then i have to put her and her chicks into a small coop and keep her in there with them at night till they are a little older. So frustrating.

I've had them do that, but when it was warmer out.

Speaking of frustrating, I broke 2 broody's yesterday that decided to nest in unsafe spots, and I think I found another one sitting

. I'll try to move her at dark if she is, but I've only successfully moved 1 broody. All the rest broke. Ferrel little things. I do have one who just sat this morning, at least I think she did. She is safe. If this other broody breaks, I'lll give the other one the eggs.

 

[stonykill]

and I think mama is due this week. I didn't write it down, but I'm pretty sure she sat a few days after I loaded my incubator, and that was 24 days ago. 23 fuzzy butts from that hatch! Mostly my mutts. So "mama" should hatch soon. Maybe I should run out and check on her, well look at her and listen. I won't touch her. I like my hands

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well she is back with her chicks, for now anyway. She went and laid her egg hung out with the rooster for a while and is now back with her kids, so I'll just have to keep an eye on things and hope she will comntinue to keep them warm at night, we have a couple really cold nights coming up and I really don't want them without protection. Sorry about the broodys stony they can really keep us going huh? Hope mama has a great hatch.

 

[stonykill]

Well she is back with her chicks, for now anyway. She went and laid her egg hung out with the rooster for a while and is now back with her kids, so I'll just have to keep an eye on things and hope she will comntinue to keep them warm at night, we have a couple really cold nights coming up and I really don't want them without protection. Sorry about the broodys stony they can really keep us going huh? Hope mama has a great hatch.

glad she is back with her lil ones.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Adorable!

I thought about putting the babies under her if she'll sit back in the box LOL. So far all she is doing is puffing up and screeching at me like a Banshee.
Here are the bantie chicks I did get to hatch, I thought they were black dutch bantam (mama) and black cochin bantam (daddy) but the chicks are black and white so maybe their daddy is the white silkie, Elvis. LOL.

 

[bobbieschicks]

You could do what I did - I put the babies on the roost with Smokey after she stopped hanging out with them. She pecked them at first, but then let them snuggle. Hopefully your broody will let them hang out tonight when it gets cold.

Well she is back with her chicks, for now anyway. She went and laid her egg hung out with the rooster for a while and is now back with her kids, so I'll just have to keep an eye on things and hope she will comntinue to keep them warm at night, we have a couple really cold nights coming up and I really don't want them without protection. Sorry about the broodys stony they can really keep us going huh? Hope mama has a great hatch.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well Duchess gave up on her six eggs that were due in about a week. Luckily I was out there and i was watching her so after about 20 minutes I snatched them up and took them in the house and put them in with my duck egg.

She has since lost all urge to sit, but has kept the attitude Luckily I managed to hatch two of her eggs at the Easter hatch so I have two of her babies

I'm sorry that Duchess has given up, but thank goodness you have a bator. Let us know how the hatch goes.. and a duck egg? what breed?