Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[jgervais]

so remember how i posted that everything was great after i moved my hen and eggs 2 days before hatch? she was on them this morning and then when i got home from work she was perched and no where near them....

I put the eggs back in the original nest up in the larger coop, let her out and she went right to them and sat.
Im presuming shes been off the eggs for hours.... any hope for her? I feel terrrrrrible for messing her up

 

[bobbieschicks]

so remember how i posted that everything was great after i moved my hen and eggs 2 days before hatch? she was on them this morning and then when i got home from work she was perched and no where near them....

I put the eggs back in the original nest up in the larger coop, let her out and she went right to them and sat.
Im presuming shes been off the eggs for hours.... any hope for her? I feel terrrrrrible for messing her up

There's still hope. Is it warm where you are? If so she may have been taking a break when you found her. I wouldn't give up on the clutch until day 24 or so.

 

[jgervais]

it was a humid 60+ this morning when i left for work, but it was an incredibly windy 50-55 or so when I got home later. I think the banging roof scared her some. Its crazy windy here this evening.

I guess all I can do is wait and see. I have another hen on some more eggs a week further out than this one. so hopefully SOMEBODY will hatch some eggs. I just feel bad that i confused her. lesson learned.

 

[bobbieschicks]

it was a humid 60+ this morning when i left for work, but it was an incredibly windy 50-55 or so when I got home later. I think the banging roof scared her some. Its crazy windy here this evening.

I guess all I can do is wait and see. I have another hen on some more eggs a week further out than this one. so hopefully SOMEBODY will hatch some eggs. I just feel bad that i confused her. lesson learned.

Could you let her sit on those eggs until the other ones hatch and slip her a chick or two? Or maybe a few of the other broody's eggs to hatch?

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Just a little update. 2 1/2 week old chicks were not a good match for my broody. We had moved her to a large dog crate and when we put the chicks in it was hard to tell who was more afraid of who. Once it got light out, and everyone was aware they were trapped together, they all ran around in circles frantically trying to get out and away from each other.

 

[stonykill]

Just a little update. 2 1/2 week old chicks were not a good match for my broody. We had moved her to a large dog crate and when we put the chicks in it was hard to tell who was more afraid of who. Once it got light out, and everyone was aware they were trapped together, they all ran around in circles frantically trying to get out and away from each other.

I have found that any chick over only a few days doesn't work.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Just a little update. 2 1/2 week old chicks were not a good match for my broody. We had moved her to a large dog crate and when we put the chicks in it was hard to tell who was more afraid of who. Once it got light out, and everyone was aware they were trapped together, they all ran around in circles frantically trying to get out and away from each other.

At least you tried. Sorry.

 

[CALI CHICK]

Hello Broodies,
I was on here a month ago when my Buff Orpington went "broody". Well, she wasn't truely broody because she didn't stay on the fertile eggs I got for her. I brought them into the house and put them in the incubator and guess what....all 5 of those Easter Egger chicks hatched for me like popcorn!

Here is a picture of them (@ 2 weeks old) enjoying some of our nice California weather this afternoon.
Can you guess the name of the white chick in front? (Hint: She has the wings of an _ _ _ _ _!) The one in the back dressed in his tuxedo we call "Popper". We haven't named the 3 black triplets standing in the middle.


Oh, and I wanted to mention that Buffy is BROODY big time now!

She hasn't left her nest (except once a day) for 6 days or nights. This time I put some fertile Trader Joe eggs under her.

It cost only $2.79 and I won't feel bad if none hatch. It would be so cool if some did, though!

 

[perchie.girl]

Ohmy gawd they are soo cute.... Love that mommas tail too.....

deb

The life of the self employed. Manhattan trip today. Made a phone call and had to run out and prepare for a 9 yard mulch delivery tomorrow for my wife. As I'm going out to the truck I hear a broody. Another broody had a hatch! I thought she was due next week!
This is her 1st time being broody. She was born last spring. Here she is with her 3 Sumatra fuzzy butts!

 

[Fuffy]

It's obviously some kind of legbar hybrid. But you can sex them at birth and I wasn't all that taken with the cream legbar I had. I like a big, clean legged bird that is too heavy to get over my fence

I didnt know Silver Dorkings layed blue eggs?
deb

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