Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[WVChickenFarmer]

Hi all! I'm new to this thread.

Today should be day #15 for my hen. I think she might have decided to give up on the eggs. Usually she will eat little in the morning and go right back to her nest even when the others free range. Well I let them out to free range this morning around 9 am or so. She is still out and has not gone back to her nest. I'm afraid she may have decided to abandon her eggs. Has any one else had this happen before? Is there any thing I can do, should I be worried, do you think she will go back to her nest?

 

[123ChickieLou]

Mine did that a little bit too. She always went back. Once I brought her back, heh. She has a hatch so I guess everything went fine, at least for that one.

Question for others-- how long should I wait after the first hatch to remove the rest of the eggs?

 

[bobbieschicks]

Is she a newbie at being a broody? If she's a young pullet I read that they tend to abandon easier then older hens. If she's not back on them by evening you could try locking her up somewhere with the eggs. Have you checked the eggs to see if they are viable? You may want to do that before trying to force her back on the nest. Sorry - I'm kind of going through a similar thing - my Topsy is a new silkie broody pullet and she seems to want to be a broody - but she's not good at it yet.

Hi all! I'm new to this thread.

Today should be day #15 for my hen. I think she might have decided to give up on the eggs. Usually she will eat little in the morning and go right back to her nest even when the others free range. Well I let them out to free range this morning around 9 am or so. She is still out and has not gone back to her nest. I'm afraid she may have decided to abandon her eggs. Has any one else had this happen before? Is there any thing I can do, should I be worried, do you think she will go back to her nest?

 

[bobbieschicks]

When she leaves the nest with the chicks - you can remove the eggs then. Candle them if you want and see if there's any need to keep incubating. Most likely she's done with them if she left the nest with the babies.

Mine did that a little bit too. She always went back. Once I brought her back, heh. She has a hatch so I guess everything went fine, at least for that one.

Question for others-- how long should I wait after the first hatch to remove the rest of the eggs?

 

[stonykill]

When she leaves the nest with the chicks - you can remove the eggs then. Candle them if you want and see if there's any need to keep incubating. Most likely she's done with them if she left the nest with the babies.

x2

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ok, here's my update:

Upon checking the chickens mid-morning, Chickie had her baby out near the feeder. They were SO cute together. If feather-sexing is accurate, the baby is a pullet. There were two distinct rows of primaries. One long/regular and one shorter, about half the length of the longer ones. If I'm right, I'm glad for that.

None of the other eggs have hatched yet. I guess that could mean this one was a early hatcher; or that the rest are dead. They'd gotten cold when she was off the nest but when she saw me fiddling with them, she went back to the nest and sat on them.

Oh, and she puffed and growled at me for being near her chick, lol!! Her chick just runs right up to me, so I don't know what her problem is.

Don't you love to watch a mama and her chicks

 

[WVChickenFarmer]

Is she a newbie at being a broody? If she's a young pullet I read that they tend to abandon easier then older hens. If she's not back on them by evening you could try locking her up somewhere with the eggs. Have you checked the eggs to see if they are viable? You may want to do that before trying to force her back on the nest. Sorry - I'm kind of going through a similar thing - my Topsy is a new silkie broody pullet and she seems to want to be a broody - but she's not good at it yet.

Yes she is a newbie at being broody. I may try lock her up some place else with just her eggs if she is not back on them this evening. I just don't where to put her yet. I have tried to check her eggs but I really could not see any thing. I thought my hen was doing pretty well since she didn't really leave her nest very long until today. Thanks for your help. I had no idea that young pullets would abandon their eggs. She will be a year old next month.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes she is a newbie at being broody. I may try lock her up some place else with just her eggs if she is not back on them this evening. I just don't where to put her yet. I have tried to check her eggs but I really could not see any thing. I thought my hen was doing pretty well since she didn't really leave her nest very long until today. Thanks for your help. I had no idea that young pullets would abandon their eggs. She will be a year old next month.

I hope she goes back to them i would just wait and see. It's amazing how long they can be off the nest and still get those eggs to hatch. Do you think one of the other hens may have been harassing her?

 

[JodyJo]

Cool thread...I did not read the whole time based on time I have to scan...quick question, easy one I am sure. I am new to the broody hen...my first ever is now broody, starting yesterday, a black australorp....how many eggs will she lay till she stops and just sits? I have already placed an EE egg under her, see, I want to have the EE's increased in my flock, so my 3 girls that are laying, I want to place their eggs under her as well. But I do not want 20 eggs under her, so I plan on pulling out a few of hers and replacing them with the EE eggs.

any advice? How many is too many to sit on and hatch!?

 

[123ChickieLou]

Quote:
I candled them and three were clear and turned out to be rotten. Not 'exploding' rotten but rotten. Two were dark all the way through. I put those two back. Two of the rotten ones were dark on the big end and not on the little end. Only one seemed to have any substance to it and I think that one may have had a starter in it that died prior to formation. The other two were just straight fishy-smelling liquid.

She still returns to the nest and is interested in sitting. She does sometimes try to sit with the baby out in the pen.

Should I give it another day? Maybe it is just my high hopes. I'm afraid that if none of the others hatch the little one won't make it. Who knows. Maybe I could get a couple of chicks from the feed-store and sneak them under her?