Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[AinaWGSD]

Success! Gloria has accepted all 5 of the babies we put under her this weekend. I was a bit worried though, as she hasn't left the nest (at all that I can tell, no signs of droppings or disturbances in the food) since we put the first 3 chicks under her. This afternoon when I went to check on them I could hear one of the chicks chirping from all the way across the yard. When I opened up the broody pen it was sitting on the boards in front of the box I had her nest in. She's been a grumpy broody the past few days, so I was a little afraid to stick my hand near her to tuck the chick back in, although it was obviously cold (still active, but shivering). So, instead I just dumped the whole nest directly onto the boards. The little chick that had been out of the nest quickly tucked itself back under Gloria. And two of the other chicks came out to check out what was going on! I cooked up some eggs for them last night, and Gloria immediately started pecking at them. At first, I thought she was chowing down, but she was actually breaking them into smaller bits and trying to get the chicks to eat them

I finally manged to find my camera, but not before one of the chicks decided to hunker down under Gloria again. But here are the pictures I got with her and the one chick.

 

[aaggjg]

Success! Gloria has accepted all 5 of the babies we put under her this weekend. I was a bit worried though, as she hasn't left the nest (at all that I can tell, no signs of droppings or disturbances in the food) since we put the first 3 chicks under her. This afternoon when I went to check on them I could hear one of the chicks chirping from all the way across the yard. When I opened up the broody pen it was sitting on the boards in front of the box I had her nest in. She's been a grumpy broody the past few days, so I was a little afraid to stick my hand near her to tuck the chick back in, although it was obviously cold (still active, but shivering). So, instead I just dumped the whole nest directly onto the boards. The little chick that had been out of the nest quickly tucked itself back under Gloria. And two of the other chicks came out to check out what was going on! I cooked up some eggs for them last night, and Gloria immediately started pecking at them. At first, I thought she was chowing down, but she was actually breaking them into smaller bits and trying to get the chicks to eat them

I finally manged to find my camera, but not before one of the chicks decided to hunker down under Gloria again. But here are the pictures I got with her and the one chick.

OMG Gloria is BEAUTIFUL!!! As is that chick!!! What kind of Chicken is she??? I'd love to see a picture of your broody pen too! I have a first time broody and am trying to figure out if I should move her or not ..... but I don't have anywhere to move her.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Success! Gloria has accepted all 5 of the babies we put under her this weekend. I was a bit worried though, as she hasn't left the nest (at all that I can tell, no signs of droppings or disturbances in the food) since we put the first 3 chicks under her. This afternoon when I went to check on them I could hear one of the chicks chirping from all the way across the yard. When I opened up the broody pen it was sitting on the boards in front of the box I had her nest in. She's been a grumpy broody the past few days, so I was a little afraid to stick my hand near her to tuck the chick back in, although it was obviously cold (still active, but shivering). So, instead I just dumped the whole nest directly onto the boards. The little chick that had been out of the nest quickly tucked itself back under Gloria. And two of the other chicks came out to check out what was going on! I cooked up some eggs for them last night, and Gloria immediately started pecking at them. At first, I thought she was chowing down, but she was actually breaking them into smaller bits and trying to get the chicks to eat them

I finally manged to find my camera, but not before one of the chicks decided to hunker down under Gloria again. But here are the pictures I got with her and the one chick.

Awwhh. Going into cuteness overload.

 

[Tripp16]

Success! Gloria has accepted all 5 of the babies we put under her this weekend. I was a bit worried though, as she hasn't left the nest (at all that I can tell, no signs of droppings or disturbances in the food) since we put the first 3 chicks under her. This afternoon when I went to check on them I could hear one of the chicks chirping from all the way across the yard. When I opened up the broody pen it was sitting on the boards in front of the box I had her nest in. She's been a grumpy broody the past few days, so I was a little afraid to stick my hand near her to tuck the chick back in, although it was obviously cold (still active, but shivering). So, instead I just dumped the whole nest directly onto the boards. The little chick that had been out of the nest quickly tucked itself back under Gloria. And two of the other chicks came out to check out what was going on! I cooked up some eggs for them last night, and Gloria immediately started pecking at them. At first, I thought she was chowing down, but she was actually breaking them into smaller bits and trying to get the chicks to eat them

I finally manged to find my camera, but not before one of the chicks decided to hunker down under Gloria again. But here are the pictures I got with her and the one chick.

Something about a Mother hen and her chicks is cuter then the chicks being in a brooder box....

 

[bobbieschicks]

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!?

I've only had two broodies so far, both of them are small pullets that laid about four eggs before stopping to sit. They laid the eggs and stayed on the nest at night. One was an EE mutt and the other is a silkie. Too many is when she can't cover them to keep them warm at night, including when they are chicks. My EE had eight LF eggs and hatched three. So probably three was her limit. A LF grl could probably cover 10, but for a first timer you may want to limit her clutch.

 

[WVChickenFarmer]

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?

She still has not gone back to her nest.

I don't think any of the other hens have been harassing her. I haven't seen them bothering her. I guess I will try to candle the eggs and if they look like they are viable. I will just have to put her some place separate.

 

[WVChickenFarmer]

Success! Gloria has accepted all 5 of the babies we put under her this weekend. I was a bit worried though, as she hasn't left the nest (at all that I can tell, no signs of droppings or disturbances in the food) since we put the first 3 chicks under her. This afternoon when I went to check on them I could hear one of the chicks chirping from all the way across the yard. When I opened up the broody pen it was sitting on the boards in front of the box I had her nest in. She's been a grumpy broody the past few days, so I was a little afraid to stick my hand near her to tuck the chick back in, although it was obviously cold (still active, but shivering). So, instead I just dumped the whole nest directly onto the boards. The little chick that had been out of the nest quickly tucked itself back under Gloria. And two of the other chicks came out to check out what was going on! I cooked up some eggs for them last night, and Gloria immediately started pecking at them. At first, I thought she was chowing down, but she was actually breaking them into smaller bits and trying to get the chicks to eat them

I finally manged to find my camera, but not before one of the chicks decided to hunker down under Gloria again. But here are the pictures I got with her and the one chick.

So sweet! Glad things worked out for you! I have a hen named Gloria also.

 

[bobbieschicks]

The more I look at this the hungrier I get for scrambled eggs

Success! Gloria has accepted all 5 of the babies we put under her this weekend. I was a bit worried though, as she hasn't left the nest (at all that I can tell, no signs of droppings or disturbances in the food) since we put the first 3 chicks under her. This afternoon when I went to check on them I could hear one of the chicks chirping from all the way across the yard. When I opened up the broody pen it was sitting on the boards in front of the box I had her nest in. She's been a grumpy broody the past few days, so I was a little afraid to stick my hand near her to tuck the chick back in, although it was obviously cold (still active, but shivering). So, instead I just dumped the whole nest directly onto the boards. The little chick that had been out of the nest quickly tucked itself back under Gloria. And two of the other chicks came out to check out what was going on! I cooked up some eggs for them last night, and Gloria immediately started pecking at them. At first, I thought she was chowing down, but she was actually breaking them into smaller bits and trying to get the chicks to eat them

I finally manged to find my camera, but not before one of the chicks decided to hunker down under Gloria again. But here are the pictures I got with her and the one chick.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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!?

Start marking the eggs 1-. I use a washable maker and start marking them, when she is finished remove the oldest ones till you have them amount under her your comfortable with. Good luck and let us hear how it goes, first time broody anywhere from 4-8 depending on hen size.Most of us on here limit the amount of chicks we let our first time broodys hatch.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Wanted to show ya'll pics of my chicks so far from my 2 broodys of this year, Scarlett hatched 3 we lost one to drowning but the other 2 are doing great and will be 6 weeks old this Thurs.Tell me they aren't both boys