Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Farmin Momma]

Here are some pictures of my lil fluffy penguin looking chicks.

There are four lil babies. They brought me so much happiness to come home from my ordeal at the hospital to find these beautiful babies!
Three of them have black feathered feet and one has orange/yellow feathered feet.
They all came from different colored eggs. One blue egg and that baby has a beard and muffs, a white egg from a brown leg horn, a dark brown egg from my Coo Coo Marran and one from a light brown egg that I can't remember which hen laid it. Daddy is a Black Cochin mix with beard and muffs just like the broody that hatched the eggs.
I can't wait to see what they look like when they all feather out!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well.... I got home today and she was in a different nest again with three eggs under her.

The other eggs were cold.

When I had first time broodys I had quite a few that would do this, most of the time it was because another hen would get into the nest to lay an egg and kick the broody out so she would go get into another nest with eggs and forget to get back on the original when the intruder would leave. I situations like that I think moving the broody to her own private quaters would be best especially if she is sitting in the 1 and only favorite box[which they usually do] But just because the eggs cooled down doesn't mean they still won't hatch. what day is she on.?

 

[bobbieschicks]

Here are some pictures of my lil fluffy penguin looking chicks.

There are four lil babies. They brought me so much happiness to come home from my ordeal at the hospital to find these beautiful babies!
Three of them have black feathered feet and one has orange/yellow feathered feet.
They all came from different colored eggs. One blue egg and that baby has a beard and muffs, a white egg from a brown leg horn, a dark brown egg from my Coo Coo Marran and one from a light brown egg that I can't remember which hen laid it. Daddy is a Black Cochin mix with beard and muffs just like the broody that hatched the eggs.
I can't wait to see what they look like when they all feather out!

Such cute little penguins!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Quote:
When I had first time broodys I had quite a few that would do this, most of the time it was because another hen would get into the nest to lay an egg and kick the broody out so she would go get into another nest with eggs and forget to get back on the original when the intruder would leave. I situations like that I think moving the broody to her own private quaters would be best especially if she is sitting in the 1 and only favorite box[which they usually do] But just because the eggs cooled down doesn't mean they still won't hatch. what day is she on.?

xs2. That's why I moved Topsy. The first two times I tried to move her during the day didn't work. So I said oh we'll I'll just leave her. Then I found her in yet another new box with the smashed egg yolk in the first box. That's when I decided I had to move her or risk more smashed eggs. I moved her at night under cover of a towel. Put some of her old bedding from her old nest box in the new nest box along with her fake egg. And it worked. She was still in there tonight trying to hatch her ping pong ball.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Such cute little penguins!

I agree adorable lil penguins...

 

[Miss Lydia]

xs2. That's why I moved Topsy. The first two times I tried to move her during the day didn't work. So I said oh we'll I'll just leave her. Then I found her in yet another new box with the smashed egg yolk in the first box. That's when I decided I had to move her or risk more smashed eggs. I moved her at night under cover of a towel. Put some of her old bedding from her old nest box in the new nest box along with her fake egg. And it worked. She was still in there tonight trying to hatch her ping pong ball.

When are you giving her the real thing.?

 

[bobbieschicks]

Quote:
When are you giving her the real thing.?

She's getting the real deal either Monday or Tuesday when they arrive. I figure I'll slip four silkie eggs under her and take away the ping pong ball.

 

[Farmin Momma]

Such cute little penguins!

Thank you so much! They have such cute lil white fluffy butts. And my momma hen is so sweet she has never pecked me when I reach in for the babies. But that kinda leads me to a question, because she does not peck at me when I reach for the babies, do you think she will still be able to protect them from the rest of the flock when I put them back in the coop? Or do you think she is too submissive and wont be able to ward off the other hens?

I agree adorable lil penguins...

 

[MamaRoo]

Thank you so much! They have such cute lil white fluffy butts. And my momma hen is so sweet she has never pecked me when I reach in for the babies. But that kinda leads me to a question, because she does not peck at me when I reach for the babies, do you think she will still be able to protect them from the rest of the flock when I put them back in the coop? Or do you think she is too submissive and wont be able to ward off the other hens?

My silkie never pecks me, be she had a to-the-death-if-the-roo-hadn't-stepped-in battle with the EE (which is funny, since two of the babies are hers). Some hens she tolerates, some she doesn't. She also showed my cat what the business end of a broody mamma looks like.

 

[stonykill]

Thank you so much! They have such cute lil white fluffy butts. And my momma hen is so sweet she has never pecked me when I reach in for the babies. But that kinda leads me to a question, because she does not peck at me when I reach for the babies, do you think she will still be able to protect them from the rest of the flock when I put them back in the coop? Or do you think she is too submissive and wont be able to ward off the other hens?

I prefer that my girls go after me when they have lil ones. It is nature. Even "Mama" my best broody, on her 5th brood since I have had her. Just this morning she charged my legs when I went to feed her. My response to her is always the same "mama you know by now I would never hurt your tiny little babies". She is just doing her job. I like it that way.

Most likely your hen will protect her lil ones against anything. It is instinctual. One of my 4 lb Sumatra mama's once attacked a 15 lb Maine coon cat for getting too close. "William" stays away from mama hens now