Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

Do you also butcher your extra roos or just find homes for them?  I hope you get 99.99% pullets this time. 

So far we've rehomed them. But at the rate we are hatching roosters, I may have to start processing them. There was one little cockerel I thought about wringing the neck of tonight. He kept pecking at my AM and she was screeching.

 

[kraftyladies]

well after my broody changing her mind and sitting on another pile of eggs... I was going to give up on her, but I didn't. She started sitting on this new batch on Saturday. She is still sitting on them, I have been trying to make sure I keep the eggs picked up out of the other nest boxes so she doesn't get any more crazy ideas. Well, I decided to candle tonight... I didn't candle them all, but the ones I did I saw veining! Yay! I stuck 2 of my ameraucana eggs under her, she has some of hers and other orp eggs under her, but sure did see a lot of white leghorns eggs too...grrr... The leghorn is her friend, guess she is helping her out. I have never hatched any of those with my black orp rooster...anyone know what you get? white or brown egg layer? Anyway, I hope that now that I have said something she doesn't do something crazy tomorrow!! Guess I need to candle and mark them all....before any more get stuck under her!

 

[Scooter&Suzie]

YIPPIE!!! My eggs hatched some time during the night, so I came out to some little babies peeking out of their mama's fluff! 7 out of 8 eggs hatched. I remembered that if spun, an egg that is not hard boiled will wobbly spin, while a hard boiled egg will spin quickly. So I took the egg that didn't hatch and spun it. It spun quickly, so I stopped it and put it back under the mama (she is still in the nest with the babies). So, I think there must be a chick in there - that it is fertile. The place I got my eggs had no guarrentee they would all be fertile, even though they were with roosters. At $2 a dozen I decided it was worth the risk.\


I'm wondering if there is a way to candle it and see if it is still alive, or if it is dead. I hope it will hatch!

 

[bobbieschicks]

YIPPIE!!!  My eggs hatched some time during the night, so I came out to some little babies peeking out of their mama's fluff!  7 out of 8 eggs hatched.  I remembered that if spun, an egg that is not hard boiled will wobbly spin, while a hard boiled egg will spin quickly.  So I took the egg that didn't hatch and spun it.  It spun quickly, so I stopped it and put it back under the mama (she is still in the nest with the babies).  So, I think there must be a chick in there - that it is fertile.  The place I got my eggs had no guarrentee they would all be fertile, even though they were with roosters.  At $2 a dozen I decided it was worth the risk.\


I'm wondering if there is a way to candle it and see if it is still alive, or if it is dead.  I hope it will hatch!

Yeah! Congrats on the chicks! Yes get a powerful flashlight, cup the egg in your hand with the large end up, shine the flashlight into the egg and watch for movement or veining. But if it's only day 21 I would leave it alone until day 25 then candle it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

well after my broody changing her mind and sitting on another pile of eggs... I was going to give up on her, but I didn't. She started sitting on this new batch on Saturday. She is still sitting on them, I have been trying to make sure I keep the eggs picked up out of the other nest boxes so she doesn't get any more crazy ideas. Well, I decided to candle tonight... I didn't candle them all, but the ones I did I saw veining! Yay! I stuck 2 of my ameraucana eggs under her, she has some of hers and other orp eggs under her, but sure did see a lot of white leghorns eggs too...grrr... The leghorn is her friend, guess she is helping her out. I have never hatched any of those with my black orp rooster...anyone know what you get? white or brown egg layer? Anyway, I hope that now that I have said something she doesn't do something crazy tomorrow!! Guess I need to candle and mark them all....before any more get stuck under her!

I think when you mix those 2 you get polka dotted eggs.

 

[Miss Lydia]

YIPPIE!!! My eggs hatched some time during the night, so I came out to some little babies peeking out of their mama's fluff! 7 out of 8 eggs hatched. I remembered that if spun, an egg that is not hard boiled will wobbly spin, while a hard boiled egg will spin quickly. So I took the egg that didn't hatch and spun it. It spun quickly, so I stopped it and put it back under the mama (she is still in the nest with the babies). So, I think there must be a chick in there - that it is fertile. The place I got my eggs had no guarrentee they would all be fertile, even though they were with roosters. At $2 a dozen I decided it was worth the risk.\


I'm wondering if there is a way to candle it and see if it is still alive, or if it is dead. I hope it will hatch!

Congrats sounds like a great hatch..

 

[Miss Lydia]

Candled Issabelles eggs this morning and they were both duds.

So she is starting over with 2 and seems fine with it. Having 2 roosters How in the world were neither of those eggs fertile.

 

[Tripp16]

Candled Issabelles eggs this morning and they were both duds.

So she is starting over with 2 and seems fine with it. Having 2 roosters How in the world were neither of those eggs fertile.

Must have not liked Mr. Peppy for 3 weeks before.

Sorry to hear that. Im sure its disapointing.

 

[Farmin Momma]

YIPPIE!!! My eggs hatched some time during the night, so I came out to some little babies peeking out of their mama's fluff! 7 out of 8 eggs hatched. I remembered that if spun, an egg that is not hard boiled will wobbly spin, while a hard boiled egg will spin quickly. So I took the egg that didn't hatch and spun it. It spun quickly, so I stopped it and put it back under the mama (she is still in the nest with the babies). So, I think there must be a chick in there - that it is fertile. The place I got my eggs had no guarrentee they would all be fertile, even though they were with roosters. At $2 a dozen I decided it was worth the risk.\


I'm wondering if there is a way to candle it and see if it is still alive, or if it is dead. I hope it will hatch!

Yeah, babies!!!! Congrats

Candled Issabelles eggs this morning and they were both duds.

So she is starting over with 2 and seems fine with it. Having 2 roosters How in the world were neither of those eggs fertile.

Oh, sorry to hear that the first two were duds.

Hopfully the next two are just fine!

 

[SDragon]

We tried to move the hen, but it just freaked her out and she ate all he eggs.