Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[This_chicks_place]

Today is "Day 21" and I think the chicks are hatching. I hear "peeping" and Buffy keeps looking down or at her feathers like she feels something going on. Then she re-positions herself, but stays put! And, I'm not going to touch her....the sweet little momma.

Please forgive me for asking this, if it is a stupid question...

Will Buffy smother the babies? I don't comprehend how they can hatch with her weight on top of them?

Yay!! Post pics when they hatch!

 

[Nigellas]

Here's 3 of the 5 hatched babies with doting Mama Chicken. 2 eggs left under her...

 

[chooniecat]

SO frustrating being ignorant and not good at much(sorry-am VERY frustrated-grrrrr) BREATHE-just tried to candle eggs and can't tell ANYTHING for sure. Its day 11 and altho there were differences in eggs NONE of them had veins that I could tell. MOST of the eggs(only candled 7 of the appx. 12 eggs under her) seemed predominantly dark with the "air sack" at end clear. didn't look like a chic form -TOO much dark it seemed to me. and the others that were different looked simalar to the ones I have seen online that showed POSSIBLE bacterial growth(but not definitly so you don't want to toss them IN CASE) I am blue. ANYHOW -in frustration put ALL eggs back under her and came in almost in tears. And am going to try to look up more pics. dumb chickens.(not serious but am SO frustrated)

 

[chooniecat]

Managed to bring up a vid on youtube(I have no working sound tho)of 12 day eggs and I believe the eggs I candled are duds. Will try tomorrow after MORE investigation but think I already know.

 

[Zootopia]

SO frustrating being ignorant and not good at much(sorry-am VERY frustrated-grrrrr) BREATHE-just tried to candle eggs and can't tell ANYTHING for sure. Its day 11 and altho there were differences in eggs NONE of them had veins that I could tell. MOST of the eggs(only candled 7 of the appx. 12 eggs under her) seemed predominantly dark with the "air sack" at end clear. didn't look like a chic form -TOO much dark it seemed to me. and the others that were different looked simalar to the ones I have seen online that showed POSSIBLE bacterial growth(but not definitly so you don't want to toss them IN CASE) I am blue. ANYHOW -in frustration put ALL eggs back under her and came in almost in tears. And am going to try to look up more pics. dumb chickens.(not serious but am SO frustrated)

Take it easy, I know how you feel. No harm in leaving them all for now.
It does get easier to see, "thru your minds eye" as you have had some experience. Like everything it takes practice. First make it as dark as absolutely possible, the blinds in my bator room aren't dark so I just wait till dark. if you are using a flash light that isn't VERY bright, it will make it harder. Any egg that isn't white can also be a bigger challenge, but you'll get there. DH decided his small LED wasn't bright enough so he went out and bought me a Coleman that like 1400 lums (half that would work fine. It helps and it's the smallest brightest I've seen. When you candle are you getting a good seal ? Useing your finger and thumb get the best seal you can since light leaking out can obscure your view. You can also make a small candling box if you are having trouble holding everything at once, again it takes practice. DH likes to hold so I have help.
Like you said "BREATH" relax this is fun. It will be worth it when you can see the chick and you see feet and they move!

 

[Farmin Momma]

Yeah, it happend, it finaly happend!!!!!!!! I went to the feed store the other day and decided to buys ome fake eggs to hopfuly promote another broody hen.......Well I went out to dinner and when we got back I went to collect eggs and there is Ebony ( Black astrolorp sp?) sitting in the nest box. Well I knew it was one that had two fake eggs in it but I wanted to make sure that she did not have any real eggs yet. She hissed at me and attacked my hand whoop whoop! (sounds weird that this is a good thing being attacted by my chicken, but it is.) I took out the reall egg that she had and left her with the two fake ones.
Oh my gosh, you have no idea how happy I am. Although I was hoping it would be my Jersey Giant Big Birtha, but oh well I will take what I can get.

 

[chooniecat]

Thanks and I was SO excited thinking it would be easy and I didn't have a good seal, no, as I was just using a flashlight/box/duct tape thing I had made but I COULD see into the egg it seemed. Flashlight SEEMS bright and I COULD see there was a difference in some of the eggs but...... I PRAY its just a matter of a crappy candler and my son is going to make a candler for me but I want one NOW(am stomping my feet!) But still afraid the eggs that are actually bad(could be ALL!!!) WILL EXPLODE and then any chix left will die. Not very positive-sorry. should have waited until morning(before sun) to do it cause now I won't sleep. Guess I will be up early bothering poor suzette again. Can you imagin the tears IF any do hatch? hurry up and wait.

 

[Zootopia]

Really now that you know where your problem is, that's half the battle. A good seal IS the big difference, since it will obscure your vision. You'll do fine, Suzette will get over it.

 

[Fuffy]

More broodies!

More chickies!

Congratulations to you all!

STILL NOTHING HERE

 

[Nigellas]

SO frustrating being ignorant and not good at much(sorry-am VERY frustrated-grrrrr) BREATHE-just tried to candle eggs and can't tell ANYTHING for sure. Its day 11 and altho there were differences in eggs NONE of them had veins that I could tell. MOST of the eggs(only candled 7 of the appx. 12 eggs under her) seemed predominantly dark with the "air sack" at end clear. didn't look like a chic form -TOO much dark it seemed to me. and the others that were different looked simalar to the ones I have seen online that showed POSSIBLE bacterial growth(but not definitly so you don't want to toss them IN CASE) I am blue. ANYHOW -in frustration put ALL eggs back under her and came in almost in tears. And am going to try to look up more pics. dumb chickens.(not serious but am SO frustrated)

I saw a lot of development early on, by day 10 all I could make out was the air pocket. I now have 5 baby chicks - Don't give up hope.