Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

She looks so sweet. Glad she is doing good. 

xs2!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Since its been a week I went ahead and candled Topsy's 4 eggs. Only one seemed to have anything growing. I took out the other 3.

I also candled the eggs in the bator. Over half the silkie eggs were duds and several of the maran eggs were duds too.

There were 5 eggs that appeared to be developing, 4 silkie and 1 maran, so I put those eggs under Topsy to replace the duds. I took care to select only eggs containing pullets

There are some eggs still in the bator that are questionable, I'll check those in a week and toss the nondeveloping ones.

May 22nd can't get here soon enough. I've decided if she doesn't hatch anything out by then, I'll order her some day old chicks. I'm tired of poor hatch rates.

 

[myby]

Thanks. Miss Lydia, do you mean try again when one of my hens go broody or right away?
I am ashamed at looking at those pictures, my 3 week old chick is not that big at all. I dont know what breed is but looks so little! I put the food from the store, but they prefer to scratch for bugs as they are free range.

 

[Fuffy]

R. I. P. Little Eggies

One of the dorking exploded in the 'bator

Candled the others and it looks there was nothing going on after I last candled (day 10 or so)

The marans were in various stages of development...Only on e looked like it would have gone full term if Hermione hadn't come off the nest.

Have learned though! I know that in our situation, it is better to get the momma right away from the rest of the flock and the predatory crows that hang out in the trees. I'm pretty sure that's what the problem was...she just couldn't settle with all those crows, magpies, jays and gulls just waiting for her to get up!

She's obviouly not going to go broody again in the near future: She's just dumped all her feathers...looks like a battery hen, bless her.

Am looking forward to having her and the babies right outside my sitting room window again next time!

 

[bobbieschicks]

R. I. P. Little Eggies

One of the dorking exploded in the 'bator

Candled the others and it looks there was nothing going on after I last candled (day 10 or so)

The marans were in various stages of development...Only on e looked like it would have gone full term if Hermione hadn't come off the nest.

Have learned though! I know that in our situation, it is better to get the momma right away from the rest of the flock and the predatory crows that hang out in the trees. I'm pretty sure that's what the problem was...she just couldn't settle with all those crows, magpies, jays and gulls just waiting for her to get up!

She's obviouly not going to go broody again in the near future: She's just dumped all her feathers...looks like a battery hen, bless her. :cd

Am looking forward to having her and the babies right outside my sitting room window again next time!

Oh no I'm so sorry.

 

[B J Hopkins]

I have 3 Blue Cochin's that will be 1yr old on the 12th of this month. 2 of them went broody back in Dec. Their egg hatching rate wasn't good. They ended up sharing the raising of 1 mixed Barred Rock Roo. One of them turned around and went broody again in March. Again she didn't hatch her own eggs well, but ended up fostering 7 other chicks hatched in the incubator. Right after Gracie went broody, the one hen who hadn't gone broody in Dec went broody. She did hatch 2 of her own eggs plus an EE egg and a couple Cochin mix eggs. I also ended up giving her a couple incubator chicks and she is fostering them well. This was Mi'a. Then the 3rd Cochin, Blue hatched 3 eggs. Her own chick for what ever reason died in the nest before I even knew it was hatched. She is raising a Cochin mix and an EE that she hatched and would NOT accept any chicks to foster. The first Mommy's chicks are nearly 2 months old now. I've eggs due to hatch in a few days and was wishing one of the Mommy's were broody so they could be raised w/a Momma.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Since its been a week I went ahead and candled Topsy's 4 eggs. Only one seemed to have anything growing. I took out the other 3.
I also candled the eggs in the bator. Over half the silkie eggs were duds and several of the maran eggs were duds too.
There were 5 eggs that appeared to be developing, 4 silkie and 1 maran, so I put those eggs under Topsy to replace the duds. I took care to select only eggs containing pullets

There are some eggs still in the bator that are questionable, I'll check those in a week and toss the nondeveloping ones.
May 22nd can't get here soon enough. I've decided if she doesn't hatch anything out by then, I'll order her some day old chicks. I'm tired of poor hatch rates.

Thats good that only pullets were selected.

Hope she has a great hatch. Did you get your eggs through the mail?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks. Miss Lydia, do you mean try again when one of my hens go broody or right away?
I am ashamed at looking at those pictures, my 3 week old chick is not that big at all. I dont know what breed is but looks so little! I put the food from the store, but they prefer to scratch for bugs as they are free range.

If you 3 week old is small she is probably a bantam. I have 3 week old bantams that are very small. And yes as soon as one of your hens wants to brood go ahead and give it another go, the year is young lots of time left. Can you post a pic of your chick?

 

[Miss Lydia]

R. I. P. Little Eggies

One of the dorking exploded in the 'bator

Candled the others and it looks there was nothing going on after I last candled (day 10 or so)

The marans were in various stages of development...Only on e looked like it would have gone full term if Hermione hadn't come off the nest.

Have learned though! I know that in our situation, it is better to get the momma right away from the rest of the flock and the predatory crows that hang out in the trees. I'm pretty sure that's what the problem was...she just couldn't settle with all those crows, magpies, jays and gulls just waiting for her to get up!

She's obviouly not going to go broody again in the near future: She's just dumped all her feathers...looks like a battery hen, bless her.

Am looking forward to having her and the babies right outside my sitting room window again next time!

Sorry Fuffy you didn't get any fizzy butts this time, but sounds like you have a good plan for the next go around.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have 3 Blue Cochin's that will be 1yr old on the 12th of this month. 2 of them went broody back in Dec. Their egg hatching rate wasn't good. They ended up sharing the raising of 1 mixed Barred Rock Roo. One of them turned around and went broody again in March. Again she didn't hatch her own eggs well, but ended up fostering 7 other chicks hatched in the incubator. Right after Gracie went broody, the one hen who hadn't gone broody in Dec went broody. She did hatch 2 of her own eggs plus an EE egg and a couple Cochin mix eggs. I also ended up giving her a couple incubator chicks and she is fostering them well. This was Mi'a. Then the 3rd Cochin, Blue hatched 3 eggs. Her own chick for what ever reason died in the nest before I even knew it was hatched. She is raising a Cochin mix and an EE that she hatched and would NOT accept any chicks to foster. The first Mommy's chicks are nearly 2 months old now. I've eggs due to hatch in a few days and was wishing one of the Mommy's were broody so they could be raised w/a Momma.

Congrats on your broodys and chickies, too bad the hens aren't on stand by so when you hatch in the bator they are ready to take over.