Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Tripp16]

Operation Smokey move went down a little later then I expected. The sun seems to be setting later these days. I moved her and her eggs over to the area I previously prepared. Did it at the darker side of dusk. Then I went back out about ten minutes later when it was almost black outside and checked without a flashlight. She was still sitting on the eggs and they were under her. If she stays put tomorrow then we have success!

Lets hope she stays. I think Im just going to wait until the chicks hatch (Hopefully) until I move her.

 

[Farmin Momma]

So today I moved Big Burtha my broody G.J. I went ahead and moved her during the day. It went fine and she is happily sitting in a VERY large wire dog crate.

Even though she is my biggest hen and was the Alfa hen in her last flock she is on the lower end of the flock here. She keeps getting kicked out of the box she was sitting in. I will leave her alone for the rest of today and I will give her 12 silkie eggs tomarrow.

In the mean time I have not moved Ebony yet but she does just fine keeping the box she is in. But I do have her spot all ready for her.

Also today my momma Cochin with her 4 chicks decided she wanted to sleep in the coop tonight and not in the seperate area of which she has been in for the three weeks she was sitting plus the last 2 or so weeks. She hopped up to the roosting bars and called to her chicks untill they found a way up to her. Nice timing on my part though because day before yesterday after I was done cleaning the coop I added an extra ladder so the girls could get up to the top boxes easier. It just so happens to line up right so the chicks could climb up and hopp across to where momma was. Then she got into the original box that she had chosen when she first went broody. She is such a great momma.

None of the other hens have even thought about trying to mess with momma or chicks!

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Hi guys! I have an orpington that went broody last week, she started out with about 8 large eggs under her, and after she brooded steady for a couple days i put about 6 or 8 banty eggs under her as well, though they were over a month old because they were from a much loved hen that died recently. Tonight when i candled for the first time, an egg was broken in the nest, must've been this afternoon that it happened. I put clean hay in there, and wiped/scratched the gunk off.

first question, is this too many eggs??? , 2 of the originals got broke, 1 banty egg was for sure bad. I am at 13-14 eggs, 6 of them being banty...


second question, will the eggs be ok since they got gunked?? I didn't think water would be a good idea....

third question, if i only did the first week candling, will i have exploders if i don't do another? The EE eggs are a blue thick shell, and I am too new to see detail.....

I am totally new at this, so any advice or help would be appreciated!

 

[bobbieschicks]

[COLOR=0000CD]So today I moved Big Burtha my broody G.J. I went ahead and moved her during the day. It went fine and she is happily sitting in a VERY large wire dog crate.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=0000CD]Even though she is my biggest hen and was the Alfa hen in her last flock she is on the lower end of the flock here. She keeps getting kicked out of the box she was sitting in. I will leave her alone for the rest of today and I will give her 12 silkie eggs tomarrow.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=0000CD]In the mean time I have not moved Ebony yet but she does just fine keeping the box she is in. But I do have her spot all ready for her.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=0000CD]Also today my momma Cochin with her 4 chicks decided she wanted to sleep in the coop tonight and not in the seperate area of which she has been in for the three weeks she was sitting plus the last 2 or so weeks. She hopped up to the roosting bars and called to her chicks untill they found a way up to her. Nice timing on my part though because day before yesterday after I was done cleaning the coop I added an extra ladder so the girls could get up to the top boxes easier. It just so happens to line up right so the chicks could climb up and hopp across to where momma was. Then she got into the original box that she had chosen when she first went broody. She is such a great momma.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=0000CD]None of the other hens have even thought about trying to mess with momma or chicks![/COLOR]

I loved watching Smokey teach her little ones how to get up on the roost. They were up there under her wings by four weeks old. So cute. Keep us posted!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Hi guys!  I have an orpington that went broody last week, she started out with about 8 large eggs under her, and after she brooded steady for a couple days i put about 6 or 8 banty eggs under her as well, though they were over a month old because they were from a much loved hen that died recently. Tonight when i candled for the first time, an egg was broken in the nest, must've been this afternoon that it happened. I put clean hay in there, and wiped/scratched the gunk off.  

first question, is this too many eggs???  , 2 of the originals got broke, 1 banty egg was for sure bad.  I am at 13-14 eggs, 6 of them being banty...


second question, will the eggs be ok since they got gunked??  I didn't think water would be a good idea....

third question,  if i only did the first week candling, will i have exploders if i don't do another?  The EE eggs are a blue thick shell, and I am too new to see detail.....

I am totally new at this, so any advice or help would be appreciated!  

Awh I love my orpingtons. Congrats on the broody. Sorry about the loss of your Banty.

That number of eggs, 8 LF and 6 bantam should be doable for a LF orp. I would definitely candle them after 5 days of her being on them. I would also clean off those that got egg on them as it could hurt the growing chick. Use very warm water and dry thoroughly. Look up the temp as I don't recall it and can't research it from this iPad.

Candling does take practice, but blue eggs can be done too. On the 5th day if I see anything other then clear I assume growth. Then I candle again on the 14th day and look for a bigger darkness. You can sometimes see veins and movement. But I assume growth if they are bigger by that date. If I'm using the bator I candle at lockdown. If I can't see anything except darkness I assume growth. I don't toss unless they are clear snide, smell bad, crack, ooze or obviously stopped growing early and don't match the others.

Keep us posted on how it goes.

 

[chooniecat]

Good morning to all and I AM A G-MA!!! Woke up at 5 and restrained myself from looking until daylight and everyone else was fed and just picked up suzette and theres a dry BA chic !!!!! May be more but I was SO excited. OMG- no one to call this early either. tried. Now am worried about chic getting squashed and I guess that CAN happen but not worth to disrupt suzette/chic . I didn't even cry so proud of me. OMG- Ya'll understand and I will get pix when its settled. And she has 16 more eggs so am worried about her ability to cover IF all hatch and there are SO many eggs I worry she can't keep the actual hatched chics warm. thanks to everyone for tolerating me. How much I want to poof a chic on my nose but am not.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Yeah!

Congrats! Yes, leave the chick under her momma for now - she will keep it warm and safe. She won't smoosh it - they have the ability to squat over the chicks without hurting them. Such great morning news - can't wait to see pics when all are done hatching.

Good morning to all and I AM A G-MA!!! Woke up at 5 and restrained myself from looking until daylight and everyone else was fed and just picked up suzette and theres a dry BA chic !!!!! May be more but I was SO excited. OMG- no one to call this early either. tried. Now am worried about chic getting squashed and I guess that CAN happen but not worth to disrupt suzette/chic . I didn't even cry so proud of me. OMG- Ya'll understand and I will get pix when its settled. And she has 16 more eggs so am worried about her ability to cover IF all hatch and there are SO many eggs I worry she can't keep the actual hatched chics warm. thanks to everyone for tolerating me. How much I want to poof a chic on my nose but am not.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Smokey is sitting tight! I left the door open while I cleaned the coop just to see if she would venture out - but she didn't move. So I gave her and Topsy some food in their respective areas - later I'll put some water in there for them both. I plan to keep their door shut today as I don't want them out so that Smokey will keep settled in. Tomorrow I will open their door and let them out for a bit as long as it isn't pouring.

Otherwise they are both in there for the long haul - which is really just 9 more days!

BTW - Smokey didn't care for the bucket - as you can see - she moved her eggs to the floor on the pine shavings and straw.

The count right now is 2 Black Copper Marans and 7 Silkies of various colors. And I will be so completely bummed if I end up with 9 roosters - especially since I specifically asked for pullet eggs.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Smokey is sitting tight! I left the door open while I cleaned the coop just to see if she would venture out - but she didn't move. So I gave her and Topsy some food in their respective areas - later I'll put some water in there for them both. I plan to keep their door shut today as I don't want them out so that Smokey will keep settled in. Tomorrow I will open their door and let them out for a bit as long as it isn't pouring.

Otherwise they are both in there for the long haul - which is really just 9 more days!

BTW - Smokey didn't care for the bucket - as you can see - she moved her eggs to the floor on the pine shavings and straw.

The count right now is 2 Black Copper Marans and 7 Silkies of various colors. And I will be so completely bummed if I end up with 9 roosters - especially since I specifically asked for pullet eggs.

Looking good. Nine more days wow. I have 10-11 days left and poor Issabelle will have been sitting for 42 days. Such a good broody.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Good morning to all and I AM A G-MA!!! Woke up at 5 and restrained myself from looking until daylight and everyone else was fed and just picked up suzette and theres a dry BA chic !!!!! May be more but I was SO excited. OMG- no one to call this early either. tried. Now am worried about chic getting squashed and I guess that CAN happen but not worth to disrupt suzette/chic . I didn't even cry so proud of me. OMG- Ya'll understand and I will get pix when its settled. And she has 16 more eggs so am worried about her ability to cover IF all hatch and there are SO many eggs I worry she can't keep the actual hatched chics warm. thanks to everyone for tolerating me. How much I want to poof a chic on my nose but am not.

Sooo eggciting!! Congrats, Just like bobbieschicks says mama will take care of everything so don't worry. 16 eggs though boy thats alot of eggs. We'll be waitng for update and of course Pics