Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

9 Sumatra's so far today from the bator. A RIR that seems she is going to go broody , a few more eggs in the bator to go on lockdown on wednesday and Penelope due to hatch mid to late week.
Last hatch 2 weeks ago I got a splash sumatra and this hatch gave me one also! So now we have 3 Splash Sumatra's. The oldest one only started laying a few weeks ago.

So it looks to be a busy week around here!

Well I can't wait to see pics of your Splash Sumatras never heard of that color in that breed. and please keep us up to date on Penelopes hatch.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Two more days! Topsy and Smokey are looking good. Hopefully something will hatch.

All pullets!

 

[Miss Lydia]

broody hen and chickks, three are hers four are adopted, few extra legs under there, i guess their camera shy

That is so cute

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well, my hen who hatched two silkies was given some more chicks the other night. I got 3 from one lady who had just taken them out of the hatcher (two sultans and a polish), and 2 from another lady (a cochin and another silkie) who said they were pretty young. Well, when I brought them home they looked to be about 5-6 days old. They didn't respond to my faux clucking, so I was worried. Well my worries were founded because they didn't take to her and she rejected them this morning.

Now I have a pair of chicks all by themselves...will they be ok? They'll be brooder babies which is something I didn't want to do this year -_-. BUT they're super sweet and love cuddling up to my hand.

Anyway, here are the babies I got yesterday!

These babies are doing GREAT and LOVE having a mama. I had a feeling it would go well because they responded to my faux clucks on the way home






And the rejects

The 2 babies will be fine in the brooder and at least with only 2 it won't be quite as messy. they sure are cute though all of them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

sounds like an exciting day!

X2 Congrats!!

 

[countrygirl5]

Question. . My wyandotte just hatched two mix eggs about a week ago. We took the nesting box next to hers and opened it up to make more room and put a board in front of the extra box to ensure more privacy. I put chick starter and a waterer in there for the two babies and for a few days it seemed good, but now she is bringing them out of the nest all the time and they make such a mess of the nest, food, and waterer. I finally just dumped the chick starter on the ground and left the waterer out in the open. I have no place to move them to, but they are fine w/the other hens. No one messes w/the babies. Mom makes sure of that.

But should I worry about them not getting the food/water they need?

 

[Tripp16]

Question. . My wyandotte just hatched two mix eggs about a week ago. We took the nesting box next to hers and opened it up to make more room and put a board in front of the extra box to ensure more privacy. I put chick starter and a waterer in there for the two babies and for a few days it seemed good, but now she is bringing them out of the nest all the time and they make such a mess of the nest, food, and waterer. I finally just dumped the chick starter on the ground and left the waterer out in the open. I have no place to move them to, but they are fine w/the other hens. No one messes w/the babies. Mom makes sure of that.

But should I worry about them not getting the food/water they need?

I dont think so, as long as they can get to the food/water Momma will make sure they arent hungry. Maybe someone else will chime in with a little more info.

 

[countrygirl5]

Made this today.. my two broodies and their babies. Doesn't seem to matter who does what!

May I ask a "dumb" question? What is the matter w/your one hens neck? It looks like you have a turkey head on a chickens body.

Is that how she's supposed to look or is she just molting? Thanks.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I dont think so, as long as they can get to the food/water Momma will make sure they arent hungry. Maybe someone else will chime in with a little more info.

They will get plenty to eat - Smokey took her babies out to scratch a lot. I thought they weren't eating the food enough - but they must have had plenty to eat because they kept growing just fine. Momma will make sure they find the food or she will find it for them and feed them. I did supplement with mealyworms - which momma would break into pieces and drop for the babies to devour. Also I put chick waterers in the brooder area with rocks in so the babies couldn't drown. When Smokey took them out to scratch I figured they would just drink when they returned to the brooder area - nope - they would hop up on the big waterer area where the concrete pad sticks out, stand on the pad and dip into the water - no one drowned.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I think it's a Naked Neck?

May I ask a "dumb" question? What is the matter w/your one hens neck? It looks like you have a turkey head on a chickens body.

Is that how she's supposed to look or is she just molting? Thanks.