Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

We have another arrival under Smokey!

Little black silkie So that's up to 4 for Smokey. Topsy still has nothing yet. Hope she hatches out someone or I'll have to buy chicks for Topsy. UGH!

 

[stone_family3]

Well I took Noira's eggs away and gave her wooden ones. So at night she's been cuddling with my Bantam's chicks since she's left them. Sunshine has broken and eaten two eggs since yesterday

 

[bobbieschicks]

Caught three of the new silkie chicks plotting their escape - the 4th was hiding under Smokey's wings - couldn't get another picture of her - she's the black one. Almost got a great pic of the lightest one, but by the time I got my iphone ready Smokey had clucked it under her again.

Oh and almost forgot - I was worried that Topsy wasn't hatching anything - I leaned close to her and heard some peeps - so maybe soon she'll have a chick too!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Caught three of the new silkie chicks plotting their escape - the 4th was hiding under Smokey's wings - couldn't get another picture of her - she's the black one. Almost got a great pic of the lightest one, but by the time I got my iphone ready Smokey had clucked it under her again.

Oh and almost forgot - I was worried that Topsy wasn't hatching anything - I leaned close to her and heard some peeps - so maybe soon she'll have a chick too!

What a sweet pic, and happy to hear Topsy is going to have some too.

 

[bobbieschicks]

What a sweet pic, and happy to hear Topsy is going to have some too.

Me too - I just realized that Topsy has been sitting for 35 days - she sat a week and then I ordered the hatching eggs and it was a week before I got them under her - I think I calculated it right. So she's needing to hatch something or get chicks soon. Smokey is very strong, but Topsy seems fragile to me. They both gobbled down the scrambled egg I made for them today.

Such an exciting day!

 

[Blarneyeggs]

My Goodness this thread moves fast!!

So my broody is really looking sad, very pale comb and being dominated while off the eggs. I don't think she's sick, I think she's just been sitting WAY too long. I posted here in mid April, so it's been over a month. I got her to eat some scrambled eggs today, and after reading Lydia's post, I am going to try some canned tuna ~I hope this is an okay substitute for Salmon. If she does not perk up in the next 2 days then I will take the eggs away and put her on wire to break her

ETA: Bobbie!! a 1/2 marathon, WOO HOOO!!! Simply, Amazing.

 

[countrygirl5]

I want silkies soooo badly. I just have to wait a little while longer. Hubby is a little overwhelmed w/other projects right now.

Went out to clean and check on the broodies - Smokey has 3 silkies under her hatched - although I risked life & limb to find that out.

Topsy is still without chicks.

Here are the two blurry pics I could get in the rain and trauma of Smokey's pecking. I'll try again later to get better pics and hopefully we'll have more babies.

This pic has two babies - one lighter in the back under momma and one darker in the front. I think the other one may be up under her wing at the top as it looks like maybe feet sticking out?

Managed to get the bottom of one of them - haha

 

[bobbieschicks]

Yeah Topsy hatched her silkie - it's still drying off. She has another Silkie egg and 2 Maran eggs under her - don't know if they will hatch or not. Smokey has 1 more Silkie egg.

Here's a very blurry pic of the wet baby.

 

[bobbieschicks]

My Goodness this thread moves fast!!

So my broody is really looking sad, very pale comb and being dominated while off the eggs. I don't think she's sick, I think she's just been sitting WAY too long. I posted here in mid April, so it's been over a month. I got her to eat some scrambled eggs today, and after reading Lydia's post, I am going to try some canned tuna ~I hope this is an okay substitute for Salmon. If she does not perk up in the next 2 days then I will take the eggs away and put her on wire to break her

ETA: Bobbie!! a 1/2 marathon, WOO HOOO!!! Simply, Amazing.

Gosh I hope she perks up - that is a long time and it can be very stressful on their systems. I was getting worried about Topsy since I think it's been abour 35 days for her - but at least now she has a chick and will hopefully stop being broody! Smokey on the other hand seems to love to go broody - so the challenge with her will be keeping her healthy between broods.

Thanks for your kind words - it was so much fun. I NEVER thought I could do a half - but my friend talked me into it and she entertained me enough to get me through it all. I told her I would walk it - not run it. We only ran a little bit - downhill when I felt like I could. I had knee surgery for a torn minuscus in January and was sick for most of April so I missed out on a lot of training. The furthest I ever walked was 9.5 miles so I felt the 13.1 was too much. She assured me it would be fine. And you know - it was. I'm still a little sore, but in another week I will be back to normal and training for the next one!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yeah Topsy hatched her silkie - it's still drying off. She has another Silkie egg and 2 Maran eggs under her - don't know if they will hatch or not. Smokey has 1 more Silkie egg.

Here's a very blurry pic of the wet baby.

Sweet!!! I need to go check on my frizzle and see if anything is going on under her since Issabelle hatched hers early. It's raining