Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[stonykill]

Miss Penelope is hatching!!!!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Beautiful momma and the baby is so cute!

Miss Penelope is hatching!!!!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Topsy's 2nd silky dried off overnight and is busy learning how to scratch for food. She is still sitting on the two Maran eggs - so there is still hope for them.

 

[aoxa]

I now have two broody silkies sharing the same nest/eggs - one is almost 2 weeks behind the other, but they keep taking one anothers eggs. Any advice? Should I split them up before the first egg hatches? I only have three eggs between them. I did not have enough eggs to set under the first hen when she went broody, so she got one mixed breed egg, and the other has one of her own + a polish x silkie egg. The second hen could not handle more than 2. She is the smallest silkie EVER.

Look at the head size difference!

 

[sgtmom52]

I now have two broody silkies sharing the same nest/eggs - one is almost 2 weeks behind the other, but they keep taking one anothers eggs. Any advice? Should I split them up before the first egg hatches? I only have three eggs between them. I did not have enough eggs to set under the first hen when she went broody, so she got one mixed breed egg, and the other has one of her own + a polish x silkie egg. The second hen could not handle more than 2. She is the smallest silkie EVER.

If they are getting along I would just let them alone. I had 3 broodies (2 Ameraucanas and 1 EE) sit on 11 eggs in the same nest last summer. They co-hatched and mothered all 11. It was so cute watching the chicks run between the Mamas every time a Mama called them when she found a treat. There was never any conflict or confusion that I saw.

 

[aoxa]

I have 27 eggs going into lockdown tonight. Can I give some of the chicks to these two? How many do you think two silkies could handle?

Oh and the one that has been broody for almost two weeks.. Is it too early for her to have chicks hatch? Meaning.. can I just give her chicks before the 21 days have passed?

Yes they are getting along wonderfully. They really enjoy eachother. It's so cute to see them snuggled up together.

 

[sgtmom52]

I have 27 eggs going into lockdown tonight. Can I give some of the chicks to these two? How many do you think two silkies could handle?
Oh and the one that has been broody for almost two weeks.. Is it too early for her to have chicks hatch? Meaning.. can I just give her chicks before the 21 days have passed?
Yes they are getting along wonderfully. They really enjoy eachother. It's so cute to see them snuggled up together.

You can try to give these broodies some chicks ~ however if they have chicks they may abandon the eggs that they are sitting on. You could also give them a couple of the eggs that are ready to hatch which might be even better.
If you do give chicks, make sure the chicks are only a day or so old as it makes them easier to be adopted and so the chicks are not too independent already.

 

[aoxa]

You can try to give these broodies some chicks ~ however if they have chicks they may abandon the eggs that they are sitting on.  You could also give them a couple of the eggs that are ready to hatch which might be even better.
If you do give chicks, make sure the chicks are only a day or so old as it makes them easier to be adopted and so the chicks are not too independent already.

I will

I've successfully given two other broodies chicks - one mother was give 2 week old chicks and took them on right away. I was really lucky I guess!

I have an incubator, so I could put the two she has been sitting on in there. I would love to see these two co-parent some chicks. Not sure if the two eggs she's sitting on are fertile or not. The silkie rooster has recently been outed and hasn't been mating. I'll have to candle soon to see.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I have 27 eggs going into lockdown tonight. Can I give some of the chicks to these two? How many do you think two silkies could handle?
Oh and the one that has been broody for almost two weeks.. Is it too early for her to have chicks hatch? Meaning.. can I just give her chicks before the 21 days have passed?
Yes they are getting along wonderfully. They really enjoy eachother. It's so cute to see them snuggled up together.

Topsy was sitting for 35 days but Smokey as only been sitting for 14. I gave them both shipped eggs at the same time and they ave hatched most of the eggs. Topsy still has 2 maran eggs yet to hatch. They arrived 2-3 days later so I'm hoping she won't give up yet. She's trying her best to hatch them.

I say yes to shorter sitting times and yes to slipping her newly hatched chicks. How many depends on what you're hatching and how big is the momma. Smokey is small EE and she can handle 3 LF or 4 bantam chicks. Topsy is a tiny silky and I gave her two silky and two LF BCM eggs.

 

[aoxa]

Topsy was sitting for 35 days but Smokey as only been sitting for 14. I gave them both shipped eggs at the same time and they ave hatched most of the eggs. Topsy still has 2 maran eggs yet to hatch. They arrived 2-3 days later so I'm hoping she won't give up yet. She's trying her best to hatch them.
I say yes to shorter sitting times and yes to slipping her newly hatched chicks. How many depends on what you're hatching and how big is the momma. Smokey is small EE and she can handle 3 LF or 4 bantam chicks. Topsy is a tiny silky and I gave her two silky and two LF BCM eggs.

I have 14 silkie eggs in the incubator. So I could give the silkies to them and keep the LF chicks under a heat lamp. The bigger silkie seems big for a bantam. She could easily handle 6. Especially with the weather getting warmer. The other mom - maybe 3 or 4. I could give them 10 to share. Does that sound like too much?