Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[prairie]

My little Cornish bantam was several days before she got serious and then other big hens kept booting her off the nest so they could lay eggs in her nest. Finally after about days and putting a wire around her nest we gave her guinea eggs to hatch and she has been sitting like glue ever since.

Well I thought about doing this. But I went out this morning she was on the nest and when I started feeding she jumped off and was acting normal.

Maybe its for the best she isnt serious "yet". But normally when she sleeps on the nest she is getting down to business.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Update!
Black Cochin Bantam ended up hatching 3 Coronation Sussex, and the Splash Cochin ended up with 1 Coronation Sussex. (The other eggs were duds) The only hen still setting is my Buff Orpington Mix. Her old eggs were dead. Right now she has a bunch or mixed rare breeds. And some mixed bantams. Due to hatch Sunday! i'll post pictures of her

Congrats and we'll look forward to seeing pics.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ooooo! Good luck with the duckling!!! Looking forward to pictures of that one!!!

Here she is finally made it out this morning.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:

Congratulations!!!!!!

Adorable ...

 

[Johnn]

Right on one of my facebook chicken groups some one posted this and i found it so funny! its their orpington brooding on their fully grown silkie!

 

[cackler]

I'm sure this has been asked somewhere in this long thread but I thought I'd try asking it to see if someone knows the answer off-hand. I have guinea eggs in the bator that should hatch Thursday. I also have a broody hen that is in the nesting box in the coop - of course it's the nesting box that is at about chest level

so I can't use her up there, however, would it work, once the keets hatch, to move her down on the floor of the coop in a protected area of course and stick the baby keets under her?? She's never hatched before & I'm not sure that this is such a smart move, but BOY how handy that would be!

 

[Zootopia]

Put her in a small quiet area, with a nice nest box and give the babies to her at night. Check on her but that should work fine.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Put her in a small quiet area, with a nice nest box and give the babies to her at night. Check on her but that should work fine.

X2

 

[cackler]

How many can she handle? I had a broody chicken hatch 10 keets a couple of years ago - that didn't seem to be too many, but there's about double that in the bator. Will that be a problem?

 

[echip]

Here is an update on "Miss Lydia" who hatched in my hand and "Lucky" who rode around under my shirt all day - peeping loudly - couldn't get out of his shell by himself but all ended well after Mama Henrietta tore his shell off and seemed about to eat him before I pulled him back out. . . Anyhow, both chicks and their 6 siblings are now a week and 2 days old and are doing fine. Here they are:



Boy, Barn Goddess, do I need you to take a real photo of my sweeties. I had just transferred these guys from the rabbit hutch type coop to a real coop and are they ever happy. Henrietta indulged in a one-hour long dust bath, squirming in ecstacy. The babies were delighted as well.

Here's a closeup of "Miss Lydia". Don't tell me that teeny little comb is starting to turn pink already. Mr. Lydia? Oh, and human Miss Lydia, I love the photo of your sweet hen named after your granddaughter - by her! So cute!