Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

Hey Tripp hows is Henrietta doing the other day you posted she was acting sick?

 

[Tripp16]

Hey Tripp hows is Henrietta doing the other day you posted she was acting sick?

She seems to be getting better. She got better for about a week then she started sleeping alot and then her eye started swelling again. Its started to go down now and she is moving around alot more. I think her immune system got low when she lost health during being broody.

She is out on the ledge sleeping with her babies tonight. She tolerates them but I know it wont be long until their on the roost with her.

 

[JoshU]

I have a question. I have two 5 week old silkie chicks. One has a serious issue. It keeps twisting its neck like a contortionist. I couldnt figure out what was going on. Then I noticed that the crop is packed full. They get outside time everyday but yesterday I noticed that they were both eating tons of grass and clover. I didnt think anything of it but now I am wondering if this has caused some problems. Does anyone have any ideas? Or does anyone know how to empty a chicks crop? I normally let nature take coarse but I always step in if its something simple or if it is caused by me. This time I may be to blame for not paying closer attention. Anyone have any ideas? thanks

 

[plantcityhomestead]

I have a question. I have two 5 week old silkie chicks. One has a serious issue. It keeps twisting its neck like a contortionist. I couldnt figure out what was going on. Then I noticed that the crop is packed full. They get outside time everyday but yesterday I noticed that they were both eating tons of grass and clover. I didnt think anything of it but now I am wondering if this has caused some problems. Does anyone have any ideas? Or does anyone know how to empty a chicks crop? I normally let nature take coarse but I always step in if its something simple or if it is caused by me. This time I may be to blame for not paying closer attention. Anyone have any ideas? thanks

What time of day did you feel the crop? Chickens go to bed with a full crop. I'm not sure if the neck twisting is serious or not. Mine do it frequently when they are eating, and it is a normal behavior.

 

[lilstar]

oooh man.. I can never unsee, or unsmell that. This morning I went and picked up Sunny for her morning break. As I picked her up.. POP!

it looked like what would come from a festering infection.. that didn't look like egg, it looked like infected pus! And the SMELL!!! It sent me running! I came inside, to get supplies.. prefold cloth diaper to fold up and hold over my nose/mouth, a couple wet wash cloths, a carton for the clean eggs. I had to take lots of breathing breaks. Luckily only 2 eggs got really gross. Another couple maybe just a drop or 2. Hosed out the crate. And I can just hope and pray.. please, other 6 eggs.. either hatch or don't. but don't 'splode all over the place!! I did take them in to candle them, but either these shells were particularly impenatrable, or my flashlight app on my phone is weakening. (Really! Last hatch the flashlight app on my phone worked AMAZINGLY for candling eggs!) I mostly could see as well into the other eggs about as well as I could see into a rock if I'd tried to candle it. But one I could actually see where the air cell is. And this close to hatching, an air cell is about all I can expect to see anyway.

So I'm wondering.. I set the eggs on a memorial day and am expecting hatch sunday or monday ish. Do I need to "lock down" my broody? She only gets a break if I open her crate and pick her up and make her. Which I do every morning. should I continue to do that up to hatching?

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Ok weird question! Henriettas (Barred rock broody) chicks turned 3 weeks old saturday and will be 4 weeks old this coming saturday. Well today she was investigating the nest boxes where everyone else lays and acted like she was going to lay. Her chicks still want her to mother them because they peep constantly but she seems to be back to her old self, except at night they still sleep together.

Can they lay after 3 weeks of hatching?

My hatchery BR broody was laying after 2 weeks. Completely abandoned her one and only chick by 3 weeks. Was even mean to it.

 

[JoshU]

What time of day did you feel the crop?  Chickens go to bed with a full crop. I'm not sure if the neck twisting is serious or not.  Mine do it frequently when they are eating, and it is a normal behavior.

i have seen them twist a lil when eating and such. This is much worse. Maybe wryneck. I am trying childrens vitamins. Was told it could be v
Vit E deficiency. Hope it works.

 

[plantcityhomestead]

oooh man.. I can never unsee, or unsmell that. This morning I went and picked up Sunny for her morning break. As I picked her up.. POP!

it looked like what would come from a festering infection.. that didn't look like egg, it looked like infected pus! And the SMELL!!! It sent me running! I came inside, to get supplies.. prefold cloth diaper to fold up and hold over my nose/mouth, a couple wet wash cloths, a carton for the clean eggs. I had to take lots of breathing breaks. Luckily only 2 eggs got really gross. Another couple maybe just a drop or 2. Hosed out the crate. And I can just hope and pray.. please, other 6 eggs.. either hatch or don't. but don't 'splode all over the place!! I did take them in to candle them, but either these shells were particularly impenatrable, or my flashlight app on my phone is weakening. (Really! Last hatch the flashlight app on my phone worked AMAZINGLY for candling eggs!) I mostly could see as well into the other eggs about as well as I could see into a rock if I'd tried to candle it. But one I could actually see where the air cell is. And this close to hatching, an air cell is about all I can expect to see anyway.

So I'm wondering.. I set the eggs on a memorial day and am expecting hatch sunday or monday ish. Do I need to "lock down" my broody? She only gets a break if I open her crate and pick her up and make her. Which I do every morning. should I continue to do that up to hatching?

Isn't the smell horrible! My goose lost a couple of eggs that way this year. I don't think it would hurt to continue removing the hen. My hen:s eggs hatched early, and I was geting her out of the nest the day before the hatch, and the eggs still hatched. I had even changed the hay in the nest while she was out and about the day before they hatched.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Isn't the smell horrible!  My goose lost a couple of eggs that way this year.  I don't think it would hurt to continue removing the hen.  My hen:s eggs hatched early, and I was geting her out of the nest the day before the hatch, and the eggs still hatched.  I had even changed the hay in the nest while she was out and about the day before they hatched. 

Xs2

 

[Miss Lydia]

i have seen them twist a lil when eating and such. This is much worse. Maybe wryneck. I am trying childrens vitamins. Was told it could be v
Vit E deficiency. Hope it works.

Sounds like it could be wry neck so good you get on top of it with the vits. as far as crop is it full in the eve. but small in the morn?