Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[plantcityhomestead]

Not to push the subject, but I didnt get a response from my last post.

I am unsure if I should move my broodies inside or not when the time comes to hatch. They are in the upstairs part of the coop and I am worried about the babies falling down the ramp to get food, and I am also worried that the other girls who are still laying their eggs in that nest will squish them or something (even though I put out 2 other nests for them to lay in).

Whens the last possible moment for me to move them? Hatch day is Tuesday/Wednesday.

Jak, I would do whatever makes you feel comfortable. I would move them a few days in advance. My eggs just hatched 3 days early.

 

[plantcityhomestead]

Well, it turns out my hen is great at sitting on eggs, but a dumb mother. She took the chicks out of the nest less than 24 hours after hatch. She kept them in the coop run, but we are having a severe thunderstorm and she did not take them back into the nest. There is water ponding in the run, and she is still sitting there in the middle of run with the chicks under her. Once the lightning stops, I will go out an see if the chicks are still alive. If so, it looks like I will have to lock her up with the chicks, at least for a week.

Cindy

 

[Tripp16]

thanks for the help and if i let her eggs clutch up doo i just leave them i the nest and will she try to set on them when she becomes broody or lays a clutch of her on when she is broody

If your asking. Should you let her build up the clutch or you put a clutch in there. No let her lay the eggs and build the clutch up. You can put a fake egg in the nest to entise her to lay there but let her build the clutch up.

After she lays enough she will decide to set. If she stays on the nest all night she is usually broody.

 

[bobbieschicks]

My friend has a broody bantam hen with 11 eggs under her. She had been sitting for 2 weeks so my fried gave me 4 of her eggs. So they are due this weekend! That way Gracie can hatch chicks but it wont be when Im at the beach!

That was a smart idea!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Adorable! I just want to squeeze those cute little duckies!

We have babies!

Molly (our Silky) Hatched this little one this morning, still 5 eggs to go This one is a Lavender Araucana
Also our second broody Frizzle's two eggs stopped growing in the eggs, looks like at around week 2....
so we bought 4 little cuties to tuck under her tonight

3 day old Indian Runner Ducks!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Leave them where they are - they will be fine. You can always block off the nest box with a piece of wood or something at hatch time. The babies stay pretty close to the momma the first few days. After that the mommas usually take the babies out of the nest into the coop. I've seen mine fall/fly down 24" from the inside coop to the run. She also teaches them to get back inside the using the ramps. The babies learn to use the ramp pretty fast - I watched my 3 day old slide and flap herself down the outisde ramp to catch up to momma. The others won't get within a foot of those babies - the babies will dash under momma and momma will peck the heck out of anyone who even thinks about coming around.

At least this has been my experience. If you don't feel comfortable letting things happen - move them inside after they hatch so you don't disturb her in the interim.

Not to push the subject, but I didnt get a response from my last post.

I am unsure if I should move my broodies inside or not when the time comes to hatch. They are in the upstairs part of the coop and I am worried about the babies falling down the ramp to get food, and I am also worried that the other girls who are still laying their eggs in that nest will squish them or something (even though I put out 2 other nests for them to lay in).

Whens the last possible moment for me to move them? Hatch day is Tuesday/Wednesday.

 

[Silkie Chicken]

If your asking. Should you let her build up the clutch or you put a clutch in there. No let her lay the eggs and build the clutch up. You can put a fake egg in the nest to entise her to lay there but let her build the clutch up.

After she lays enough she will decide to set. If she stays on the nest all night she is usually broody.

ok but it takes every two days she lays a egg will the eggs get cold over the nights and then the eggs will not hatch if she go's broody on that clutch or will they hatch and so i let her lay every other day and then after she lays so many she will go broody

 

[bobbieschicks]

i have a silkie hen that has never been broody and she will lay a egg every other day and lay it in the nest box and then go out the hen house and does not sit on the egg is there any way i can make her broody

oh yes - you can make her broody by not wanting her to be broody. LOL! No there's no way to force a broody. However, you can encourage her by leaving false eggs or eggs you don't care about - under her and making sure she knows it's okay to stay on the nest. My silkie Topsy went broody after laying just 22 eggs! She's doing great as a first time momma. Hang in there - she'll go broody when she's ready.

 

[bobbieschicks]

do you think she will ever go broody

She's a silkie - which by definition means she will be broody at some point in her life. Then once she goes once I'm willing to bet she'll try it multiple times. Silkies make great mommas. Hang in there - she'll be broody when she's ready.

 

[bobbieschicks]

You will know when she is sitting to be broody because she will stay in the nest box all night long and won't lay any more eggs until after the chicks have hatched and are around 2-4 weeks old.

thanks for the help and if i let her eggs clutch up doo i just leave them i the nest and will she try to set on them when she becomes broody or lays a clutch of her on when she is broody