Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[jc12551]

I was in the storage shed and heard peeping. About 5 feet off the ground is a barred rock hen with one hatched chick and peeping coming from four eggs. The chick is completely dry and fluffy. The other four eggs have movement and peeping, but no cracks yet.

How old might the chick be? Its shell was still damp inside on the larger half. She is a good hen and let me check the chick and the remaining eggs (four were not fertile and I chucked them already). How long do I allow her to try and hatch the other four? I am asking b/c I am afraid either the new chick (and the hen) will starve waiting or she will unexpectedly jump down and the chick will fall to its death. Should I move her, the eggs, and the chick to a broody box? Or will that just mess everything up???? I have no idea what day this is b/c I didn't even know she was in there.

I guess you can tell this is my first hatch! We have had turkeys and hens sitting for months without success so I am a bit overexcited!!!!

Update: one more egg is hatching. When I checked it was cracked almost all the way around and I can see the chick. I put it back to finish on its own.

 

[JakRat]

I have an egg with a thin shell. I mean it looks like it and it looks a bit porous. It is due to hatch any day now and the last time I candled at day 4ish there was something growing in there. Should I candle to see if it may have stopped? The shell as a very high pitched sound when I tap on it, almost like tapping on glass. I am so darn impatient! I have one pipping now so I want the rest to be!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Silkie Chicken]

I have an egg with a thin shell. I mean it looks like it and it looks a bit porous. It is due to hatch any day now and the last time I candled at day 4ish there was something growing in there. Should I candle to see if it may have stopped? The shell as a very high pitched sound when I tap on it, almost like tapping on glass. I am so darn impatient! I have one pipping now so I want the rest to be!!!!!!!!!!

i would candle it to see the growth

 

[Miss Lydia]

I was in the storage shed and heard peeping. About 5 feet off the ground is a barred rock hen with one hatched chick and peeping coming from four eggs. The chick is completely dry and fluffy. The other four eggs have movement and peeping, but no cracks yet.

How old might the chick be? Its shell was still damp inside on the larger half. She is a good hen and let me check the chick and the remaining eggs (four were not fertile and I chucked them already). How long do I allow her to try and hatch the other four? I am asking b/c I am afraid either the new chick (and the hen) will starve waiting or she will unexpectedly jump down and the chick will fall to its death. Should I move her, the eggs, and the chick to a broody box? Or will that just mess everything up???? I have no idea what day this is b/c I didn't even know she was in there.

I guess you can tell this is my first hatch! We have had turkeys and hens sitting for months without success so I am a bit overexcited!!!!

If she is in a place where the chick could fall and die or not be able to get back into the nest then yes move her now nest eggs and chick to a safe place where you can close her up till hatch is over, she'll stay put about 3 days after hatch so be sure to put food and water in with them. If the egg is still damp then she probably hatched this morning. If the other eggs are peeping and moving then you'll' probably have chicks by morning. Congrats and be sure to post pics when you can.

 

[Katiesduckies]

Haha! can't wait to see them, The orpington is really good but Melow iv'e never had such a useless broody hen!, she must just expect the eggs to keep them self warm!, she'll get off the nest eat, then thats the last you will see of her for a hour untill she comes trotting back!, i had to catch her to put her back on her nest because the eggs were getting to cold!

HA! That's funny I have pics I am working on posting them!!

 

[Katiesduckies]

See my Part-timers are out and about

Another Part-timer out and about
This is my ONE true Full-timer!! hehe see that stink eye guess she doesn't like camra's either!!
She did tuck those two eggs under her after I took the picture! She's the silly hen that made her nest under the steps into the house!

 

[stonykill]

Big Red my RIR broody hatched 2 so far. I went to collect eggs this afternoon and found a cold chick, but still alive in the middle of the coop. That one is in the bator. I think I found it in time. So then I'm worried she might be a bad mama, so I did what I can't do with my Sumatra broody's. Picked her up un gloved

. She has a fresh still wet baby under her. As soon as I put her down she clucked at the lil one and tucked it under herself. OK, I feel better, she is a good mama.

. If this one survives in the bator she will get that one tomorrow and a chick of hers from the bator. From an egg she kicked out

. I looked at the calender and today is day 21, so by this time tomorrow she will probably be done.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I was in the storage shed and heard peeping.  About 5 feet off the ground is a barred rock hen with one hatched chick and peeping coming from four eggs.  The chick is completely dry and fluffy.  The other four eggs have movement and peeping, but no cracks yet.

How old might the chick be?  Its shell was still damp inside on the larger half.  She is a good hen and let me check the chick and the remaining eggs (four were not fertile and I chucked them already).  How long do I allow her to try and hatch the other four?  I am asking b/c I am afraid either the new chick (and the hen) will starve waiting or she will unexpectedly jump down and the chick will fall to its death.  Should I move her, the eggs, and the chick to a broody box?  Or will that just mess everything up????  I have no idea what day this is b/c I didn't even know she was in there. 

I guess you can tell this is my first hatch!  We have had turkeys and hens sitting for months without success so I am a bit overexcited!!!!

Update: one more egg is hatching.  When I checked it was cracked almost all the way around and I can see the chick.  I put it back to finish on its own.

Congrats! The chick could be less then a few hours old. They dry off fast if it's warm outside.

I would try to leave her and the babies alone. She will decide when she's done hatching. She and the chicks will be fine without food for up to 3 days after they hatch. Put a small bowl of chick feed in there if youre concerned. She will try to move them once they all hatch out. You can move her now or wait, but make sure the checks can't fall down that far by blocking her in somehow. If you can't block her then move her as soon as she's done hatching. The chicks usually stay under momma at first because they are still drying and cold.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I have an egg with a thin shell. I mean it looks like it and it looks a bit porous. It is due to hatch any day now and the last time I candled at day 4ish there was something growing in there. Should I candle to see if it may have stopped? The shell as a very high pitched sound when I tap on it, almost like tapping on glass.  I am so darn impatient! I have one pipping now so I want the rest to be!!!!!!!!!!

Just leave it alone or risk it cracking.

 

[bobbieschicks]

                                     See my Part-timers are out and about

                                        Another Part-timer out and about
     [COLOR=005CB1]This is my ONE true Full-timer!! hehe see that stink eye guess she doesn't like camra's either!![/COLOR]
                   She did tuck those two eggs under her after I took the picture! She's the silly hen that made her nest under the steps into the house!

Lots of eggs lying around.