Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

And Congrats to all the others who are hatching or have hatched. We have been having power outages here since last Thurs, and just when I think all is okay and get on BYC it goes out again. Just wanted to tell everyone hello!! I have 2 broodies due next week!!

 

[JakRat]

Last one is out!

OMG it is adorable!!! A little butter colored bantam EE. I will post pics soon. Such a great little surprise this morning to see the little one under his mama. My neighbors must think I am crazy what with all the squealing I have been doing lately.

I do have one more egg under my silkie, but I dont think it will hatch. Where the air sac line is is a bright yellow line. I am assuing that the yolk ruptured or something, but she hasnt stopped sitting on it yet so we will see.

So far they are all still up in the brooder corner. When do yall think that they will venture down the ramp with the babies? They have food and water up there for now, but my one mama seems a bit hesitant to leave the box.

 

[prairie]

Love your little door!! I just ordered an automatic door and can't wait. When I first heard of auto doors for the chicken house I thought someone was joking. But when I thought about it ---it is a perfect solution for when we go on vacation. The granddaughters need only come once a day to check on feed and water -- they won't have to open the coop in the morn and close at night.

Well Melow decided she was having another break today! first wondered off into the feild then came back to sun bathe. my phone did not save the pic of her sun bathing , the last pic is of melow trotting back 45 mins later, it was funny because she was eating then she just paused and shot away she must of realised she had eggs to get back to!

 

[prairie]

I've got two broodies who should hatch baby guineas for me the first part of July too!! Good luck!!

I love this thread!

It took me a week to read ALL the posts.
I have 5 eggs in the incubator right now and just candled them and, one of them is fertile!!

The other eggs are not yet old enough for me to be able to see anything but, one of them is fertile!!!

I'm so happy!!!

I'm not sure what breeds they are....... But mama (A blue partridge Silkie) was running with a Jersey giant, a Frizzled Japanese, and some Silkie Rhode Island red mixes.
Very wide range of breeds.

The eggs are due the beginning of July. (Cant wait!!!)

 

[bobbieschicks]

Congrats Tripp!  

Xs2!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

ok - so I really AM worried about my broody in this heat. She finally came off the nest this morning and she is SO weak. We still have at least another week to go. I am FULLY assuming an early hatch because it has been so hot and Naima rarely gets off the nest. Assuming the dang eggs aren't truly fried in all this heat. (I noticed her yesterday spending most of the day simply standing over the eggs.

Not actually on them.) Naima's comb is VERY pale. Poop is the dark green of "not enough food going in". I finally managed to tempt her with some layer crumble made into a mash with a dollop of cold yogurt today but I bet not even a teaspoon. She is drinking plenty of water. I'm doing my best to keep her comfortable but even I am suffering in all this crazy heat! Is this typical of broodies? Stony, you must also have the heat? Are your girls hanging in there? Or should I be pulling Naima off the nest and attempt to break her broodiness to ensure that she survives?

 

[stonykill]

congrats Tripp. Miss L your new avatar is adorable.

Big Red is out and about the yard with her 4 fuzzy butts.

I grabbed the camera, but the batteries are dead. oh well. It is really different for me to see a large girl probably 8 to 9 lbs with tiny fuzzy butts. I'm used to 4 lb mama's.
Speaking of mama's, "Mama" was really angry this monring when she came off her nest. She got to the door of the shed, screamed, then flew about 100 yards, landed, screamed, then saw me. Flew back to me to get food

.

 

[bobbieschicks]

ok - so I really AM worried about my broody in this heat. She finally came off the nest this morning and she is SO weak. We still have at least another week to go. I am FULLY assuming an early hatch because it has been so hot and Naima rarely gets off the nest. Assuming the dang eggs aren't truly fried in all this heat. (I noticed her yesterday spending most of the day simply standing over the eggs. :/  Not actually on them.) Naima's comb is VERY pale. Poop is the dark green of "not enough food going in". I finally managed to tempt her with some layer crumble made into a mash with a dollop of cold yogurt today but I bet not even a teaspoon. She is drinking plenty of water. I'm doing my best to keep her comfortable but even I am suffering in all this crazy heat! Is this typical of broodies? Stony, you must also have the heat? Are your girls hanging in there? Or should I be pulling Naima off the nest and attempt to break her broodiness to ensure that she survives?

Yeah it's crazy hot here too. 104F inside the coop in the shade with all doors and windows open. Thankfully there is a slight breeze right now. I'm glad my girls are done as broodies. They are showing their babies the fine art of hiding in the shade.

You could try misting her and giving her some ice water to drink out of during the day. Stay away from corn or scratch as that heats them up. Maybe give her some scrambled egg for protein or cat food or tuna. Definitely give her some vitamins or polysol so she keeps her strength up. Set up a fan to temporarily gently blow on her area to help cool her off. Or just hose down an area in the shade for her to go hang out in for a time. I wouldn't worry about egg coverage in our weather right now. High today will be @ 6pm 103F heat index of 115F.

I could practically bake my meal worm wheat bran outside.

 

[Johnn]

do hens no to turn the eggs? every time i look at the nests i want to turn the eggs incase the hen hasn't but then i think what if shes just did it before she got of?!, and also how do hens control humidity? but in incubators we have to do it?

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
The heat is CRAZY! It's not going below 80 even overnight. I think my poor girl has to work harder to keep the eggs cool than warm right now. I did manage to tempt her with some scrambled egg. Hopefully, enough between that and the few mouthfuls of yogurt and crumbles that she ate earlier. I have to paint her beak with whatever I'm offering before she'll even try it. Meantime, any other hens that happen to be in the vicinity go CRAZY, wanting what she is getting. I'll add some vitamins to her water. I'll try the tuna thing later. See if I can tempt her with some serious protein. I may have to hit the local pet store and look for mealworms!!