Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Achickenwrangler#1]

I think they have the idea to snuggle now without 'broody hand' thankfully....being a broody is hard work, these will be the tamest games around I think...next week, will be teaching how to catch a bug, scratch the dirt, and take a dust bath 101.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

The eggs have arrived!!! I ordered 10 but she included 4 extra. I don't know if she can cover that many and I don't have a bator. But they are smaller than her eggs and she is covering ten of those... Hummmm... They are D'Anver eggs w/ a bantam brahma hen. Thoughts?

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Achickwrangler- all I can say is Ahhhhhhhhhhh! They are adorable!!

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

I am now officially cured of any thoughts of hatching via incubator forever I believe. Broodies are the best way to raise chicks!
They are adorable aren't they...little angels now.

 

[Tanichca]

Here we are, day 2, and I'm already impatient for chicks! Gahhh!!

I shall simply content myself with all the adorable pictures you guys are posting.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Well, either my broody Giant hen was holding 2 eggs in her wings when I lifted her up the other day, or she has laid 2 since going broody, which I highly HIGHLY doubt. She has 6 eggs now (out of 10 that she started with), I thought she had only 4. I haven't candled yet, but she seems to be sticking to her nest now. Today is day 12. I did find 3 eggs all in a cluster about a foot from her nest last night....

They felt not cold, but definitely not as warm as they usually are, but I tucked them back under her. If these eggs weren't so doggone valuable to me, I'd just leave them to watch & see what she does with them.

Today is supposed to be 98. I've had a fan on her for over a week now, which I leave on 24/7, putting it on low at night and high during the day. And, she hasn't been eating much, so I've been cooking her one egg yolk a day...she readily gobbles it up, but won't eat any feed. I'm going to give her 2 yolks today. Oh, I should say that I've put in a bit of chick starter and she does seem to pick at that. But she hasn't pooped in 3 days now

so I know she's not eating enough!

Both of my successful broodies stuck to their nests like glue and only pooped, at most, every 3 days. I think my current broody, Naima got off the nest 4 or maybe 5 times in the 3 weeks. That's it. She literally scared me to death. But she doesn't seem any the worse for wear at this point. She is taking very good care of her chicks and seems quite vigorous. She really doesn't seem to have suffered that much at all. Their bodies really must go into some sort of state similar to hybernation. Naima did drink but she only ate the barest minimum of food - no matter what I tried to tempt her with.

Thinking ALL good thoughts for those eggs! Glad to hear she still has 6. You should candle them to see if they are developing.

 

[Aris]

Sorry for the low quality of the image is due to the phone, those 2 girls went broody with 4 days difference , the white at the back has 10 eggs and started at 6/30 and the other one at 7/4 but I added 3 eggs today and now she has 12 eggs.For some reason both hens smashed 1 egg ,probably the nest's were to high for them to enter so I cut the one nest a little and put some bricks in front of them to help them climb.
I will try for some better quality pictures the following days and some close ups of the girls so we can see a proper stink eye.
Wish me good luck with the hatching

 

[prairie]

Johnn, Love that mama! I have one that looks a lot like her!

 

[prairie]

You're so funny!!!

I think they have the idea to snuggle now without 'broody hand' thankfully....being a broody is hard work, these will be the tamest games around I think...next week, will be teaching how to catch a bug, scratch the dirt, and take a dust bath 101.

 

[bobbieschicks]

AWESOME! 

Quote:  Kassundra:  I've been giving my broody girl feeder insects (dubia's) about 5 every day. I know she gets off the nest at least once every day, I can't tell if she is pooping or not or eating other then the dubia's I bring her, but she doesn't appear to be loosing weight, not that it is very easy to tell w/ all the fluffing up she does. It's her and my first time "broody" so just hoping nature knows what it's doing. My girl is in an open nesting tray, anything I have that would give her more privacy would also block airflow and w/ temps over 100 for the past week or two that is just not an option.


Okay, I'm one of those weenies that thinks most inects are...icky.  So what did I do, whent & looked at your bug page.  GREAT job raising, them - I give you a ton of credit!  But, no way could I ever do that.

As far as a broody cover, you could fashion a cage out of 2x4 welded wire that would stave off intruders in the nest and still allow airflow.