Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

Boo hoo..Lucy killed and ate two of the chicks...I know it was her .... I went out side to restart and fuel the generator and she went into the top of the brooder. They were sound asleep and not making a sound...it's my own fault for not zipping the top closed, and she's a very young dog...and obviously not to be trusted....but I didn't even 'think' just went....now only two black and one yellow left....darn it all. She just earned a night outside, and maybe forever at that.

oh my goodness I'm so sorry.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here is momma with the one that lived so far. Not a great pic but I had to stick the camera in the dog crate lol. You can just see the little black chick poking its head out.

Congrats!

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Ok, the eggs are set! Now just to dbl check ihow many she is covering when I make her take her morning constitutional. I dont think she will be able to cover them all. :/. Two dud eggs were chilled when I removed them. They were under her wing but away from her body.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Yeah! Now, try not to mess with the eggs until about a week into the sitting now that they are under her. Eggs can get cooled off and still hatch - the external temperature isn't the same as the internal temperature. Also just because the egg is moved out temporarily doesn't mean it's bad. If she moves them out away from her - she might just be letting them cool a bit if it's hot there. She's in charge of the eggs - so trust her instincts. Mark the ones that are not under her and see if she moves them back. I've seen my Smokey do the same thing and those eggs hatched fine. You can candle the ones she kicks out - but if she leaves them out for a day or so - then take them because they're probably duds.

Ok, the eggs are set! Now just to dbl check ihow many she is covering when I make her take her morning constitutional. I dont think she will be able to cover them all.

. Two dud eggs were chilled when I removed them. They were under her wing but away from her body.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Congrats!

xs2

 

[stonykill]

we had a little broody caos yesterday. Well not so much caos as a 1st time mama giving up too soon. Yesterday morning my black Sumatra broody with 2 week old babies kicked them loose. All 4 of them hung out together all day being chickens. I watched closely as night approached to see if their mama would take them to bed. They are just too tiny to be on their own at night. Well she didn't. So my wife and I went out and managed to catch 3 of them. My best broody "Mama" had her 11 little ones in bed already. I gave her the 3 2 week olds (Mama's are 1 week old) and she took them under her. This morning all 14 lil ones are hanging out together. Mama really has her wings full, but she is a great mama and is doing fine.
The other little one I swear is not Sumatra, but road runner. And I mean Wile E Coyote's road runner. I swear it goes Beep Beep and disappears in a cloud of dust. It is just fine this morning. And is trying to hang with Mama RIR and her 4 babies. If miss red doesn't take the lil one in, we will try our best to catch this road runner tonight and bring it to "Mama". She can handle it.

The black broody who gave up early was a 1st time mama. So lets hope if she does the broody thing again, she does better.

 

[EELOVER217]

I am hatching eggs for the first time, never had an incubator and this is my first broody chicken in 2-3 years. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/679181/hatching-with-a-broody-i-think-we-are-set
She was broody for 2 weeks or so before I put the eggs under her and today is day 20 for the eggs, so she really wants to be a momma.
Today is 3 days in a row of 100 degrees outside.

What is everyone thoughts on excessive heat outside while the chicks are incubating, we are really hopeing for chicks. Should I be worried?

 

[bobbieschicks]

I am hatching eggs for the first time, never had an incubator and this is my first broody chicken in 2-3 years.  https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/679181/hatching-with-a-broody-i-think-we-are-set
She was broody for 2 weeks or so before I put the eggs under her and today is day 20 for the eggs, so she really wants to be a momma.
Today is 3 days in a row of 100 degrees outside.  
What is everyone thoughts on excessive heat outside while the chicks are incubating, we are really hopeing for chicks. Should I be worried?

As long as she has air flow and is out of the sun she should be able to handle it. Provide her plenty of cold water to drink with electrolytes or save a chick mixed in.

 

[farmer boy]

thanks but they are only 9 weeks old oh most 10 weeks old and my astraloups are good mothers to but i got 7 and 4 are roos and they are about 10-11 weeks maybe they do get a little aggeresive with the other roos but idk lol

 

[EELOVER217]

Thank you, I do keep water just out of reach of her.
However she hasn't gotten off the nest on her own in 3+ weeks as far as I know. I go out once a day and set her in the run, she eats, drinks, dust baths and then back in there on her eggs. she has plenty of ventilation and the coop and trees decent shade for "most" of the day. I was also worried about mites after 5 weeks of broodyness, but I can't find any signs of them.
She has also kept a very clean nest, hasn't messed in it once. she seems to be a real good broody, I also noticed her standing up over her eggs rather than sitting right on them in this hot wheather. I am guessing to keep them cooler.