Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Fire]

Momma and the chick are doing great this morning. Not sure about the egg she pecked a hole in. Guess I will know in a few days. I sure hope I get more than one chick she has five more eggs counting the one she pecked it was still alive last night but I didnt look at it this morning.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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.

Sounds like she has everything in control, if you have power to your coop maybe add a fan. just to keep the air stirred. Good luck and let us know when they hatch! some of my broodys I have to take off the nest at least 1X a day the others go out by them selves.

 

[prairie]

Hey guys I have a question. So I have six eggs set that orignally had one broody hen sitting on them. Well I now have 4 (and a half I guess) broodies. The eggs are due to hatch this weekend and I don't want the mom's to fight over them. I have a big dog crate that I can move them into. But should I even bother? Should I try to make a pen around the nest box instead? What if the hen wants to get out of the pen and won't take care of the babies? Please help!

I just stood some wire around my broody boxes and no one bothered either hen. They hatched a week ago and now I have opened up the wire to let the mama's bring the chicks out. It worked really well.

 

[Johnn]

Melow is now a mam!, the orpingtons chick fell out the nest box and luckily she chose the chick over the remaining egg!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Melow is now a mam!, the orpingtons chick fell out the nest box and luckily she chose the chick over the remaining egg!

 

[Wynette]

YAH, Melow! Glad the chick was not injured.

EELOVER - your hen has been broody for over 5 weeks? She hasn't been setting eggs all that time, has she? They take just 21 days to hatch (yeah, I say "just" but sometimes those 21 days are an eternity!), so if she has been setting on eggs all that time, they're probably duds.

I have also been asking about eating...my current broody is eating VERY little but seems to be doing okay in the heat - I have a fan on her 24/7.

 

[EELOVER217]

YAH, Melow! Glad the chick was not injured.

EELOVER - your hen has been broody for over 5 weeks? She hasn't been setting eggs all that time, has she? They take just 21 days to hatch (yeah, I say "just" but sometimes those 21 days are an eternity!), so if she has been setting on eggs all that time, they're probably duds.

I have also been asking about eating...my current broody is eating VERY little but seems to be doing okay in the heat - I have a fan on her 24/7.

No sorry, to clear that up.
She has been broody for 5 weeks or so, we put the fertile eggs under her 20 days ago.
It took me a bit to get fertile eggs, had to borrow a rooster etc. since I live in town.
I do not have a fan on her, but she is in her own coop with good ventilation. If I would have thought of it sooner I probly would have got her one, but since it is day 20 I think I will just wait and see.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Wow, never heard of a broody going 5 weeks. How common, or not, is that???

I double checked on Summer, she had blatantly kicked out two of the eggs so I brought them in to the cruddy little bator I bought this morning. It's that little plastic thing with tinfoil and a tiny light bulb. Figure it's a shot for them anyway. I am trying to keep the temp right now. Ended up putting exta foil in the bottom and a piece of foil on top of the dome too. It's sitting right at 100 right now. Glad she didn't ditch three or I wouldn't have room for the thermometer!

 

[farmer boy]

today i thought my hen went broody she was sitting on them for a long time today and when i stuck my hand in she tried to bite me and i put a frozen egg by her and she put it under her and she went outside and she didn't go back in yet my friend said they will go off the eggs for 30 mins and in the summer up to a hour but idk can anyone help or ideas ? thanks

 

[perchie.girl]

today i thought my hen went broody she was sitting on them for a long time today and when i stuck my hand in she tried to bite me and i put a frozen egg by her and she put it under her and she went outside and she didn't go back in yet my friend said they will go off the eggs for 30 mins and in the summer up to a hour but idk can anyone help or ideas ? thanks

Why a Frozen egg?

deb