Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

Ok I think my Silkie Rooster (in my avatar) has regressed since his ladies hatched babies last month!
I have just been into the coop to check on everyone and Max is layed on the floor with Molly sat on top of him and her chicks tucked under her wings 
Anyone else had a Roo act like one of the chicks to get attention from the hens???

*hugs* Heather x

No, too funny.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Ugh blast that double post!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Chick is still alive .... In incubator but has the sick chick stance of legs out in front of it unable to stand.
I think this was probably the older chick that was born 3 days ago.
I gave it some more vitamin water but I have to leave for work. I guess I'll leave it in the bator with some water and hope for the best.
As for egg 5 .... Vanished. No idea where it went

Should have left it alone as Caesar was back on best this morning.
Oh well lesson learned.

I sure hope it makes it. was it left out over night? A couple years ago I found a newly hatched chick outside of the nest box. cold and limp I tucked it back under mama and it made it, hope yours does.

 

[aaggjg]

I sure hope it makes it. was it left out over night? A couple years ago I found a newly hatched chick outside of the nest box. cold and limp I tucked it back under mama and it made it, hope yours does.

Yeah I think so ... No idea when she got out. She wasn't out when they were put to bed but I had rigged up a "net" for the babies so they wouldn't fall off the ramp if they tried to go down.... Well my net wouldn't allow the door to close .... so the baby could have wandered off ..... I am at work until 11pm again

I really wanted to give her back to her mama but I'm worried as she cant stand that it will be a problem and she'll be attacked ....Oh what to do... what to do .... I just sent my mom up to my house to check on the chick and its still alive, legs still rigid out in front and flapping its wings.... How long can she be away from her mama and still be accepted back????

 

[aaggjg]

Ohh in other news .... So there are some newishly laid eggs in the nest box ... I candled them this morning and I see development in them. Obvioulsy Caesar is not going to sit on them but Popcorn who just started laying again (her chicks are 8 weeks old) is EYEING THEM and jumped on the nest and nudged the outer ones under her..... She found her calling as a mother hen ...... I think she is contemplating becoming broody again ....

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yeah I think so ... No idea when she got out. She wasn't out when they were put to bed but I had rigged up a "net" for the babies so they wouldn't fall off the ramp if they tried to go down.... Well my net wouldn't allow the door to close .... so the baby could have wandered off ..... I am at work until 11pm again

I really wanted to give her back to her mama but I'm worried as she cant stand that it will be a problem and she'll be attacked ....Oh what to do... what to do .... I just sent my mom up to my house to check on the chick and its still alive, legs still rigid out in front and flapping its wings.... How long can she be away from her mama and still be accepted back????

If she can't stand i wouldn't put it back with mama and the other chicks it would probably get trampled. I can see how they can just wander, I've seen mine do it too. As long as she isn't able to stand I keep her away from the group but when she gets her legs back under her I think i would bring another chick in to keep her company, will make it easier to intergrate them into the flock than if it's only one. I lost a mama hen last year when her chicks were 3 weeks old and they managed fine, so you may have to keep them separate until they are old enough to be with out heat. You have vitamins in the water you gave her right? maybe when you get home you can look the baby over better and see if their is an injury is the reason it's not standing.

 

[featherz]

Gave two newborn chicks to my broody araucana Princess tonight. This is her last chance to take the chicks or she's getting nuthin! She pecked at them a bit, but appeared to be pecking them back under her so I am hopeful.

 

[myby]

I hope Princess takes the chicks.

I just saw my rooster graving from the neck a 1 week old chick! I though he was hanging out with the ladies to help and "help himself". I am so upset that I am seriously thinking about changing his name from Red to Dinner tomorrow.

 

[perchie.girl]

Just a chicken Note.... I got my first egg from my wellies.

Its soo pretty. And big too as big as my Auracana's eggs who has been laying now for about three months. Oh and She is looking like she wants to go broody. I was sitting there waiting for their buckets to fill and watching her she went into her nest and very carefully sat down on five eggs and turned a little and arranged and worked her chest feathers to cover them all then snuggled down. Not pancake style but down. When she hopped up for a treat there was a sixth egg in there. No Eggsong..... what so ever. Hot Stuff (her roo) did it for her.....

.

deb

 

[TheRookie]

Im veryy new to chickens, I just got my first babies in Febuary. Well my neighbors were evicted last year and left behind a flock of 13 chickens. 2 were left last week when I found them both sitting on 17 eggs (mind you these are both tiny bantams) in my tractor shed. Now they are in my coop in seperate dog cages (they were fighting). I got them some fertile eggs to replace their duds. Two eggs were eaten.. Im not sure if the broody ate them or if the other one did. Anyway, Id like to join you guys and get some advice.


Them after I gave them the eggs, she had taken a few but not all of them yet.

The dark one (Toast) is the actual broody. The other one (Wheat) wont sit still long enough to get the eggs warm, let alone hatch them.