Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[stonykill]

new babies. 1st time mama. She is doing GREAT!


and "Mama" and 14 of her 15 lil ones. The other one is out of the frame

 

[katsdar]

Hi, I am new to the whole chicken thing and my buff went broody and gave her some eggs, well she hatched two and we have two Rhode Reds, (since we ate her eggs I gave her the RR) but I have lost two chicks they poked their beak out of the shell but never came out. Why would that be? Thanks Kat

 

[Chicken Frenzie]

Alright, my mom thinks they're going to hatch around 4:00 am. Ugh... =/'. She is also convinced that you should immidiantly put the chicks into the brooder since the broody's may crush the chicks. Ahh... =/. Oh, and my blue egg sounds like a duck. It's so funny! It's trying to pip though . And my other bantam egg piped. I just want them to makea little hole so I can see what they look like . Oh, and another question; is it safe for the broody's to eat chick starter feed? we baught a big bag, but since we may leave the chicks with the broody's, the broody's will probably eat the chick food.

 

[stonykill]

Alright, my mom thinks they're going to hatch around 4:00 am. Ugh... =/'. She is also convinced that you should immidiantly put the chicks into the brooder since the broody's may crush the chicks. Ahh... =/. Oh, and my blue egg sounds like a duck. It's so funny! It's trying to pip though . And my other bantam egg piped. I just want them to makea little hole so I can see what they look like . Oh, and another question; is it safe for the broody's to eat chick starter feed? we baught a big bag, but since we may leave the chicks with the broody's, the broody's will probably eat the chick food.

I have hatched probably 100 chicks with broodys in the last few years. I have never had one crushed by a mama.

Yes it is perfectly safe for the mama to eat the chick feed. That is what I do.

 

[Chicken Frenzie]

Alright. Thanks!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Hi, I am new to the whole chicken thing and my buff went broody and gave her some eggs, well she hatched two and we have two Rhode Reds, (since we ate her eggs I gave her the RR) but I have lost two chicks they poked their beak out of the shell but never came out.  Why would that be?  Thanks Kat 

I would guess that they couldn't get out on their own either not enough humidity to keep the membrane soft or maybe too much workout to try to get out and they didn't have the strength. They could have had some sort of genetic defect? So sorry about the loss of the chicks. At least you have two new ones.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Operation "move the broodies" Take Two

Waited until dark and moved both Smokey and Topsy to the "broody area" I made today. Set it up just like last time when they hatched out their clutches of silkies. Hoping no one tries to break in there now that the broodies have their own space. We shall see how they take it. Smokey growled a little, but seemed fine hunkering back down on her 4 eggs (2 maran, 1 lav orp and 1 EE/WL). Topsy flapped her wings like crazy and fought me putting her down on the new nest, so not sure she will stay tomorrow on her 3 eggs (2 maran &1 lav orp). Everyone else seemed okay with the setup.

It's funny to see the various cliques they form. I noticed all the Lav Orps have fallen to the Silkie roo and the Wellie. They were all scrunched together on the left side of the roost. But the biggest surprise was the two lead pullets, WL and AC, and the EE/WL mix pullet, are being mated by the shy Ameraucana. He just crowed today for the first time. So those four are hanging on the right side of the roost.

The Wellie and AM were two of Smokey's three cockerel babies she hatched in her first clutch. They grow up so fast.

I'll check on them first thing in the morning before church, but I won't be able to do anything with them until I return in the afternoon. So hopefully they will sit tight all day.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Good luck Bobbie!

 

[Chicken Frenzie]

Good luck Bobbie!

x2!!

 

[farmer boy]

i am not sure if i could put baby chicks in with my broody hen who is sitting on a lot of eggs about nine eggs and she is a bantam she can move them by her self and she can keep them all under her and she is only small but i am afraid to put some young day olds in with her or under her i don't want them to die any ideas ??