Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Thanks. The eggs I found today are no more than 4 days old but most likely 3 days.. A few of them are dirty from being laid in the dirt under the coop. I have a mix of ee, rir, and rsl's I think I will dry brush the dirty ones and put all of them under the broody. What do I have to loose? Wish me luck.

Good Luck!

 

[TheRookie]

Day 21 and at least three, possibly four babies are out!!! I was worried for nothing. Theyre so cute but I know not to aggravate her so I will wait til she lets them come out before I take pics. I cant wait to see them

 

[rrrmamma]

I just gave her the 10 eggs. She jumped out of the nest box and looked at me as if i were crazy. I decided to wait a few minutes and see what she would do. She went out in the run and ate a bit,then went to the dust bath in the woods. She came back in and got a drink. Then she went to the nest box and looked in. You could almost see her scratching her little head. I swear she let out a chicken sigh, hopped in and settled on the eggs. We'll see what happens in 20 days or so. I'll keep you posted.

 

[farmer boy]

congrats therookie and good luck rrrmamma

 

[bobbieschicks]

Yeah! Congrats to all the new fuzzy butts! So exciting to see the new babies!

I have a confirmed cockerel silkie from the clutch of six that Topsy and Smokey hatched 10 weeks ago.

I was out this morning cleaning the coop and heard an unfamiliar creaky crow. Caught him grabbing the neck of his hatchmate. Those two were Topsy's babies and they stick together. So hoping the other is a pullet and I'll keep those two as I planned to keep two.

I think there are at least 3 more cockerels in that clutch, time will tell. I have a potential buyer for those silky babies and my older silkie roo.

Smokeys first clutch of cockerel chicks, remaining Wellie and AM, will be rehomed next week.

I tried to candle their eggs last night but was not successful in determining anything. So I will just have to wait and see what hatches, if anything. Day 15 is today.

 

[farmer boy]

no babies yet i will check later .. there might be a baby not none of the other chickens would shut up so i couldn't hear if there are any babies

 

[bobbieschicks]

no babies yet i will check later .. there might be a baby not none of the other chickens would shut up so i couldn't hear if there are any babies 

Praying there is a chick in all that racket sometimes they hide quietly under the momma for a few days. Maybe take a peek later this afternoon?

 

[farmer boy]

ya i threw some treats close to her and try to make ehr come out of the nest lol but she didn't move yet my friend said if i want to check under her i have to pick her up fast and set her down fast so you can get a good little look to see if there are any holes in the eggs

 

[stonykill]

ya i threw some treats close to her and try to make ehr come out of the nest lol but she didn't move yet my friend said if i want to check under her i have to pick her up fast and set her down fast so you can get a good little look to see if there are any holes in the eggs

if I were you I would leave her be. Sounds to me like her hatch is going on. I personally never bother mama during a hatch. You can mess up her hatch.

 

[bobbieschicks]

  if I were you I would leave her be. Sounds to me like her hatch is going on. I personally never bother mama during a hatch. You can mess up her hatch.

Stony knows what he's talking about as he's hatched or rather his broodies have hatched bunches of chicks

I usually peek without lifting them off the nest, but only briefly and only after I see evidence of a hatched chick or its past their due date. They can hatch between days 18 and days 25.