Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[stonykill]

we feed ours medicated starter crumbles, in a pinch we feed layer feed, but that isn't a good option, i am thinking game bird crumbles may work when you can' find the other, but medicated starter is the best- it gives them extra vitamins and protection against cocci- but crumble, not pellets

I never use medicated feed of any kind. I use Gamebird starter and then crumbles. No Meds for my birds.

 

[stonykill]

Day 22- we've got a pip in one of three eggs under hen 2!

Hen 4 quit, day 5.

Hen 3 is still going strong on her eggs, day 5.

Hen 1's babies are almost two weeks old! Question- would it be a good idea if, when Hen 2's eggs hatch, her and her babies could move in with Hen 1 in the quarantine coop?

depends on your hens. I have 3 broody's in 1 coop with lil ones and 2 broody's in another coop with lil ones and they all get along fine.

 

[ChikeeMomma]

Yay!!!!!! I have five little healthy chicks with their New Hampshire Red momma! Sadly, one little chick hatched with some major leg issues and one eye never opened. One egg never developed.

We have waited four years to have some home grown/hatched babies around here. I hve never had any serious broodies. I had three broodies this year. I didn't know if I'd get any chicks due to the extremely hot weather. The first try with all three broodies was a flop, I believe, to the extreme 100+ degree temps. It has still been warm, but I gave one broody seven more eggs to try and hatch and got the five healthy chicks out of it this time. I am glad she stuck with it.

They are soooo cute with their momma!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Yay!!!!!! I have five little healthy chicks with their New Hampshire Red momma! Sadly, one little chick hatched with some major leg issues and one eye never opened. One egg never developed.
We have waited four years to have some home grown/hatched babies around here. I hve never had any serious broodies. I had three broodies this year. I didn't know if I'd get any chicks due to the extremely hot weather. The first try with all three broodies was a flop, I believe, to the extreme 100+ degree temps. It has still been warm, but I gave one broody seven more eggs to try and hatch and got the five healthy chicks out of it this time. I am glad she stuck with it.
They are soooo cute with their momma!

Yeah! Congrats.

 

[3 NH reds]

CHICKEN SOAP OPERA.

So on Friday the new eggs arrive, this is on time no hanging out over the weekend in some post office sort facility So I think all is well. I unpack the well wrapped eggs that the post office has had fun tossing around the box marked fragile ( thanks post office ). Next move is to get the Jersey Giant eggs to Buffy#2 who is sitting on my plastic eggs I made up and two ceramic eggs my wife found at a Good Will store. I go out to the coop and put her out with some mash for a few and swap real eggs for the fake. She comes in looks at them and wants nothing to do with them. I give her a few hours and she still won't sit on them. So I get Broody Mc Buff who had her chicks and is back in the layer coop. Now I got a Broody show down in the run, Mc Buff wins and she goes in and sits on the eggs. Problem solved I could care less about Broody #2 watching her because she had her chance. I go to work and My wife check in at 7am and all good. I get home at 11am and no one is on the eggs, I give this time because I have seen Broody Mc Buff get out to feed get water etc and go back. This time both birds refuse to sit. Now I am without sleep for 28 hours looking at a 4 hour nap time before I go back for another 13 hour overnight. I take the eggs and place them in the incubator with the other eggs. This is new to me and I hate the incubator vs Nature, Nature wins in my book. Being ever so hope full ( or just an idiot) I put the ceramic eggs in the layer coop and put the BAD BUFFY PAIR back in the layer coop. Not even a nibble, no one is broody. Broody MC Buff is over her last clutch of chicks, when she was in the hatching coop a few of her chicks came up to say hi Mom and she pecked at them and chased them off so I know she is over them. Now I am not sure if I would trust any bird that goes broody to sit unless it was for a few days and I got the look and the fluff up I am going t kill you act. I may have to stay with the incubator, it is in the basement for a stable temp and it has an egg turner. This is my rant about the soap opera.

 

[stonykill]

Mama RIR (one of 2 RIR's broody) has at least 3 lil ones under her. She was hatching yesterday and wouldn't let me see a thing! This morning I saw 3. No idea if she has more or not. Hopefully later she will take them out for a little stroll

 

[3 NH reds]

Mama RIR (one of 2 RIR's broody) has at least 3 lil ones under her. She was hatching yesterday and wouldn't let me see a thing! This morning I saw 3. No idea if she has more or not. Hopefully later she will take them out for a little stroll

Get good pics

 

[stonykill]

new fuzzy butts. One pic shows both RIR broody's. The hen on the left is due in less than a week.

 

[Johnn]

new fuzzy butts. One pic shows both RIR broody's. The hen on the left is due in less than a week.

I like your girl at the end pics, what breed is she?

 

[stonykill]

I like your girl at the end pics, what breed is she?

they are Blue Sumatra's. I have 3 Blue Sumatra's right now raising chicks. 2 more Blue Sumatra's sitting on eggs. Thanks! I find my Blue Sumatra hens quite beautiful.