Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Tanichca]

The other two eggs are pipped!!!

 

[farmer boy]

well i can't put it back under the hen she already tried to attack it when i was helping and she is a aggressive mother she attacks me when i put food in and she is off the other eggs and all the other eggs have babies in it and i have no bator

 

[Johnn]

well i can't put it back under the hen she already tried to attack it when i was helping and she is a aggressive mother she attacks me when i put food in and she is off the other eggs and all the other eggs have babies in it and i have no bator

she wont attack you if you go at night i dont think....

 

[Johnn]

well i can't put it back under the hen she already tried to attack it when i was helping and she is a aggressive mother she attacks me when i put food in and she is off the other eggs and all the other eggs have babies in it and i have no bator

or is there not a hen who could take on another hens eggs? then that hen can have just one chick..

 

[farmer boy]

or is there not a hen who could take on another hens eggs? then that hen can have just one chick..

no other broody hen so 4 eggs with chicks in it and 1 baby chick that is sleeping in my room in a box and shavings with a light over her and the eggs no bator so i can't really do anything

 

[Johnn]

that doesn't always work. I've seen too many broody's kill chicks that weren't theirs. Back to their own mother is the best thing to do

well i guess, but if he cant get it back to its real mam hes going to have to take the risk

 

[farmer boy]

i have nothing that i can do i hatched it out and now its just sleeping its doing pretty good for now but what about the eggs ??

 

[Chicken Frenzie]

=/. I really hope I get a lot of hens. My RIR/ production red rooster just died, my leghorn mix rooster is going to my science teacher, and my RIR hen is dying. I want to put her out of her misery.. but... I just can't ='(. She could get better... Someone pecked her eye or something and it got all infected. MY mom and I kept cleaning it out, but yesterday it was all driedout, and now it seems like something is wrong with her whole body... wondering if there was an infection that spred. She doesn't look in pain, but nature will do what nature needs to. So if Isabella passes, I'll have 12 chickens in the coop, haha. This spring I started out with 16 (not counting the 2 broodys). The broodys and the 6 chicks are running around the place . It is SOOOO cute! My new bunny spruce likes them. So, I've got 20 (not counting isabella) chickens,and most of the chicks probably roosters.

 

[stonykill]

i have nothing that i can do i hatched it out and now its just sleeping its doing pretty good for now but what about the eggs ??

mama abandoned the other eggs because she needs to care for her babies. Her LIVING babies are more important to her than eggs. As it should be. She most likely abandoned the one you hatched yourself (never do that btw) because she knew it was weak. Broody hens have been hatching chicks for 10,000 years or more without human help. If anything our interference screws them up.
IF you can keep the remaining eggs in a warm humid spot you may be able to slip the eggs back under her tonight with the other chick. you may. no guarantee's.
I've had at least 20 successful broody hatches since this spring and well over 30 since last spring by leaving the hen alone to do what comes naturally. I ONLY get involved if it is a situation like this morning where another broody stole the new broody's 8 newborns. Then I intervene. Otherwise it is ALWAYS best to stay out of the broody's way and let her do what comes naturally.

Chickens are much better at being chickens than humans are

 

[stonykill]

well i guess, but if he cant get it back to its real mam hes going to have to take the risk

I know, not guessing. LOTS of broody experience WATCHING my hens do the work. Rule # 1 of broody's. Let them do it and just leave them alone. What ever happens was meant to happen