Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

How long will momma hens sit tight on the nest after the last chick has hatched? Summer is still acting like she has an egg to hatch but all chicks are out. :/

 

[bobbieschicks]

How long will momma hens sit tight on the nest after the last chick has hatched? Summer is still acting like she has an egg to hatch but all chicks are out. :/

Usually a day or two, but not much past that.

 

[Johnn]

Last time they both hatched chicks at the same time I worried because Smokey had started hatching her silky babies, but Topsy didn't have any. Then the next morning Topsy had her two and Smokey had her four.
So I won't worry about Topsy just yet. Oh who am I kidding! I'm worried about Topsy - I do so pray she gets at least one chick or she'll get some nearby farm mix day old chicks I saw on Craigslist

Adleast she will get something in the end though, I might try get my Orpington to nest on the floor next year so i don't have a repeat of this year, im wanting her to hatch duck eggs, just six tho, i hope they aren't harder for her to hatch..

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Usually a day or two, but not much past that.

Ok. It's only been about 18 hrs since I took out the late death egg, so not to bad.

 

[OLC Peeps]

I had two hens that were broody that I let go broody--unfortunately I waited until the night before I expected the eggs to start hatching to move both hens... they got totally confused switched nests and the larger hen went "crazy" and abandoned her eggs to go back to "her nest" in the henhouse.... so I was playing move the eggs to try to help BOTH hens have some chicks.
Long story short the banty managed to successfully hatch 3 chicks--we managed to help 3 other chicks hatch but mama hen would not "adopt" all of them--so I kept separate in order for them to have warmth.... the other hen--"mourned" for a couple of days---I tried to introduce "my" 3 chicks to her, but when she clucked and they didn't respond--she lost interest and went on about her business... our first time for "hatching" chicks in old way---less stress having a mother hen to train the peeps... lots of fun watching them with their mama--while the other peeps were put in with a couple of guinea chicks that were EXTREMELY nervous--so all "my" peeps have adopted that fear!! We'll see as they progress how it all comes out... Isn't this fun--having lived in the Houston TX area for 30 years--retiring to AR and 4 acres--I'm having more fun with chickens that have given us eggs enough to sell a few, goats to keep the "back" forty (which is maybe 1 1/2 acres) cleared off--even to the point of needing to supplement since the EXCEPTIONAL drought that our part of AR is experiencing. I LOVE living in the country--dirt road and all!!

 

[Johnn]

Im going to tell everyone my broody past,
2009, My welsummer Peggy was broody, 0/26 eggs hatched, 0/26 fertile.
2010, Babs ex batt was broody 0/8 eggs hatched, 0/8 fertile
1 Black Orp buntie was broodie, 0/11 hatched, 4/11 fertile 4 developed chicks.
1 Black orp Edwena 0/13 eggs hatched, 0/13 fertile
My welsummer peggy 0/8 hatched, 1/8 fertile, Another hen stood on her egg and squished it on day 20
2011, Peggy died.
Baught a broody hen called Miley, she sat on 6 eggs non hatched, non fertile, then she sat on 4, non hatched, not fertile.
Princess layer ex batt sat on 3 eggs 0 hatched, 1 fertile
Buntie, 0/3 hatched, she stopped sitting on day 7, 1/3 fertile.
November 2011, Miley and Buntie were killed by a stoat.
2012: Baught the 2 buff orps and got Melow.
Melow:0/9 hatched, 0/9 fetile
Sweet annie (the Orp) 2/10 hatched, 6/10 fertile.
Melow got one chick and orp kept the other, but the orpington has both again now...

 

[Johnn]

Im going to tell everyone my broody past,
2009, My welsummer Peggy was broody, 0/26 eggs hatched, 0/26 fertile.
2010, Babs ex batt was broody 0/8 eggs hatched, 0/8 fertile
1 Black Orp buntie was broodie, 0/11 hatched, 4/11 fertile 4 developed chicks.
1 Black orp Edwena 0/13 eggs hatched, 0/13 fertile
My welsummer peggy 0/8 hatched, 1/8 fertile, Another hen stood on her egg and squished it on day 20
2011, Peggy died.
Baught a broody hen called Miley, she sat on 6 eggs non hatched, non fertile, then she sat on 4, non hatched, not fertile.
Princess layer ex batt sat on 3 eggs 0 hatched, 1 fertile
Buntie, 0/3 hatched, she stopped sitting on day 7, 1/3 fertile.
November 2011, Miley and Buntie were killed by a stoat.
2012: Baught the 2 buff orps and got Melow.
Melow:0/9 hatched, 0/9 fetile
Sweet annie (the Orp) 2/10 hatched, 6/10 fertile.
Melow got one chick and orp kept the other, but the orpington has both again now...

that was alot of fails -__-

 

[aoxa]

that was alot of fails -__-

Yes, sounds like you had a rough go!

I wouldn't put valuable eggs under a broody. I've had a lot of broken eggs.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I got to see the other maran chick as it poked out from Smokey. It's still not fluffed but I'm sure it will be beautiful too.

No news on Smokey's other two eggs but I did notice she had the Orpington egg out to her side. She did that with the maran egg before it hatched.

No change for Topsy yet.

 

[Johnn]

Yes, sounds like you had a rough go!
I wouldn't put valuable eggs under a broody. I've had a lot of broken eggs.

I did!!