Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[FreedomLover]

Well, it appears that one of my hen's has decided it's already time to try and hatch some eggs. She's only 5 months old, so it kinda caught me off guard! LOL

I ended up moving her a couple nights ago into the brooder pen since the other hens kept trying to lay in her nest box. She's doing pretty good I suppose! Growls at anyone or anything coming near the pen (which I think is adorable)! She's got 10 eggs under her and I'm expecting baby chicks around the 29th or 30th. Nice B-day gift for me (28th)! LOL

I have a mix of red's & buff orps under a New Hampshire roo so we'll just have to see what happens! They're all hatchery stock, so I'm not too concerned with purity of breed. Would be nice to get a few roo's that I won't have to feel bad about sending to freezer camp! I just hate the thought of sending hens there until they've fulfilled their purpose of laying eggs.

Should I candle the eggs or just leave momma to be alone and let her do her thing?

 

[Johnn]

um one of my hens are sitting I think on 4 eggs, should I take her off or leave her? I just had 11 babies 2 months ago

Just let her, she can do it. I think Bobbiechicks two hens smokey and topsy have hatched their second cluth this year...

 

[TheRookie]

These are my babies with their Momma on their first day outside in the tractor

 

[aoxa]

These are my babies with their Momma on their first day outside in the tractor

ADORABLE!~ I love when the moms show the babies how to dust bathe!!

 

[TheRookie]

ADORABLE!~
I love when the moms show the babies how to dust bathe!!

The babies were trying to do later on in their feed dish but my phone battery died right then, of course!
Oh and Ive been trying and trying to get that elusive pic of a chick on Mommas back but she always shakes them off right when I take it. Its like she knows and is plotting these things out... Sneaky Momma lol

 

[aoxa]

The babies were trying to do later on in their feed dish but my phone battery died right then, of course! Oh and Ive been trying and trying to get that elusive pic of a chick on Mommas back but she always shakes them off right when I take it. Its like she knows and is plotting these things out... Sneaky Momma lol

Mine are always hopping on mommas backs

You'll get a picture soon enough!

 

[fshinggrl]

Cute video. Here (hopefully) is one of mine.. very short that I took yesterday when the chicks were a week old. They were hatched by the columbian wyandotte (smaller hen) and the light brahma. Neither one of them are the 'biological momma.' One of the 'chipmunks' has feathered legs. I think it's dad is a porcelin d'uccle.

 

[fshinggrl]

So, here is the question I forgot. How do you keep the chicks' feed (medicated starter) away from the laying hens?

 

[aoxa]

So, here is the question I forgot.  How do you keep the chicks' feed (medicated starter) away from the laying hens? 

I separate mine, but that's a good question for those who don't/can't.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

So, here is the question I forgot.  How do you keep the chicks' feed (medicated starter) away from the laying hens? 

I suppose you could set up something over the feeder with gaps big enough for the babies to fit through but small enough that the hens won't fit. I saw an interesting solution to that once; gal used a pappasan frame flipped upside down.

Why do you want to separate them from it though? If you are worried about it affecting the hens eggs, it won't. If you just want to keep the baby food for the babies, you need to be creative. :/