Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[3 NH reds]

Well yesterday was day 11for my mixed bag of eggs, 15 Black Jersey Giants one silver Silkie and 4 Blue Orpington. The orps and silkie were extra eggs because the lady I got them from was a couple of eggs short on the Giants.and wanted to mail them to me the day they were layed The 1st egg I candled was clear and all I thought was here we go again but the next 3 were good. Even the Silkie showed promise. Not going to candle all until next week so as not to disturb anything or cull too soon.Still no broody birds so the incubator it is but I got an idea off of other posts, I plan to put in the coop the layer box the two Orpingtons have used with the fake eggs they like. If not I need to set up the truck tool box and a light for the potential chicks.
Interesting side note. Yesterday I was cleaning out a turkey coop and moved a tote outside. It had 6 good size worms that i scooped up and put in with the Giant chicks and the Red Rangers, the Rangers just looked like deer in the headlights but the Giants went nuts and ate well. And the rangers are 4 weeks older!

 

[stonykill]

I have a question which might be very silly.... Next year, any of my hens who go broody are going to hatch out ducklings. My question is, will they know they arent chicken chicks and be upset that they have to raise them instead??

they will raise them as their own

 

[aoxa]

and sometimes she will kill the new one the second you aren't looking. Always a gamble

Again, I said sometimes they will. This is with silkies. Never, ever had issues with adding older chicks. I have done it twice this year. First time was with 2 week old chicks when the mother didn't end up hatching a single egg. She took to them right away.

This was with a cochin hen. This is the day after I added them. I was surprised with how well these houdans knew to keep warm. Usually I would expect them to get upset and want away, but they liked her from the get-go.

 

[Johnn]

I was just searching a broody hen with ducklings and this video came up introducing one and they didn't do it very well :/

 

[stonykill]

I was just searching a broody hen with ducklings and this video came up introducing one and they didn't do it very well :/

introducing and hatching are 2 entirely different things.

 

[stonykill]

Again, I said sometimes they will. This is with silkies. Never, ever had issues with adding older chicks. I have done it twice this year. First time was with 2 week old chicks when the mother didn't end up hatching a single egg. She took to them right away.

This was with a cochin hen. This is the day after I added them. I was surprised with how well these houdans knew to keep warm. Usually I would expect them to get upset and want away, but they liked her from the get-go.

just giving a fair warning and not giving false hope. I'm NOT trying to be argumentative. geez...........

 

[aoxa]

  just giving a fair warning and not giving false hope. I'm NOT trying to be argumentative. geez...........

Yes, but I am not giving false hope either. I have never had a hen reject chicks I've given her. Every single broody got more then she hatched.

I wasn't trying to be argumentative either. I'm stating that sometimes they will accept babies later in their brood, or even older babies at the beginning of their brood.

 

[stonykill]

Yes, but I am not giving false hope either. I have never had a hen reject chicks I've given her. Every single broody got more then she hatched.
I wasn't trying to be argumentative either. I'm stating that sometimes they will accept babies later in their brood, or even older babies at the beginning of their brood.

and that is great and works in your flock with your flock dynamics. My results differ. Some hens I can give a chick to 2 weeks later and all is well and good. Others INSTANTLY kill the chick. For instance one broody hen had her brood hatch this year. I gave her 3 additionals. It looked like all went well. When I let them out in the am the 3 new chicks were DEAD. Each missing 1/2 of their head!
There aren't any absolutes in chicken raising.

Being I've had it with the bickering, I'm outa here

 

[aoxa]

  Being I've had it with the bickering, I'm outa here

I am not bickering or putting you down. I am simply giving my experience, just like you are to everyone on this thread.

Can you tell me where I said with absolute assurance that the hen will accept them? I can't see it. I've re-read every post. I said sometimes. I even bolded the word.

 

[Johnn]

introducing and hatching are 2 entirely different things.

yes i know, i was looking for some videos just to show what broody act like with their duckling then i seen that video and watched it.