Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[aoxa]

xs2

And when she kicks out the egg or stops sitting on it - or especially if she crushes it open - DO NOT PUT IT BACK UNDER HER OR UNDER A DIFFERENT BROODY - just my opinion of course, but I found out the hard way that a crushed egg becomes a rotten egg under a broody and then must be peeled off her feathers while she is still trying to hatch the other noncrushed eggs.  And they stink something awful.  Also putting it in the bator may sound like a good idea - but if you have other eggs in there hatching think twice as there was a reason that momma kicked it out. 

Realize also that she may temporarily get off an egg or move it to the side when the weather is extremely hot - so don't assume she's abandoned it. You will know when she abandons the egg - she will move it completely away from her and not touch it again or she will distance herself as much as possible from it - sometimes she will even eat it.  Observe any eggs that have been moved out and leave them alone or mark them so you know which ones they are and don't be tempted to push them back under the momma - she's regulating her hatch.

This past time the temps outside and in the coop were 103F-109F and Smokey & Topsy both would occassionally push their eggs out or stand over the eggs instead of squat down low - I was worried, but apparently that is just the way they regulate the temps.  Trust the broody - I've had to learn to let go of my desire to "help" them and just trust their abilities until they give me a reason not to trust them.

That last part is really neat. I have never seen that happen. My temperatures never get that hot. And by never, I mean NEVER. Thank God! Your poor girls!

When you mentioned the crushed egg, I thought it was really close to hatch. The crushed egg I left under my girl was due that day, and hatched no problem. I detected life though> it was peeping.

 

[bobbieschicks]

That last part is really neat. I have never seen that happen. My temperatures never get that hot. And by never, I mean NEVER. Thank God! Your poor girls!
When you mentioned the crushed egg, I thought it was really close to hatch. The crushed egg I left under my girl was due that day, and hatched no problem. I detected life though> it was peeping.

oh yes - if it's pipped or peeping go ahead and leave it alone where it lays as she will pull it back under herself when she's ready. She was probably just regulating the hatch.

My experience has been that even as hot as it was they still put the good eggs under themselves once it's the actual hatch time - presumably to regulate temps and humidity levels. I saw Topsy pull the blue egg under herself and push it out a couple of times then pull it under again after it was mostly zipped. She was flatter then a pancake and had pulled out even more of her breast feathers to increase the humidity levels - which I thought was odd because of the relative humidity levels here in VA being so high already.

The crushed egg I had was not pipped or peeping but it was Day 21 so I figured it must be close. I never saw any signs of life in it either and didn't try to open it further or I would have seen it was an undeveloped egg that would become a rotten egg.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I haven't visited this thread in a while, but I thought I'd share what I found yesterday. My broody Tipsy Cake had been sitting on some OEGB eggs. I didn't write down when I'd given them to her, and sort of just let her do her thing. I was filling feeders and waters yesterday, and during that routine I usually stop and feed a handful of feed to Miss Tipsy (and usually I pull her fluffy butt off the eggs so she'll take a poo, she does not like to leave her nest). So, I go over to her cage and stick my hand in as usual and she starts clucking up a storm, and out run these little guys:

Cute as buttons! For size reference, that's my hand they're sitting in. There are actually 3 in this picture, but the other turd ducked his head down when the camera flashed. Tipsy is my sweetest broody, so when she called and they came out and crawled all over my hand I had to take the opportunity to get a picture to share with you guys. She doing a great job taking care of them, especially considering these are the tiniest chicks I've ever seen and she's a standard sized hen!

 

[aoxa]

I haven't visited this thread in a while, but I thought I'd share what I found yesterday. My broody Tipsy Cake had been sitting on some OEGB eggs. I didn't write down when I'd given them to her, and sort of just let her do her thing. I was filling feeders and waters yesterday, and during that routine I usually stop and feed a handful of feed to Miss Tipsy (and usually I pull her fluffy butt off the eggs so she'll take a poo, she does not like to leave her nest). So, I go over to her cage and stick my hand in as usual and she starts clucking up a storm, and out run these little guys:

Cute as buttons! For size reference, that's my hand they're sitting in. There are actually 3 in this picture, but the other turd ducked his head down when the camera flashed. Tipsy is my sweetest broody, so when she called and they came out and crawled all over my hand I had to take the opportunity to get a picture to share with you guys. She doing a great job taking care of them, especially considering these are the tiniest chicks I've ever seen and she's a standard sized hen!

Adorable!!

 

[heatherscreations1969]

Question... Im sure it has been answered before but this is a very extensive thread.
On average, when do broodies usually kick their kids out? Specifically during summer/fall.. Trying to figure out a timeframe for when Ill need to move everyone around.
Thanks, Lenore

One of my silkies hatched 1 chick 11 weeks ago, at 4 weeks she was roosting with her under her wing and 8 days ago she decided to brood again....she is sat on 6 eggs and the 11 week old is still sleeping under her at night
3 days ago my other silkie...not to be left out on the fun....decided to go broody too, she is sat on 4 eggs and her 9 week old chick from a previous hatch still sleeps with her too.
So far neither of my silkies have kicked out their chicks....I don't know if this will continue until their next brood hatches.

Gotta love silkies, they sure do love being mama's
*hugs* Heather x

 

[aoxa]

One of my silkies hatched 1 chick 11 weeks ago, at 4 weeks she was roosting with her under her wing and 8 days ago she decided to brood again....she is sat on 6 eggs and the 11 week old is still sleeping under her at night
3 days ago my other silkie...not to be left out on the fun....decided to go broody too, she is sat on 4 eggs and her 9 week old chick from a previous hatch still sleeps with her too.
So far neither of my silkies have kicked out their chicks....I don't know if this will continue until their next brood hatches. 

Gotta love silkies, they sure do love being mama's
*hugs* Heather x

Yes they do! My silkie hen went broody when her babies were six weeks old, but wasn't so kind to her older kids.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Adorable!!

xs2

 

[Johnn]

My Orpington was not sensible today!, her and the chicks seen me putting the food out so they ran across and thechick ran straight through the fence (it is the fencing that has the squares) the chicks could fit through but the orpingotn was trying to get thorugh and she was going crazy because the chicks had ran a head and left her. Then i put the food out (i was planning on saving her after) then all i heard was huge squaks and i ran around and the lambs were butting her up against the fence whilst she was trying to get through, so i chased them off and one ran back and gave her a huge but! so i chased after it then ran back and rescued her

 

[Miss Lydia]

xs2

X3

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Orpington was not sensible today!, her and the chicks seen me putting the food out so they ran across and thechick ran straight through the fence (it is the fencing that has the squares) the chicks could fit through but the orpingotn was trying to get thorugh and she was going crazy because the chicks had ran a head and left her. Then i put the food out (i was planning on saving her after) then all i heard was huge squaks and i ran around and the lambs were butting her up against the fence whilst she was trying to get through, so i chased them off and one ran back and gave her a huge but! so i chased after it then ran back and rescued her

Poor girl I hope she is okay.