Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Rachel'sFlock]

Day 13
Mamma Tilda pushed one of the eggs out of the nest, and I removed it from her "broody realm". I noticed it had some dried on goo, so I enticed her off the nest (after 8 days without a break from sitting), so I could check the remaining eggs.
There was a stinky (but not outright rotten) broken egg underneath, must have been an early quitter. Some of the rest of the eggs have a film of goo on them, in places.
I am wondering if something should be done for the remaining eggs? Or should I leave them alone?
I removed the goo, shell and surrounding straw, without disturbing the eggs as much as possible.
What do I do???? Something, or nothing?

 

[Tripp16]

Day 13
Mamma Tilda pushed one of the eggs out of the nest, and I removed it from her "broody realm". I noticed it had some dried on goo, so I enticed her off the nest (after 8 days without a break from sitting), so I could check the remaining eggs.
There was a stinky (but not outright rotten) broken egg underneath, must have been an early quitter. Some of the rest of the eggs have a film of goo on them, in places.
I am wondering if something should be done for the remaining eggs? Or should I leave them alone?
I removed the goo, shell and surrounding straw, without disturbing the eggs as much as possible.
What do I do???? Something, or nothing?

Dont wash them. Leave the eggs alone, its probably not best that they got goo on them but they should be fine. I would check and see if they are still growing. My bet is they are just fine.

 

[Tripp16]

My Duck hen Lilly will be on her 18th day tomorrow. I am ready for ducklings!!!

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Dont wash them. Leave the eggs alone, its probably not best that they got goo on them but they should be fine. I would check and see if they are still growing. My bet is they are just fine.

Thanks so much, Tripp. I wanted so badly for someone to say just that to me!
I will leave them alone, and keep my fingers crossed.
One thing, the egg she pushed out was solid inside, anyway. Something is going on in some of those eggs!

 

[barry549]

My first hatch collapsed on day 20 4 were healthy on the 15th day and 16th ah well i just need to wait a few days then i shall purchase a incubator

 

[Stacykins]

My two broody mamas finally brought their kids out to play! Six chicks in all.

 

[bobbieschicks]

My first hatch collapsed on day 20 4 were healthy on the 15th day and 16th ah well i just need to wait a few days then i shall purchase a incubator

I'm so sorry. Sometimes using a broody doesn't work out. But most of the time it works great. Little comfort when your hatch is the one that didn't work out.

 

[ll]

Stacykins - those photos are inspirational!

My broody is doing well, she's been on her eggs for 7 days and came out every other day for 15 minutes to have a drink and a dust bath with some preening. I've been giving her blueberries and she looks happy.
The nest is clean, eggs look pretty and we're candling tonight!

 

[3 NH reds]

I moved Broody Mc Buff last night from the layer coop to the other coop. Not enough room in the layer coop and Golden Comets have a mean streak.I kicked all the other birds out of the other coop into the run for the night to keep her calm. She actually scared me because she did not move when I checked on her but she is in her zone. Tonight I will swap out the fake and layer eggs for some I had on the incubator that candled out good last night. She went broody with 5 days to go, Let the other birds back in the coop but they leave her alone other than eating chick mash and drinking her water. Any trouble with the Ranger rooster and I can put up chicken wire but they might remember her from an hatch this spring and she would attack them if they got close to her chicks. If this goes well I will not need to put out the light and box for the new chicks hatching in the incubator. I would give her all 10 eggs but I fear it would overwhelm her and she would walk.

 

[Chicken Frenzie]

Broody Jewels is doing fine... to bad the egg are due to hatch on a Thursday... school day . And Friday is a school day too.. I'm freaking out. I guess I can let them out to free range.. but no one would be home so I'm afraid they would go somewhere dangerous. On school days I usually keep them in the coop/run but I don't want the other chickens to get curious... Plus if she leaves the nest to go to the run, other chickens will sit on them and lay an egg.. and I do NOT want those eggs to crack because one of my chickens lay an egg on top of them... maybe I'll put a little cage around her nest box... this is the first time I've hatched chicks in the coop... last July they hatched in our shed (very safe, undisturbed). Gulp... any ideas?