Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Rachel'sFlock]

My last broody for this year Miss Betty White is still holding on to her 2 they will be 9 weeks old this Thurs. I think she is trying to start a separate flock with these 2 since i'm pretty sure they are both roo's

Congrats to all that are still brooding and hatching chicks...

I lover her name...and her namesake!

 

[karlamaria]

that's an Orpington for ya. They just go broody and stay that way. Our last batch of eggs didn't hatch bu Broody Mc Buff wouldn't give in so I got a local dozen eggs for her Americana Barred rock and Road Island Reds.She never wants to go out so I gave her sugar water with acv along with her regular feed. She didn't even make any noise or stir when I picked her up and my wife swapped out the old mail order eggs for the local ones.Things should workout this time

we gave her eggs last time and she hatched out 2, I took away the others as it was days longer and well there was chicks in them so this time hands off. she is an amazing mama, and her sister henny penny is also broody today lol, wish I had known, I gave all the extra fertilized eggs to neighbors last nigh now off to the local town to get more lol. I will go buy this acv and try it on her, she needs nurishment ! we try to feed her or water her, she is not havign it. So tonight Im lifting her off to go out to poop and eat and drink. we had to do that before every day to.then she hops right back on.

 

[Jehu Layne]

Had a non standard (because she has white legs) AGB hen hatch off 5 and had a small brownred LF American Game hen come off with 9 (5 brownreds and 4 bbreds), got one more setting and another with 9 that are a week old.. Also got an asil bantam hen setting even though I have moved her three times, guess ill have to save up some eggs...

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Adventures in Broodies:
Today Tilda had the baby flock out in the yard free-ranging. They won't be a week old til tomorrow.
She did such a splendid job of keeping everyone organized, and protecting them. My fat black cat got a litle too close and she scared the living daylights out of him. He has never been attacked by a chicken before. He had no interest in stalking the chooks, but she didn't know that. Lawd'a'mercy, he will never get that close again!

The biggest drama was when a chook got separated from the group when she took the brood inside the coop. I have never heard louder peeping in my life! I ran out of the house to discover her running around in the forest behind the coop! I tried to corner and catch her, but she can fit thru the pen wire, so she just kept running out, and around the coop, and back again. I finally was able to nab the plucky little thing and return her to her Mamma.
Phew!

Every day is an adventure when you let Moms raise peeps.

 

[karlamaria]

Lol what a cute flock of babies! Same thing happened here, baby got lost and screaming to beat the band. I found a cute butterfly net of the boys and used it to catch the chicks on many occasion to get them back to mama or to get them into the pen .a small butterfly net with very tiny holes works wonderful !

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Lol what a cute flock of babies! Same thing happened here, baby got lost and screaming to beat the band. I found a cute butterfly net of the boys and used it to catch the chicks on many occasion to get them back to mama or to get them into the pen .a small butterfly net with very tiny holes works wonderful !

Butterfly net- GREAT IDEA!!!!
Thanks for the props on the peeps. I am pretty smitten!

 

[ll]

Last egg hatched today - YAY!

Photos tomorrow, I'm unsure if it's a female because it hadn't fully dried by the time I went to work.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Last egg hatched today - YAY!

Photos tomorrow, I'm unsure if it's a female because it hadn't fully dried by the time I went to work.

Hooray!!!
Congrats!

 

[naturespace]

I have a girl being broody at 26 weeks old. I put 7 eggs under her, plus she laid one the day she committed. 8 eggs and she is holding strong. She is a Basque hen (Euskal Oiloa)
If she sits the whole time she we should have chicks on sept 25th. Any basic advice for a broody pullet? I am taking the stance that she knows more than me and will do her best. I put some food in her box and I think she ate some, but my guess is she will get off when she needs too and do her business. Should I keep giving her food? I'm trying to leave her in the nesting box she decide to set on. I do plan on being around when the chicks should hatch and moving her and them to their own space to avoid attacks from others.
Any advice you have is welcome.
Thanks

 

[karlamaria]

I have a girl being broody at 26 weeks old. I put 7 eggs under her, plus she laid one the day she committed. 8 eggs and she is holding strong. She is a Basque hen (Euskal Oiloa)
If she sits the whole time she we should have chicks on sept 25th. Any basic advice for a broody pullet? I am taking the stance that she knows more than me and will do her best. I put some food in her box and I think she ate some, but my guess is she will get off when she needs too and do her business. Should I keep giving her food? I'm trying to leave her in the nesting box she decide to set on. I do plan on being around when the chicks should hatch and moving her and them to their own space to avoid attacks from others.
Any advice you have is welcome.
Thanks

I left my broody with her chicks in with the big girls, the chicks were well protected. A friend of mine had to remove the rooster in her flock for a while, he was reallys picking on the babies. If you can leave them with the flock, it's best so mom and babies do not have to be reintroduced. Then the chicks are picked on badly. Mom will protect them believe me .