Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

Well you gotta love broodys! As soon as you dont want them to go broody they go broody!

I went out last night to find another silkie hen sitting on 3 golf balls screeching at me and was still on it this morning. So she is serious. Then I go to my serama hutch and SHE is sitting on her nest screeching (I knew it was coming because she has been walking around doing the "broody cluck" for a week now.) I told myself no more chicks with hens until spring....

They say NO!!

NOT to mention I have another silkie hen with one chick and then a OEGB with 6 chicks, and another silkie hen with her 3 eggs due next thursday! I am SLAMMED with broodys!! LOL

Serama hen a.k.a Louise. This will be her 3rd clutch this year



Silke hen (Olive) this will be her first clutch ever. She is 9 months old.





My OEGBs Chicks and her. They are a month old. These picks were taken at 3 weeks old.





BTW her face looks terrible because she got in a fight protecting her babies.





My silkie hen and her chicks can you see the beak poking out from in front of her?



Sorry to post so many pictures but I havent in a while! So here you go!!

Love it! They are adorable!

 

[aoxa]

Does anyone tend to forget the hatch days? I candled one of my broodie's eggs last night and it was nearly to term. I didn't think she was due to hatch this soon :/

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ya'll have all done so good to let your broodies go ahead and hatch them chicks, Me I got even meaner and actually removed the nest box my frizzle was brooding in, after I did she went out and became a flock member again and was back to being her ol mean self last night at roost time. She'll be first in the spring though, Love the pics at least I can enjoy someone elses chicks this way.

 

[stonykill]

Does anyone tend to forget the hatch days? I candled one of my broodie's eggs last night and it was nearly to term. I didn't think she was due to hatch this soon

with all the broody's I have I don't bother to track it anymore. When I don't see them get off their nest for a few days I know the time is near

 

[aoxa]

with all the broody's I have I don't bother to track it anymore. When I don't see them get off their nest for a few days I know the time is near

She has been sticking to her nest since Wednesday. Time is near!

 

[Johnn]

She's dedicated, thats for sure

too right!!

 

[Tripp16]

Ok I feel terrible! I decided that was way to many chicks to keep over the winter. So I removed everyones eggs. Louise ( Serama hen) wasnt completely broody so she is still clucking but should be back to her old self soon.

My Silkie Olive , is a different story. I took her eggs (golf balls) and took her out. She got back on the nest and sat on the empty nest! I took her off three times and she STILL got back on the empty nest! Shes only been broody one day!

Any tips? I really want chicks but I feel like it isnt smart to hatch that many chicks when its this close to winter...

 

[Lacy Blues]

Just let them have one or two eggs apiece. I usually just give them 3. That way if anything happens to one or two, there's still another one and the broodiness will stop with the chick raising... though they still sound like one!

Generally, I hope for two chicks, minimum. That way, when mama is done with them, they have each other for company.

ETA: the mama will keep the babies warm. You shouldn't have any concerns at all except for a drafty coop.

 

[aoxa]

Just let them have one or two eggs apiece.  I usually just give them 3.  That way if anything happens to one or two, there's still another one and the broodiness will stop with the chick raising... though they still sound like one!   Generally, I hope for two chicks, minimum.  That way, when mama is done with them, they have each other for company.

ETA: the mama will keep the babies warm.  You shouldn't have any concerns at all except for a drafty coop.

Exactly. I let a hen hatch in February and she was fine. She had 11 chicks though

Mama's are the best temperature control!

I would restrict in January though.. If there is too much snow, it would be hard to have a proper place for a broody with her chicks.. I see a lot of snow blowing in my future...

 

[farmer boy]

Exactly. I let a hen hatch in February and she was fine. She had 11 chicks though

Mama's are the best temperature control!
I would restrict in January though.. If there is too much snow, it would be hard to have a proper place for a broody with her chicks.. I see a lot of snow blowing in my future...

i can see a lot of snow here in the future to lol hope the younger chickens will have a okay time for their first winter