Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

Haha Johnn - your broody is a Super Broody! She may NEVER leave those chicks

Everytime I go out to check on the chickens and gather eggs - this is what I find. The little white silkie mix sitting in the nest box with Topsy. I don't know if she's trying to help Topsy or just looking for company since her best friend got eaten on Sunday.

 

[Johnn]

Haha Johnn - your broody is a Super Broody! She may NEVER leave those chicks

Everytime I go out to check on the chickens and gather eggs - this is what I find. The little white silkie mix sitting in the nest box with Topsy. I don't know if she's trying to help Topsy or just looking for company since her best friend got eaten on Sunday.

i know at this rate she wont!, she might not go broody next year because she can't part with them! Thats nice to see, meby shes going broody?? or meby she wants to be friends with Topsie. Im quite jelous of you, you look like you get alot of eggs, i only have 1 layer now , flora and workid were the other 2 layers but are gone now, Melow was also one of the best layers when not moulting. I was thinking of getting some hens from a pet shop after winter but i think i will rescue ex batts instead, im running low on my gingers now!, has 6 at the start of the year, now i have 3!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Don't think the chick made it because I didn't hear anything while I gathered eggs a bit ago. Just hoping it was resting between trying to break out of its shell. There are 4 eggs and I haven't any idea if the others had anything growing in them.

 

[Johnn]

Don't think the chick made it because I didn't hear anything while I gathered eggs a bit ago. Just hoping it was resting between trying to break out of its shell. There are 4 eggs and I haven't any idea if the others had anything growing in them.

Meby the chick was out and sleeping in her wing??, if it didn't make it meby you should candle the eggs. am i right at remembering you said you had a plan b? if so what is it???

 

[Miss Lydia]

Aww I hope it was just resting bc.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Plan B will be to try and get her a couple of chicks or try and break her as I don't want her to sit for another 21 days.

 

[aoxa]

Your silkie mix looks like my smooth sizzles.

I don't always hear peeping after they pip. Usually only when they zip or right before they pip. Hardly ever hear it under a broody. The other chickens are far too noisy

 

[bobbieschicks]

Your silkie mix looks like my smooth sizzles.
I don't always hear peeping after they pip. Usually only when they zip or right before they pip. Hardly ever hear it under a broody. The other chickens are far too noisy

She was from a cross between my partridge silkie roo and my white leghorn/Arucana mix pullet.

I'm hoping I just didn't hear it. Time will tell. It was really quiet in there this morning after all the storm noises yesterday I guess the girls were just tired, I know I was.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Can i get some more information on broody's and hatching eggs? My broody hens still have another 18 days till their eggs are due to hatch but i want to be ready for the chicks. I know the hen does it all basically but can i do anything???

 

[Pozees]

All 13 chickens are doing fine this morning. They were very happy to be let out of their coop and are freeranging in their larger net covered run. Hoping to let them back out to freerange in sunshine by tomorrow.
Checked on Topsy when I cleaned up the massive amount of poo in the manure box. Topsy was smooshed down on her 5 eggs. She's due to hatch them on Thurs. However one was crushed and stinky so I removed it. That leaves 4 eggs under her.
As I was cleaning I kept hearing a faint chirp sound. I looked and sure enough there is a slight pip on one egg. I don't want to mess with Topsy or the egg so we shall see later if that one survives. These were her eggs (by the partridge silkie) and she has only hatched adopted eggs in the past so if it survives it will be interesting to see how it looks.
Only minimal damage from superstorm Sandy. The kids' swingset tent is ripped and flapping. But it's been in direct sunlight for 7+ years. The posts I put to hold up the netting are leaning a little. I only buried them about a foot and didn't cement them in place.
Otherwise we lost power for a few seconds only and no leaks! Yeah! We did worse with Irene.

Great to hear you got a pass on most of it, whew! Fingers crossed for Topsy's hatch