They hatched!!! supplemental heat?

[RobinS1217]

Theyre hatching!

We’re 3 years into chickens and finally got a broody momma who hatched out! So far 4/9 have hatched. It is 60-75 here during the day and 40-55 during the night. I have the momma (still sitting but doing well with her babies) and her chicks in a separated brooder coop. It’s wrapped in 2x4 with thin slits for ventilation with an “open air” lid enclosed with wire grid (mind is blanking on name of product).

Question: will momma keep them warm enough? We’ve had the heat lamp on at night because the babies don’t always stay under the mom who is still sitting on eggs. They seem to already come and go as they please on day 1&2.

Heat lamp? Or is momma sufficient?


(Photo with eggs/chicks is when momma was escorted to yard for 60 seconds to poo. She wasn’t leaving her nest to do so and it was a MESS. ended up having to cut her fluffy butt to clean her up. Manually helping her to hard and she poos and goes right back to babies)

 

[SilverBirds]

Congrats on the hatch! Momma is able to keep them warm enough without the heat lamp.

 

[Chickenmom1981]

Mom should be just fine as their heat source. It would be different if they were separate; but congratulations !

 

[RobinS1217]

Congrats on the hatch! Momma is able to keep them warm enough without the heat lamp.

Thanks for the reply! Definitely different than when we picked them up locally. Seeing the mom show them how to eat and the little noises she’s making for her babies is pretty cool. As I said, this is our first time letting any hatch out- and now we’ve had another gi broody, sitting on 8. Both our first momma and now second started with just 2-3 eggs and seemed to steel eggs from other nesting boxes for 4-5 days. Does that mean I should wait 4-5 days for these others to hatch? Is there a limit how long I should let her sit on them before I should assume a loss?

 

[SilverBirds]

Thanks for the reply! Definitely different than when we picked them up locally. Seeing the mom show them how to eat and the little noises she’s making for her babies is pretty cool. As I said, this is our first time letting any hatch out- and now we’ve had another gi broody, sitting on 8. Both our first momma and now second started with just 2-3 eggs and seemed to steel eggs from other nesting boxes for 4-5 days. Does that mean I should wait 4-5 days for these others to hatch? Is there a limit how long I should let her sit on them before I should assume a loss?

Over month is too long if she doesn't have anything hatching. You can candle the eggs on day 7-10 and look for veining. Any that are empty can be thrown out so they don't explode.

 

[RobinS1217]

Over month is too long if she doesn't have anything hatching. You can candle the eggs on day 7-10 and look for veining. Any that are empty can be thrown out so they don't explode.

I’ll candle the second broody bird. Far too late for our first one! A month from beginning of sitting?

 

[SilverBirds]

I’ll candle the second broody bird. Far too late for our first one! A month from beginning of sitting?

You can candle the first broodies eggs to see if they have veining still, are dead, or are internally pipping.

It really depends, but yes. I wouldn't let a broody sit for two months straight if a first batch didn't hatch, or let her sit at all if you don't plan on letting her hatch anything. But if you have a broody and you set eggs a week or two after she inteally becomes broody that is fine.

 

[RobinS1217]

You can candle the first broodies eggs to see if they have veining still, are dead, or are internally pipping.

It really depends, but yes. I wouldn't let a broody sit for two months straight if a first batch didn't hatch, or let her sit at all if you don't plan on letting her hatch anything. But if you have a broody and you set eggs a week or two after she inteally becomes broody that is fine.

Okay so I candled (to my best ability) the remaining 5 eggs that haven’t hatched yet. They’re due to be hatched within the next few days. In 4 of them it was like 3/4 of the egg was “dark” and the light only illuminated through the bottom 1/4. I didn’t see any red streaks or rings or anything like that. In the odd one I saw a clot looking thing- but no string or ring or anything from it. Nothing was freely moving. I don’t know if I did it right. Does any of this sound right?

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Okay so I candled (to my best ability) the remaining 5 eggs that haven’t hatched yet. They’re due to be hatched within the next few days. In 4 of them it was like 3/4 of the egg was “dark” and the light only illuminated through the bottom 1/4. I didn’t see any red streaks or rings or anything like that. In the odd one I saw a clot looking thing- but no string or ring or anything from it. Nothing was freely moving. I don’t know if I did it right. Does any of this sound right?

Sometimes moms only wait 48 after first one hatches then they leave the nest and eggs
Do you have a bator you could have ready in case she does
She may not but most do

 

[SilverBirds]

Okay so I candled (to my best ability) the remaining 5 eggs that haven’t hatched yet. They’re due to be hatched within the next few days. In 4 of them it was like 3/4 of the egg was “dark” and the light only illuminated through the bottom 1/4. I didn’t see any red streaks or rings or anything like that. In the odd one I saw a clot looking thing- but no string or ring or anything from it. Nothing was freely moving. I don’t know if I did it right. Does any of this sound right?

You did it correctly. The first three sound good. Could you post candled pictures of the last egg? Sounds like it might be a quitter.