*UPDATE* broody hen's eggs should have hatched, now what?

[chickenjones]

Hi WA4-Hpoultrymom

well I think we are going to pick up a few chicks from the feed store tomorrow afternoon and try to slip them under her tomorrow evening. Thanks for the advice.

 

[bobbi-j]

Quote:
That's what I did last year when the eggs my broody was sitting on didn't hatch. It worked just fine. These weren't newly hatched - maybe 4-5 days old. I picked them up in the afternoon, kept them in a box in the house till after dark, slipped them in and the eggs out. Everyone was happy in the morning. I'd love to hear how it works out for you.

 

[chickenjones]

SOOOO, my husband brought home two RIR chicks yesterday. Not what I was expecting but they are cute. He did not wait till dark and put the mom and the chicks in a separate hutch we have used for chicks in the past. We checked on them several times before going to bed and they were underneath her. They all seemed fine. I have to say, since I have never seen a hen and her chicks together before, it is sooooooooooooooo cute!!!! Hopefully they will all bond. My husband has banned me from the coop until he gets home from work in case our mama hen does something horrible to them. She seemed calm and collected so hopefully not. I work all day so that really isn't a problem. I will however post pics of our GLW with her RIR chicks as soon as I can

 

[chickenjones]

Here is the mama chicken and her adopted chicks. Its been two days and they are doing well! Thanks for all the advice!

 

[TheReidHomestead]

Yeah!!!!! So cute!!! Today is hatch day for my gorgous broody blue Orpington hen, so far, no peeping. I will be sticking some of my standard size chicks that are due Sunday under her if she doesn't have any hatch for her. Thanks for sharing the pic!

 

[farmerChef]

Quote:
The busted eggs might have coated the remaining eggs and suffocated them making them go bad. I have a broody sitting on some eggs and I found one broken one day and the shell was almost closed up over another egg, I tried to clean it off as best I could, but IDK if it is ok (i'm on day 11, haven't candled yet).

 

[melloladies]

My first broody has her hatch date this weekend, and I'm so nervous this will happen! Good to see she's happy with chickies, whether or not they are her own!

 

[aboverubiesmom]

Even though these were old posts I found them looking for this info because I am nervous I am having the same problem. I have a silkie first time brooding over 6 Swedish Flower Hen eggs. The breeder has a 100% hatch rate this year from her 3 hens & one rooster so I'll be sad if we are the ones to mess that up! None of the eggs have broken, she has been very dutiful & careful. This was day 21 and I have to go somewhere I can't get out of tomorrow so am really bummed right now & concerned because we did it backwards & didn't move her before giving her eggs so want to move her as soon as they hatch as she is still in with the flock's coop & would prefer her to have a safer place to raise them.

Any advice on moving her if they hatch &/or moving her with new chicks I buy if they don't hatch. I want to reward her diligence as she tolerated being sat on every day by her brahma buddy who insisted on laying her own egg in the same nesting box everyday, even after the silkie changed boxes & I had to move her eggs (I was there when she changed so, no, they weren't left too long).
Thanks!