Never going to incubate eggs again if I can help it.

[Coops Dad]

I've had such a good experience with my broody Bresse hen. She was a dedicated broody, stayed on the nest for three days after the first hatched, and has been an incredibly doting momma to her chicks. All I have to do is replenished the feed and water and momma does the rest; I'm amazed at how she teaches them to scratch, calls them to fresh food and water, brings them live-but-wounded bugs to stalk and eat. My wife and I have decided this particular hen is getting a color coded band designating her as the queen mother of broodies, and we'll be putting eggs under broodies at every opportunity instead of stuffing the incubator for the foreseeable future.

 

[DragonflyAcres]

Felt the same way after my hen hatched eggs. So much better for the chicks to have a mother hen. They are six weeks old and she's still doting on them, won't allow herself to get more than a couple feet away from them.

 

[Evadig]

I refused to incubate unless I had a broody hen...which my Jubilee Orpington finally decided to do. It was so cute watching her raise her little buggers, and even now she still lets one of the fourteen-week-old boys snuggle under her at night (his brother has moved out).

With my ducks, though, I have to raise them inside because even though Hilda is a good broody duck, she is the world's worst mother.

Congratulations on your successful hatch and your wonderful mother hen!