Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
Yep she looks like shes got a Chick on her shoulder.... um er Chip.

deb "who will go back in her hole now"

I've missed you guys!!!

 

[Ivyblaze]

I had to move my broody to a brooder today...someone ate two of her eggs now....she is way upset that I moved her. Will she go back to sitting her eggs?

 

[bobbieschicks]

I had to move my broody to a brooder today...someone ate two of her eggs now....she is way upset that I moved her.  Will she go back to sitting her eggs?

Did you move her at night or at least in darkness? If she doesn't want to stay where you moved her let her go back to the old nest for now and move the eggs back there.. Wait until dark and do it again without light and with a towel over her head. Put a little of the old bedding in the new nest and make sure it's dark where you place her. Then tomorrow leave her in there all day. She should stay on the eggs in the nest after that.

 

[luvmyEs]

I have the same set up here my chickens and ducks have their house for night time but I do keep nest boxes open for my broodys so they will be safe. years ago some decided they liked the woods better and they didn't come home. Now they brood and hatch their little ones in safety. Then they take them out into the big world and teach them the ropes.

To each their own

. I named her Sparta because she reminds me of the behaviors in the movie 300

. I have another broody, a white silkie, who has banned all the other (big) hens from ALL the nest boxes in the coop. It has been an egg hunt everyday for the past week!

 

[JakRat]

I went and checked on everyone tonight, and all babies are accounted for (even the month old is under mama). I am a bit concerned about my SSussex though. I had to put her back with the flock since she was having issues with properly taking care of her babies. I noticed tonight that she was sleeping in the nest box. Do I need to be worried about this?? What if there is an egg there and she is sitting again? Should I try to put one of the babies under her again and see if it goes better this time? I just dont think the month old silkie can take anymore stress the poor thing... I think it is happy now though because my silkie is letting her sit under her. It super cute to see that little white head popping out. I had gotten her for my SSussex since I knew that she was big enough that the sussex couldnt step on her and kill her like her previous baby.


I have been having a bad chicken week... can yall tell? I need a hug.

 

[Johnn]

I always wait until day 25 to give up on eggs, or when the hen gives up, whichever comes first. Usually the later. Unless nothing hatches, then at day 25 I either give her new eggs or chicks. I only wait until day 25 because once one hatched that late. I think most people call it quits on day 23. I'm patient....

Thanks i was just wondering because on one of the chicken pages on facebook someone had a egg hatch at 32 days so i wanted to know what yous reccomend because if i left them that long any infertile ones would explode

 

[stonykill]

Thanks i was just wondering because on one of the chicken pages on facebook someone had a egg hatch at 32 days so i wanted to know what yous reccomend because if i left them that long any infertile ones would explode

there is simply no way that is possible on day 32. That HAD to be a late egg laid by another hen on the nest. posts like that on a FB page are the EXACT reason I started my own. FB is filled with mis information on chickens. And the most "popular" page preaches to it's subscribers that broody's are NOT the way to go simply because they ONCE incubated and had a 100% hatch. like that happens often. AND she added she "read" a lot about broody's and feels this way because she "read" about broody's with ZERO experience.
I'm not trying to say you shouldn't read FB chicken pages, just that you need to understand a LOT of the information is false, 1/2 true or edited for content

 

[Johnn]

Im more into the ex battery hen groups on facebook , and these eggs were incubated...

 

[stonykill]

Im more into the ex battery hen groups on facebook , and these eggs were incubated...

cool, and I still don't believe a chicken egg hatched on day 32, but hey, I guess anything is possible.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I went and checked on everyone tonight, and all babies are accounted for (even the month old is under mama). I am a bit concerned about my SSussex though. I had to put her back with the flock since she was having issues with properly taking care of her babies. I noticed tonight that she was sleeping in the nest box. Do I need to be worried about this?? What if there is an egg there and she is sitting again? Should I try to put one of the babies under her again and see if it goes better this time? I just dont think the month old silkie can take anymore stress the poor thing... I think it is happy now though because my silkie is letting her sit under her. It super cute to see that little white head popping out. I had gotten her for my SSussex since I knew that she was big enough that the sussex couldnt step on her and kill her like her previous baby.


I have been having a bad chicken week... can yall tell? I need a hug.

I'm sorry no one answered your question but I would just leave well enough alone now, she'll bounce back pretty quick, and if she has an egg under her and you don't want her to brood then take it. Like you said the silkie is finally content and sounds like mama hen is doing her part to make her feel that way. So just let things go on as they are. AND here's your 8hrs old hug