First Timer Broody Hen Questions

[Kbr42]

My retired Silkie hen, Gracie, decided that today is going to be a good day to go broody.
She hasn't laid an egg or gone broody since the fall of last year, and yet picks the middle of a heat wave to come out of retirement.

My pullet Gerty, she is my Jan hatch showgirl, is broody as of today! That makes 6 for me. I feel your pain!

[amberalora]

Hey guys, It sounds like we should have lots of new chicks by now with all of these broodies!!

@Killerbunny what did Kathleen end up hatching?? Turkey poults are so adorable!

@Kbr42 Six broodies!! That's so fun! What did you end up with from all of them??

@kenya that's a cool way of doing it, did you end up sticking to your plan or adding any more eggs to the incubator?? Lol

@Jaye did you let Gracie hatch out any eggs??

Share pictures if you have any, I'd love to see them!!

My hen did end up going broody, but she must have been sitting a couple of days earlier than I thought, I added eggs that should have hatched this Wednesday, and yesterday morning I came out to find her off her nest! I panicked and lifted her up and there was one little chick !!

Unfortunately there were three other eggs that looked like they should have hatched (I figured out candling this time around!) if she would have stayed on them for another day or two, but it is what it is.

Mom is a Black Copper Marans and dad is a Gold Laced Wyandotte, baby looks very much like a Wyandotte. Here is a picture :)

[kenya]

Just waiting for the last 2 in the incubator to hatch. I stuck to my plan and did not put any more eggs in. Hatching the way I do works great for me. The older chicks teach the younger chicks what to eat, so chances of them eating and getting coccocidosis is reduced drasticly. Of about 175 chicks I had 2 cases of coccocidosis total.

[Killerbunny]

@amberalora Kath ended up hatching 6/7 but sadly due to my own stupidity the first 2 got snagged and killed by earlier broods. Picture below with her day olds in another thread. Great Mum 6 years old and 2 lots a year!
Ms. Bitts and Babies
COngrats on the pretty little one.

[Jaye]

@amberalora , yes, Gracie has been a great broody for me over the years. Some years I grafted foster chicks from another poultry enthusiast for her to raise and she has also successfully hatched and raised hatching eggs before. There were also times I let her broodiness run it's course because, well, it wasn't practical to add to the flock ... no space for more chicks or bad time year for chicks in our setup, that sort of thing. She's retired again now (hopefully for good this time), but still healthy and active for an old girl.

[Kbr42]

@amberalora I still hsve4 broodies...lol just different ones. I hatched out 4 chicks being Mothered by 3 hens.

[G Williams]

How do you know when your eggs have started to hatch? Does the hen stay tight on the eggs while they hatch or will she get off the nest a bit or behave differently to tip you off that it's happening?

Usually you here the chicks peeping

[G Williams]

How do you know when your eggs have started to hatch? Does the hen stay tight on the eggs while they hatch or will she get off the nest a bit or behave differently to tip you off that it's happening?

Usually you here the chicks peeping

[Killerbunny]

Mine sit tight for the last couple of days and don't get up. You can usually hear the chicks though.

[Kbr42]

Mine won't move at all. They stop eating and drinking until they think the hatch is over. You can hear peeping and mostly it's a wait and see game.