Got a broody hen!

[Snadger]

.................and she's sitting on what i hope are 6 fertile eggs!

I've hatched chicks before in the incubator then put a heat lamp on them to bring them on. I've never used a broody before so this is a complete new learning experience for me!
This broody is quite old and she seems to go broody at the drop of a hat. (She must have went broody about 10 times in the last couple of years)In the past I've always chucked her off the eggs but she's always been persistent, actually drawing blood a couple of times!

Well now she's got her chance, and I'll see how she does! She's been sitting since Monday gone after a false start on Sunday.

[Snadger]

Still sitting!

[Nicos]

2 weeks to go!...you getting excited?

[Lisasbolt]

Ooo so exciting. Post some pic´s please. Especially if you get any babies.

[Snadger]

Ooo so exciting. Post some pic´s please. Especially if you get any babies.

Will do Lisa. The dad was a Light Sussex cockerel and he was running with ISA browns,Light Sussex and Wyandotte hens so it will be pot luck what hatches, if anything!

[Snadger]

2 weeks to go!...you getting excited?

Yep, never thought i would be a dad again at my age!

[Nicos]

Have you started pacing up and down yet???

I get all mother hennish when my gals leave their clutch to go and powder their noses etc.
I get really worried that the eggs might be getting cold!

[muddled]

what breed of hen is she?

Best broody I ever had was a wyandotte bantam. She was such a good mum, teaching the chicks what to eat and all the other chickeny things they needed to know. I've always found hen hatched chicks to take much better care of themselves than 'inkies'.

Have you candled the eggs to see how many are viable?

[Snadger]

what breed of hen is she?

Best broody I ever had was a wyandotte bantam. She was such a good mum, teaching the chicks what to eat and all the other chickeny things they needed to know. I've always found hen hatched chicks to take much better care of themselves than 'inkies'.

Have you candled the eggs to see how many are viable?

I've no idea what type of hen she is. I bought her in a job lot from an auction about three years ago. She is more yellowy than an ISA Brown and a bit bulkier, reminiscent of a Buff Orpington.
She has went broody umpteen times, once last year when I was on my Roman Wall trek she attacked the guy who was looking after my hens and drew blood when he tried to move her off the nest!
I don't fancy losing blood by candling the eggs and I don't want to upset her anyway. I'm just going to let nature take its course and see what happens.
She's still sitting tight this evening with food and water within her reach which she hasn't touched.

[Scarlet]

Just a week and a bit to go then fingers crossed

[Nicos]

She must be drinking something surely?
Have you tried dipping her beak in the water ( or have I started to worry on your behalf?)

[Snadger]

She must be drinking something surely?
Have you tried dipping her beak in the water ( or have I started to worry on your behalf?)

Her beak is a lethal weapon! I'm not sure whether the water level of the container near her has changed so she may have had some.I change the water every couple of days.

[Bill HH]

I used to hatch pheasant eggs under a broody hen, it's a bit late now but my father told me to place a turf under the nest to increase the humidity. The biggest problem was the hen eating the pheasant chicks probably because they were so tiny. However I managed to rear quite a lot. Good luck.

[Snadger]

I used to hatch pheasant eggs under a broody hen, it's a bit late now but my father told me to place a turf under the nest to increase the humidity. The biggest problem was the hen eating the pheasant chicks probably because they were so tiny. However I managed to rear quite a lot. Good luck.

I remember when i was hatching eggs with an incubator I had to add water in the latter stages to increase the humidity and allow the chick to peck its way out of the egg.

[ancee]

Ooh how lovely. My lot have all gone broody. Little weirdos. No rooster but they are doing shifts on the eggs. I manage to shoo them away with tasty greens and as soon as they got off the eggs I grab them. It's a bit of a farce, hopefully they'll give up soon!