# Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching! UPDATED 8/24



## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

This was the first time we had a chicken go broody...I am so glad all was a success! She was sitting on 15 eggs and so far 6 have hatched...more are breaking out of their shells as we speak! How exciting!


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching!*

Awww so cute... we have 2 hens that sit on the same nest together... its funny because its a big leghorm mix and a tiny bantam hen hahaha... their chicks are due anyday now... its really neat to see the babies running around the yard but the best part is watching the whole flock and especially the rooster protecting them and caring for them.  That is a GREAT picture by the way! Soooooo ADORABLE.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching!*

congrats on the new chicks...they are so cute..... :greengrin:


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching!*

Thank!  13 hatched...one didn't make it...so that 12 chicks! She is being a good mom and already taught them about the food and water


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching!*

Your welcome.. :wink: ....it is so neat... watching the hen scratching at the ground... trying to teach the chicks... the proper way.... of table manners... :thumb:

I have had hens.... that protect the chicks to where... the hen comes at you.... :shocked:


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching!*

haha too cool!
we used to keep a rooster, and I'd candle the eggs to determine fertility then stick them under a broody, fun!!


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## cdtrum (Aug 25, 2008)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching!*

Oh how neat! CONGRATS!!!! One of my neighbors hen just had 9 chicks hatch......I so wish one of my girls would go broody! One of my friends has Cochin eggs for me to put in the incubator.......but it's just not the same as watching momma and her babies!


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching!*

Yes, it is very cool 



toth boer goats said:


> I have had hens.... that protect the chicks to where... the hen comes at you.... :shocked:


Oh wow...she's not that aggressive but she sure was pecking my hands when I was trying to get some of the egg shell out of her nest...Ouch!



cdtrum said:


> Oh how neat! CONGRATS!!!! One of my neighbors hen just had 9 chicks hatch......I so wish one of my girls would go broody! One of my friends has Cochin eggs for me to put in the incubator.......but it's just not the same as watching momma and her babies!


This was the first time we had one go broody. I was having trouble finding eggs because I had been letting the chickens out into goat area to help with the flies...could not figure out where they were laying them. Then one of the hens disapeared...I looked all over the place for her and finally found her sitting on a nest she made under the goat's hay rack! That night I moved her and the eggs into her own private pen and she stayed on them for the entire 3 weeks! I guess she really wanted a family


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## Lawanda (Jun 11, 2009)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching!*

That is awesome!


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching!*

Baby chicks are a month old--all 12 are doing good! There are 6 Buff Orpington and 6 Buff/Welsummer cross.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching! UPDATED 8/5*

I have a broody duck that is sitting on 5 "fertilized" chicken eggs that were given to me. they will be on day 21 tomorrow .... how will I know if they are really going to hatch. Is it to late to do the "candle" trick - and how do you hold them to the candle to tell fertility - I know dumb newby questions - but I never had roosters before.....


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## cdtrum (Aug 25, 2008)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching! UPDATED 8/5*

Allison....I just had some cochins hatch for me this week.....try putting the eggs up to your ear and see if you hear anything.....I could hear mine pecking and once they crack the shell you can hear them peeping...it took my guys quite a while to make it out of the shell...some of mine made it and some didn't....I have 6 of the cutest peepers! You might want to check, but ducks might take longer than 21 days.....I know guineas take 26 days.

Oops almost forgot....FRF aren't peepers so much fun? It has been 2 years since I raised my first brood....had forgot how fun and cute they are.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching! UPDATED 8/5*

By tomorrow I bet you have peeps!!! Denise, Allison's silly duck is sitting on chicken eggs...I've seen chickens sit on duck eggs but never the other way around...silly hen couldn't figure out why her "peeps" were taking so long to hatch and when they did the poor hen couldn't get them away from the water pan.

FRF...Those little fuzzies grow fast don't they? They are at that awkward looking stage now, pretty soon they'll be as big as their mom.


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## cdtrum (Aug 25, 2008)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching! UPDATED 8/5*

Duh :doh: .......how dumb am I.....clearly stated that the duck is sitting on chicken eggs! lol!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching! UPDATED 8/5*

LOL... I catch myself doing the same thing way too often!


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching! UPDATED 8/5*



kelebek said:


> I have a broody duck that is sitting on 5 "fertilized" chicken eggs that were given to me. they will be on day 21 tomorrow .... how will I know if they are really going to hatch. Is it to late to do the "candle" trick - and how do you hold them to the candle to tell fertility - I know dumb newby questions - but I never had roosters before.....


It is too late to candle...I think that is usually done during the 2nd week. I didn't candle mine because I was afraid that if I stressed the hen she might stop sitting. Like cdtrum said--you'll be able to hear them peeping or pecking. Not all of my hen's eggs hatched exactly on day 21... but they did all hatch within a 36 hour period after that... so don't give up too soon...it's fine to leave them for an extra couple of days.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching! UPDATED 8/5*

Well - stupid duck hatched 3 of the 5 yesterday and killed them ... so I am watching her very very close on the last two to make sure she doesn't kill them also when they start coming out --- I am so mad and feel so horrible.


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching! UPDATED 8/5*

Oh my! I wonder why it did that?! RIP, chicks.


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

*Re: Yay! My broody hen's chicks are hatching! UPDATED 8/5*

Chicks are 7 weeks old! Man they grow so fast! Still have all 12 of them


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## cdtrum (Aug 25, 2008)

FRF.....you are so right, they do grow soooo fast...my peepers are 2 weeks old and I can't believe how much they have grown! Mine are still living in my basement in a large crate, they have no momma...well except for the stuff animal I gave them and boy are they attached to it! I plan to start introducing them to the great outdoors next week....aren't peepers fun?


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

Yeah they are fun....I love watching them learn to act like chickens. I am actually surprised that the hen is still so attentive at this stage...she still tries to get all of the chicks under her wings at night...LOL! 

I would love to see a picture of your chicks cuddled up to their "mom" ...I bet it is adorable


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## turtlebutte goats (Nov 23, 2008)

I apoligize for horning in on your thread, however I have a question, and this seemed like the right place to to do it.....
I have a broody hen and have removed most of the eggs from her nest, they stink and werent doing anything. I have checked the eggs with a flashlight (candled) and the last 5 were totally dark.
She has had one chick (dead) and the other few that had chicks in the eggs never made it.
I would like to know if I can take eggs just laid by other chickens in the nest boxes and put these eggs under the broody hen. If so, should I do this as soon as the eggs are laid? I could probably candle the eggs first, however, we get plenty of eggs so I could "take my chances."
Thanks!


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## GoldenSeal (Sep 14, 2010)

Yes candle them to make sure they're good eggs. No spots, blemishes or anything like that. You can just stick them right under her and she'll hatch them out for you. I have 40 silkies and this is all I have ever done with them if I want another breed hatched that won't go broody. Beats buying an incubator, lol.
I know with mine it took them a try or two to get it down pat.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

They sure do grow fast ...wow look at them..... :thumb:


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