vintage story broody hen. That will make her more likely to eliminate while she is off the nest, instead of making a mess in it. vintage story broody hen

 
 That will make her more likely to eliminate while she is off the nest, instead of making a mess in itvintage story broody hen Carefully place the chicks under the hen

Solitary Confinement (AKA Chicken Jail) Using a wire cage or dog crate, you can place your hen in a cage with food and water. Fertilized eggs then need a hen to brood over them for five days, after which they will. When hatching the eggs naturally, the first order of business is finding the rooster who is going to fertilize the eggs. Contentment: This is a soft and happy peep. Rachel Hurd Anger is an urban farming writer with particular interests in biodiversity and the elimination of food insecurity. You also need to check the eggs daily. 1 Vit B Complex crushed in tsp and add some drops of water to it to dissolve pill. Take the eggs and nesting material (or the whole nesting box!) with you. Chicken. It’s nearly impossible if you have a large flock, but removing nesting materials sometimes convinces the hen to stop trying to gather eggs. In addition, these have an unusually large size. Carry the hen outside of the coop or pen and put her outside with the rest of the hens. Broody hens will find a comfortable place – usually a secure and small space like a nesting box – to lay their clutch. Break A Broody Hen in 5 Steps. A broody hen is a hen that wants to hatch her own chicks. At only three days old, Broody’s chicks are already pecking at grass and scratching in the dirt to find insects. Give her a water bath. Dispose of the eggs in a way so that your other hens won't get the idea that a hen's egg is a good treat to eat. She refuses to get off the eggs. . Blog, Broody, Chicks. If it's the case with one of your birds, don't be alarmed: chances are it's just one more sign. As other hens observe her dedication and notice the comfort of the chosen spot, they might be inclined to join in. If it’s too late and your hen has already turned into. Feature: Chicken immersion update. The broody hen will stop laying and instead will focus on the incubation of the eggs (a full clutch is usually about 12 eggs). . By Susie Kearley – When Helen Redfern moved from the city to the countryside, she started keeping ducks, then chickens. Allow the hen to remain in the cold water for around 30 seconds before taking her out. Physically remove the hen from her nest. She will probably start settling in to the nest. If it's really hot, she will dehydrate a lot faster; dehydration is a bigger danger to a broody hen than starvation. Chickens get the same way. vintagestory. You can purchase fertile hatching eggs and place under a broody hen. A broody hen is a female bird that has the desire to incubate. growling is normal behaviour when you get their eggs. Cochins — whether big or bantam, the feathery, fluffy, friendly Cochins are known for making great momma hens. Vintage Reviews & Notes Toplists Whisky Top 1000 Worst Whisky Top 100 Explore Maps Bottlers. When a hen goes broody and sits, she stops laying eggs. Breaking the Broody – Attempt #1 . Natural incubation keeps a backyard flock going. This happens mostly when the hens are ready to sit on their eggs to make them hatch after 21 days. Wear a long sleeve shirt or sweat shirt. 1. She wont like people touching her, and may become rather mean if you try to. Check the broody hen every day, but keep things low-key. Wrapping Up. Their egg size is medium to large. So, if you had a non-broody breed, then you can get your broody hen to raise their chicks for them. 1. Interesting side note, if you incubate eggs, it will be precisely 21 days. But feel like you need the whole picture. Eggs are a consumable food item in Vintage Story. When relying on a broody hen to hatch eggs, be sure to mark those eggs. Surrogate mother: If you’ve bought fertilized eggs, and placed them under a broody hen to hatch, then the mother hen may reject the baby birds because they are not her own. Hybrid chickens aren’t as predictable as purebred chickens, but they can still make great companions and egg producers. 1. The theory here is that you’re helping cool down her chest and her vent, thereby lowering her broody body temperature. Mush has a lot of water in it, so if you can get her to eat that, it will help. If the hen is still brooding eggs then you’d need to remove the eggs to keep the hen from pecking at the chicks once they hatch. On the 25th of July last year I went to a little village country show and saw a hen WITH SIX DAY OLD CHICKS!! But I managed to walk away saying to myself that if they were still there in the cold and wet tomorrow I would take them home! The next day came and there they were, still there in the freezing wet. If possible, try keeping her in a cage with a wire bottom and plenty of air circulation. Elevate the crate so air can get underneath. Doing this ensures that she only has one nest box to go back to after. Clean water should always be available. What is a Broody Hen? If you have had chickens for a few years, then you have probably had a broody hen or two. An Olive Egger chicken is a popular hybrid breed. She lives with her family, pets and small flock of hens in Louisville, Ky. We launched The Broody Hen Scotch Whisky just five months ago (June, 2022) and since its release, The Broody Hen has fled the nest to Europe. A broody won’t lay eggs. Check in with your matronly tenant daily. An old dog crate would work well for this, but you could use anything large enough to hold the hen comfortably, as well as a food and water dish. If the hen peck you when attempting to take her eggs, then she is broody. A broody hen can serve as a natural incubator for any fertile eggs you might want to hatch. An enclosure in the heart of the base, with 3 henboxes, 4 or 5 hens and a rooster. Rhode Island Red hen laying in the box. The hen won’t get off the eggs very often. We also had the. If…. chicks hatch and broody hen is to timid to protect all chicks from other hens (doesant happen often but can) If you have a broody, continue to gather the eggs daily. It is such a time saver for our family. Eggs need constant warmth from laying to hatching. The new chicks will be one generation more domesticated than the hen who laid the eggs. A broody hen is a female bird that has the desire to incubate eggs. Contributor. A Black Australorp hen will sit on her nest for 28 days without leaving it for a minute!Separate Pens. 4. Chickens take this quite serious; there is no joking around about the. Or you can put them all together and in 18 or 19 days take the chicken eggs away and put them in the incubator. If you want to encourage her to go broody put a clutch of fake eggs in a nest. She’ll sit “tight” on the nest and resist having her eggs collected, whereas a non-broody hen will let you reach under her to collect eggs. Remove any stinky broody poops on a regular basis. Hens will do so with fertile OR non-fertile eggs, even sitting on no eggs at all! The drive for broodiness is in some hens/breeds genes more than others. However, if you do want to hatch chicks at home then learn how to care for a broody hen so you give her the best chance of success. They will be toasty warm. 5 Simple Tips to “Break” a Broody Hen: Be sure to remove eggs from under the hen regularly and, if possible, pick her up and set her away from the nesting area while you collect them. Fill a sink or wash tub with a few inches of cold water and gently lower the chicken into the bath. Breaking Your Hen of Broodiness. As long as the eggs are fertile and you leave her on the nest she will. Whiskies. 4. One chicken keeper told this story about her Faverolles hen: “The. Browse 190+ broody hen stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Therefore, you can typically expect a hen to lay three brown eggs per week. 1. Hello, I will be telling you 3 steps to make a hen go. 1. Up and Comer: FarmTek Chicken Transport Cage. Posted November 9, 2021. Many times, poultry keepers undervalue this heredity-linked trait in broody chicken breeds. Make sure there are ⅜-inch holes in the lid for proper ventilation. My Take: It is really important to collect eggs regularly when a hen is broody. Most broody hens will evict any bad eggs. Older eggs may not be safe whether or not they are fertilized. It’s best to help a broody hen as quickly as possible because it gets harder to break the longer it goes on. Keep your hen from switching nest boxes by enclosing the area between her food, water, and her nest box. Each hen is different so there is no set time they run out, but it's longer than the 21 day. After the broody is asleep for the night carefully reach in and steal a few eggs. If your nesting box doesn’t allow this, you may need to move her off the nest. Thick layer of wood chips in the brooding coop. Of all these set-ups for a broody hen, I have to admit that my favorite is a large rabbit hutch inside the run where she can brood and raise her babies while still seeing the rest of the flock. Hens are more likely to go broody if: Eggs are left to accumulate in nesting boxes; Other hens go broody ; They have gone broody in the past ; It’s spring or summer and the weather is warm ; You may be able to “break” a broody hen by simply lifting her off the nest and taking her outside to resume normal life. 1. I gave them hundreds of grain, but they are all stuck at 4 portions, and the eggs in the henboxes all have the label "a broody hen is needed". They’re actually considered one of the champion egg-laying chicken breeds! Although the actual amount will vary from bird to bird. How to Tell if a Hen is Broody. Remove the broody hen from the nest and. It can take a few days. That will make her more likely to eliminate while she is off the nest, instead of making a mess in it. 4. I have a broody hen sitting on eggs. I have the same issue. Making sure to keep all nesting boxes clear of eggs. If you have a broody hen, she will stay in her nest all day. A broody hen will stop laying eggs, so if she's not actively hatching chicks, you want to get her broken and back to laying as soon as possible. When a hen is egg-bound, the egg may block the normal excretion tracts, causing a backup that can cause an infection in the hen’s abdominal cavity or blockage that will kill the bird in 24-48 hours. No Need for an Incubator and Brooder with a Broody Hen. It will be fine for the broody hen, too. Generally, it happens in the spring when the days begin to lengthen and when a. You may begin by using wooden eggs that can be purchased at most farm stores. The first step is to keep removing her from the nest. You could do the same thing to make your broody an operation pen. Late winter in Utah (March 10th). The important thing is to make sure the ducklings can't climb out, and that other chickens or ducks don't interfere. That being said, I have had several hens at the start of their broodiness who continue to lay for a day or two in order to get a larger clutch size. Forums. Keep the crate in a cool, bright area (and naturally provide plenty of food and water). We're breaking down the easiest and most effective way to stop your broody hen from laying on her eggs!Hi guys, One of my chickens went into broody "mode". In addition to preparing the broody hen for introducing the day-old chicks, creating a safe environment for both the hen and the chicks is crucial. First transport the eggs to the new nest. Generally, it happens in the spring when the days begin to lengthen and when a hen begins to mature. Pick the broody hen up out of her nest and drop her off with the rest of the chickens in the pen. 1. If the breast feathers of your hens are puffed out in the nesting box, then it’s a sign that the hen is preparing for chicks by. Eggs that have been laid in a henbox in the presence of a rooster may be fertilized. A broody hen exerts a great deal of energy and commitment, even so, that she will rarely leave her nest to hydrate, quickly eat, and relieve herself. A wire cage in a well lit location – it sounds harsh, but placing. Yesterday my doctor released me to heel walk with the boot she gave me. Broodiness is a physiological state or maternal behavior exhibited by hens who want to be mothers. It is firmer and capped with white urine salts. The Cage. If you have a broody hen laying on an unfertilized egg, you’ll need to break her out of the behavior. Mortar is created by mixing slaked lime with sand using the barrel crafting mechanic. If the eggs are still warm and you have another broody on hand, you can try slipping the eggs under her and see if she will accept them. Nobody likes to sit on the cold floor with nothing to keep you warm and cooling off the underside of the hen is the way to break her broodiness! 3. The reason you mark the eggs is to differentiate the hatching eggs from any new eggs that get laid in the nest over the next 21 days. Set up an incubator, candle the eggs in the nest, and put any developing eggs in the incubator. The hen will likely make a fuss when you do this, if she does. For a yield of 64 mortar, grind 16 limestone or similar lime-yielding stones, in a quern or with a hammer in the crafting grid. One way to do this is to pail in a piece of wood to the entrance (if you have a wooden hen house). Even the most protective mama hen can’t keep her chicks safe from an angry flock. Broody hens are also self-sufficient. Having plenty of space also will usually ensure there's no behavioral problems within a flock. Broody chickens are hardcore, man. The Black Australorp Hen… Black Australorp hens are great egg layers and great mothers. Place A Frozen Water Bottle In The Nest. It helps them keep the eggs warm and the humidity stable. Cook the resulting lime powder in a firepit, using peat bricks or other fuel reaching at least 825 degrees. Now, if this is your first time learning how to hatch chicken eggs with a broody hen, I recommend a trial run. Broody chooks cease laying, and broodiness is contagious. Take your broody hen and dunk the bird in the cold water. If she won’t, this is the time for your incubator to be cleaned and fired up. Language. Here are 8 chicken breeds that are most likely to go broody: Aseel — These hens are not especially good layers, but they have a strong maternal instinct and make terrific mothers. I personally prefer the wire cage method. One easy sign to spot in a broody hen is if she becomes agitated when you’re trying to take the eggs from underneath her. With some scrubbing that is. GravityGradient Hey there, go to your mod folder AppDataRoamingVintagestoryDataModsFeverstoneHorses-v1. 3). A broody is a hen who decides to sit on something (doesn't necessarily need to be eggs- some types of birds will try to hatch a golf ball!) and try to hatch it out. 3. Other methods which have been used to break a broody hen: Remove her from the nesting box. Or, if she sets well, keep the golf balls under her and about three weeks later, put some day old pullets under her. Left to her own devices, a broody will lay a clutch of eggs, then stop egg-laying and sit on them for 21 days (more or less) until they hatch. Raising BackYard Chickens. 4. She introduces them into the flock, shows them new things, and quite honestly, its beautiful to watch. Block the nesting box in which she has chosen. Brahmas are a cold and heat hardy breed known for being decent layers. A wire cage can. Keep a private feeder and waterer close to the broody hen so she can. I like to carry my chicken around for 10 or 15 minutes while I make my rounds in the garden to “air her out,” so to speak. Generally, it happens in the spring when the days begin to lengthen and when a hen begins to mature. This left Helen with her chickens and a lingering question: Will a. When a hen is broody, it means something — instinct or hormones — have triggered a response in the bird making her want to stop laying, hatch the eggs she already laid and raise chicks, regardless if those eggs have been fertilized by a rooster. Some people confine the hen to the nest and supply. All those feathers and floof make for a perfect natural incubator. If she lets out a loud squawk or possibly even a snake-like hiss, chances are she’s broody. While roosters and hens can often make the same kind of sound, if you pay attention, and listen closely, they often are telling a completely different story. 1 vote Highest rated whiskies with > 3 votes 78. If her eggs don’t hatch, often because they are infertile, she. Once the eggs hatch a chick will appear, growing up after 128 hours (5. Along with the ruined egg, I keep finding a new egg from one of my EEs, that Broody has not. If you want to have broody hens to keep a constant flock available for your. If I believe my hen is broody, I will check on her at night. I think you keep your chickens well fed to get broody hens eventually. Published on Dec 1, 2001. Add plenty of calcium to her diet. During this time they still take on the classic broody appearance - puffed up feathers, screeching and pecking, and once their clutch size is satisfactory to. Monitor her food and water levels, remove broody droppings and place any eggs that have shifted off the nest back under your bird. After the broody is asleep for the night carefully reach in and steal a few eggs. Find yourself in a ruined world reclaimed by nature and permeated by unnerving temporal disturbances. Promptly removing the eggs eliminates the stimulus for her broodiness. If you want your hen to hatch eggs, provide a quiet and comfortable space. The Best Crate: RentACoop Poultry Carrier For Chickens. Need Help? Call 1-866-624-9388. Not all chickens are cut out for cold temperatures. However, once the broody has left the nest with her chicks, she won’t return to sitting duties. As the flock matriarch, Tyrion, would occasionally visit the chicks and tidbit for them. 5 Best Chicken and Poultry Crates. Managing Two Broody HensHere are some preventative measures to discourage the broody behaviour before it occurs: Collect the eggs multiple times a day so there aren’t any lying in the nesting boxes for long. This is merely a guideline; eggs can hatch either side of 21 days, so don’t be in a rush, allow her to determine when the hatch is over. Fortunately, there are several ways to break a hen’s broodiness, most of which require just a few simple steps. The first step is to keep removing her from the nest. Y'know, if they had any. This could be a distraction for her as her instinct is now to dry herself off and preen her feathers by which time she may head straight back to the nest, or may have forgotten about the. Chantecler Chickens Image Credit: Pat Stornebrink, Shutterstock. Remove any bedding and all those feathers. Humans keep chickens primarily as a source of food. A broody hen is the mom and incubator. Summary What Exactly Is A Broody Hen? When a hen goes “broody” it means she wants to hatch some chicks. Silkies, Cochins, Orpingtons and other very broody breeds may be. Lift her and plonk her in the yard with the rest of the hens. Fill a sink or wash tub with a few inches of cold water and gently lower the chicken into the bath. Broody hens will sit on henboxes for several days to hatch the eggs Chicks now hatch from those eggs instead of the old ‘pregnancies’! If henboxes are unavailable,. Happy Murmuring. To do this, place the brooding chicken in a smaller, separate coop in a well lit area away from the other chickens. You can use several different methods to ‘break’ a broody hen- they range from mild to ‘chicken jail’ for as long as needed. Cubalaya. Most hens reach the broody stage when they’re full-size, anywhere between five and eight months old. If you have to move your broody hen to a different brooder box or coop try to move her at night. If a broody hen leaves her nest permanently mid-incubation, you will need to jump into action quickly to save the eggs that are developing. If she’s a young hen and her setting instinct is high, she might need your help to care for herself. We count down the days on the calendar and wait in anticipation. Cook the resulting lime powder in a firepit, using peat bricks or other fuel reaching at least 825 degrees. Mama hen will usually come and find the wayward chick. Dunk only the body and avoid dunking the chicken’s neck and head in the water. A broody hen exerts a great deal of energy and commitment, even so, that she will rarely leave her nest to hydrate, quickly eat, and relieve herself. Removing the chicken from the nest is the first step. Since they are the newcomers, the Cochins don't pick on the Silkies either. In the final days before hatching, you will need 65 to 75 percent humidity. The surest sign that the hen is broody is aggressiveness. ) “The modern man-made hatcher, the incubator, is largely used for winter hatching when hens rarely. A hen that is committed to hatching chicks is known as a broody. She got away from me on the way there, so I tried to corral her on the garage, which was already open. Sitting on a nest or even on the ground perpetuates the hormones because it holds in her body heat, reflecting it back to her underparts. Hens who remain in their broody phase will lose weight and may get dangerously ill if they go too long without food and water. Broody hens are generally very dedicated to their nests. Bullying – The Pecking Order . When she goes broody her hormones are telling her that she needs to sit and hatch some eggs and raise chicks. Some were co- nesting. Some breeds, cochins, silkies, Brahmas, are especially broody-prone. Remove any stinky broody poops on a regular basis. The word for this hormonal behavior is “brooding behavior. When a chicken is broody, she is trying to hatch eggs (and stops laying), so she. The next thing on identifying a broody hen. What you’ll need is a broody coop. 00. 18. If you leave the eggs in the coop and let them make a nest they will go broody easily during the spring and summer months. As well as water, you need to feed your birds the proper diet. Broody Hens 101. • Collect eggs often. 1 Selenium tablet crushed in tbsp. Within two weeks the chicks will be flying up to the adult feed if it is raised. Since they are older, make sure you also put food and water in easy reach of the chicks. Choose the right breed. Make sure her nest is secure, and safe for newly-hatched chicks. He suggested giving broody hens a cold (out of the tap) bath. Nov 5, 2009. A broody hen is quite temperamental and is more protective of her eggs than normal. Perhaps it is time to reassess this attribute and appreciate it for the many benefits it can provide. Have golf balls in the nest boxes. What's new. Mama Buff Orpington and new chicks (note egg beneath her). Going broody is a hormonal response, and it’s also an instinct. A broody hen is a great way to hatch chicks for you and your flock. OUR STORY. When hatching the eggs naturally, the first order of business is finding the rooster who is going to fertilize the eggs. A lot depends on how well the broody hen takes care of herself. Hang curtains or drape other material over the nesting box to conceal the eggs away from the hens sight. The roosters will defend the flock from predators, but they also won’t hesitate to crawl into your lap for scritches. If possible, try keeping her in a cage with a wire bottom and plenty of air circulation. This is because she is incubating in less certain conditions. I have a broody hen (Ethel) who is a blue laced Wyandotte. In addition to preparing the broody hen for introducing the day-old chicks, creating a safe environment for both the hen and the chicks is crucial. To break a broody hen, you need to cool her off to cause those broody hormones to lower. All of the eggs are not fertile. If a hen (= female chicken) is broody, she is ready to produce eggs and sit on them. 2. Biggest Crate: RentACoop Carrier Crate for Turkeys. Vintage Story is an uncompromising wilderness survival sandbox game inspired by lovecraftian horror themes. My Silkies and Buff Orpingtons are broody. The Cubalaya chicken breed is known for being good mothers and going broody often. when a chicken is broody, she no longer lays eggs. However, around age 7-8 yrs, she had some curious interest in chicks. When hens are broody it makes their body temperature rise. Then every day you will need to check under the broody hen and remove any non-labeled eggs. Occasionally you will have a hen abandon her eggs. Turn eggs with the broad side up. Create a Safe Environment. This is simply an isolation box that keeps the hen away from the nest. You're likely going to be fine with the 2 day olds as long as the hen accepts them, but the week olds may be too old to imprint on the hen at this point, so even if she will take them, they may not take to her, so that might be an issue. To help prevent embryos from sticking to the eggshells, place a book under one end of the carton; once a day, move the book to the opposite end of the carton. If the hen is not too aggressive, this is the best way to get her out of. When she got bored, she just walked away. Page 1 of 10. Ensure the broody hen’s nesting box. 1. She will growl, hiss and maybe peck at you, but you have to be firm and remove her. Your broody hen will live in the broody box with food and water, but no bedding. Closeout the Nest Box. Have the broody cage prepared and waiting for nightfall. Also, as we previously noted, broody hens can bite, so make sure to wear gloves when you’re doing this. 5 Attack: Base Attack (Rooster) 0. Don't disturb the nest if everything is quiet and peaceful. Commit to keeping the incubator closed until the chicks have all hatched and dried off. Have some eggs or golf balls ready for her in the nest. The process of breaking a hen of a broody mood is quite easy. Hands down, Silkies are far and away the broodiest of the common domestic chicken breeds. This will keep her from being able to sit on any eggs and will help break the cycle of broodiness. 32 rainfall. The idea is to keep the hen isolated in an environment where they cannot nest. At the first sign of it, I get the hen into a wire bottom cage for 2 or 3 days/nights. These hens may not even need eggs to set on to be broody--they may brood in a nest with no eggs. (See Historical Henhouse in the January/February 2018 issue for more about Biggle and his farming books. A hen that is committed to hatching chicks is referred to as a broody. Broody Gets A Time Out . Another way is to try placing a clutch of ice cubes into the nest box so that when she tries to go back in, she will find it unpleasant to sit on and it will also reduce her temperature. Make sure your hen has plenty of access to food and water. 6. Where people get into huge problems is, they separate the hen away from the flock. Create a Safe Environment. It will need to be raised off the floor, to allow air to circulate underneath. Broody hens can stay without food and water for up to 48 hours. I only did three simple things to bust Goldie’s broodiness: First, I removed all the golf balls from the laying boxes. CHECK OUT UPDATED VERSION! hen years later: Big chickens and bantams CAN be kept together! 6 Ways To Break A Broody Hen. For those new to chicken keeping, broodiness refers to the likelihood of a hen wanting to sit on her eggs and incubate them. of 1. Posted November 9, 2021. rosemarythyme said: Usually 48 hrs will do it if they're not super broody types. Y. What you have is a nest filled with eggs at all stages by chickens laying in the nest she's in, so there's no telling when any of them will hatch. Heritage breeds are more broody than hybrids and often make the best broody hens. Note that the rooster needs food, too in order to get "fertilized eggs". The hen will sit and sit, losing condition and not eating very much all for naught. If you’d like to break her broodiness, my preferred method is to lock my broody hen out of the coop for the day. A broody is a hen who wants to hatch eggs and be a mother. Silkies are a chicken breed that comes from Southeast Asia and is known for their unusual appearance. typically it takes 21 days for eggs to hatch, but sometimes a hen will sit for far longer. Oh, the pecking order. 2. 6. 2. Weaning your hen off the brooding behavior, also known as ‘breaking’, can help her get over the instinct to brood. They are medium-sized chickens that have varying shades of red, black, and brown feathers. Just like the rest of us, your hens need proper nutrition to function well. Keep taking care of the chicks after they leave the nest. Everyone seems to find a suitable “broody house”, whether it be a small chicken tractor, dog crate. It can be a rabbit hutch, a dog crate, or something of your own construction. Once the hen starts eating, drinking, and behaving like normal, she has probably decided to stop being broody. if she is broody, she will stay in the nesting box even at night to sleep. Shake them gently (be careful they don’t burst), and if the insides sound liquid, they don’t contain any chicks. She will get quite huffy with you, when you reach in to pet her or to remove eggs from her nest, possibly even pecking at you. When broody, hens do not lay eggs. 2. Broody Biddy; Lil’ Layin; Mrs. To keep her eggs warm, a hen cranks her body temperature way up. The hen gets broody, the rooster does his job, she lays her eggs and sets on them, and 21 days later, she emerges with chirping chicks. Broodiness, or the tendency to set on eggs, is necessary if you want the hen to hatch some eggs and raise the chicks. Candling the eggs. I figured it will be easier on me if hen hatch and raise young ones, to have better integration with the flock. Save hatching eggs for one week, unwashed and unreferigerated. Let the chicks complete the hatch, in an incubator or under the hen (if you can bring yourself to chance it) and give the hen a chance to raise the babies. She will puff her feathers up to make herself seem larger. Plan to cover your hen’s head with a towel as soon as you approach to move her.