I’ve kept chickens for more than 15 years and in all that time I’ve never had a chicken go broody and stick with it. Until now. This little girl hatched out today, a few days later than I’d expected her. We were unsure if the eggs from our Dutch Browns were fertile (they’re not so fond of King Henry), but this chick hatched from one of their eggs. In another twist, our other Black Cochin broke into the nesting box several times to lay eggs. I’m quite confident that her eggs are fertile. I’ll be keeping an eye on the momma hen for the next few days. If she leaves the nest while some are still unhatched, I’ll do my best to hatch them (without an incubator) and then tuck the chicks under her at night. If you’ve got any tips for me, feel free to share!
