Hatching Chicks With Broody Hens — What Can Go Wrong

Broody hen hatching doesn’t always go to plan. In this honest look at our autumn hatch, two broody hens sat on 24 fertile eggs — and the results were very different. Not all broody hens are created equal. One hen hatched 9 healthy chicks. The other? She crushed most of hers. This is the reality of hatching chicks with a broody hen that nobody wants to talk about. In this video you’ll learn: ✅ Why autumn hatching limits your broody hen choices ✅ How a first-time broody hen can go wrong (and the warning signs) ✅ Bringing in outside eggs for genetic diversity ✅ What to do when weather delays your chicks getting outside ✅ How to decide whether to use a broody hen again ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Introduction — 14 chicks, 2 hens, 1 honest story 0:55 Why I chose an autumn hatch 1:44 Setting up two broody hens (Goldilocks & Edna) 3:13 The incubation period — early warning signs 4:20 Hatch day — Day 20 & Day 21 results 5:30 Edna’s 9 healthy chicks vs Goldilocks’ 5 survivors 7:03 Both hens with their chicks — the cute stuff 7:26 Rain delays and getting chicks outside 8:47 Lessons learned — broody hen vs incubator 9:53 Nature finds a way — what’s coming next 🔗 RELATED VIDEOS: • How To Hatch Chicks With A Broody Hen (Full Guide):    • How To Hatch Chicks With A Broody Hen   • Your Complete Guide To Raising Chicks With A Broody Hen! Weeks 1 & 2:    • 🐣Your Complete Guide To Raising Chicks Wit...   • Breeding Chickens in a Free Range Flock — My System & Goals:    • Breeding Chickens in a Free Range Flock; M...   • Heritage Breed Chickens — A Game Changer for Your Backyard Flock:    • Heritage Breed Chickens - A Game Changer f...   • Too Many Old Hens, Not Enough Eggs? Fix Your Flock Age Problem:    • Too Many Old Hens, Not Enough Eggs? Fix Yo...   📬 JOIN THE FLOCK — Monthly newsletter with seasonal tips, farm updates, and behind-the-scenes content: https://newsletter.onceuponafarm.co.nz 📚 RESOURCES: • Broody hen setup guide (watch first!):    • How To Hatch Chicks With A Broody Hen   • Genetic diversity in small flocks:    • Breeding Chickens in a Free Range Flock; M...   💬 Have you had a broody hen that was a bad mother? Or one that was amazing? I’d love to hear your stories — drop them below! I read every comment. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for new chicken keeping content every Wednesday:    / @onceuponafarmnz   #BroodyHen #HatchingChicks #BackyardChickens #ChickenKeeping #BroodyHenHatching #RaisingChicks #NewZealandFarming #AutumnHatch