Broody Banty

[banty_mom]

Well after much reading in this forum I finally realize - I have a broody hen! At first I thought she was sick and wouldn't get out of her nest box. After some thought I've decided to let her hatch some chicks. Is there any place I can get some faq's regarding this? I plan on marking the eggs and recording when they were layed. If I understand correctly it takes 21 days to hatch a fertile egg. Guess I will need to candle them too to see if they are fertile? Then I'll probably freak out. Do I need to provide the chicks with food or does mom feed the babies? Do I need to seperate them from the rest of my little flock? I have 4 banty hens and one proud little rooster. Mom to be is named Millicent and is a beautiful fluffy black banty. Help!!

 

[bigzio]

banty mom, Welcome to BYC. It's best to seperate the mother and eggs. When they hatch you will need to provide chick feed and a chick waterer close to the nest and mom will show them how to eat. You will hear some new voices from her then, whick is really fun to watch!

bigzio

 

[banty_mom]

Thanks for answering. I was thinking it would probably be best to seperate her from the rest of the flock. This is a great forum!!!

 

[justusnak]

My frizzle hen finally set on the nest....well, not IN a nest box...just in the straw on the floor. They are in a 4 x 4 crate, inside the shop, with a heat lamp. They have had heat all winter. Still getting down to the 40's at night here. I have 2 hens and a roo. Now, should I take the roo and the other hen out? The little hen ( naked neck nancy) keeps laying another egg in the "nest" when momma gets up. HMmmm. Not sure what to do now. Any ideas?

 

[bigzio]

justusnak, That is one of the reasons to sperate the broody hen.

Is there a way to use some poultry wire to keep the other hen out, and also create another nest for the other hen to lay her eggs?

Leaving the broody where she is would be the best option if possible.

bigzio

 

[justusnak]

Is there a reason I need to take the other one out? I mean....Momma doesnt seem to care if another egg is layed in "her" nest. She goes right back over there, and sets on them all. The box is really not big enough to seperate them...and the other crate I have is set up for the 25 peeps I have coming next week. Just hopeing all goes well...this is my FIRST spring with these little angels!

 

[silkiechicken]

If you keep letting new eggs collect, you'll end up with half developed chicks when momma hen decides to leave the nest with her first few days of hatchlings. If you can't seperate them, you could mark the ones shes been sitting on the longest with a pencil and just take out the other hen's eggs.

 

[justusnak]

silkiechicken......marking the eggs....good idea....I am headed out there in a few minutes........thanks for the suggestion!

 

[silkiechicken]

No problem. When I hatch in the bator I usually draw all over the eggs. It's so funny to see them hatch out of eggs drawn all over. Be sure not to use a pen or marker though. Don't know how the ink would do soaking into the egg.

 

[setting_silkie]

Im new to this as well, ands just had a silkie go broody. I've put some eggs under her, but she's situated herself in one of the nesting boxes set up in the coop that 3 other banty hens and two roosters share. I really don't have anywhere else to put her. Is it really bad to let her hatch them out in that nesting box? I can move her to a separate small pen after the chicks are hatched, but not sure if I can do anything for her right now. Suggestions, please...