Broody Hen Thread!

[fisherlady]

Ok so I'm in a little Delimma here. I have a broody that wants to sit. Earlier I wouldn't have cared if she sat on the eggs, but I have already ordered some chicks from an online hatchery. And if she sits on the eggs they won't hatch until a week after my chicks are supposed to arrive from the hatchery. I want her to adopt the chicks that I ordered but I would also like to let her hatch out some chicks. What should I do? I feel as though if I let her hatch out chicks she won't adopt the other chicks because they will be a week old already.

From the timing you describe your broody will be 14+ days into her broody mood when you get the hatchery chicks...if you keep her on dummy eggs you should be able to pull them and give her the delivery chicks when you get them, most hens can be grafted to after 2 weeks of brooding. There have been numerous posts on here the last month or two that you can reference.

 

[Greg88]

From the timing you describe your broody will be 14+ days into her broody mood when you get the hatchery chicks...if you keep her on dummy eggs you should be able to pull them and give her the delivery chicks when you get them, most hens can be grafted to after 2 weeks of brooding. There have been numerous posts on here the last month or two that you can reference.

1) agree with above.
OR
2) do a combo, let her sit on dummy eggs for a week, switch and give her fertile eggs to hatch (timed to coincide with arrival of hatchery chicks).
Depending on how many hatchery chicks you have coming and how many total chicks you want (assuming you want other than the hatchery chicks)

Personally, unless you have a special reason for hatching your own eggs I would go with # 1 with a complete bait and switch.

 

[16 paws]

Don't worry Fisherlady, the way my luck runs all 8 of them will be cockerels LOL.

Hope not

 

[16 paws]

She won't abandon her chicks, but most likely won't tolerate the older ones anywhere close to her...out of 20 broodies here at our place I can only think of 2 who would tolerate that situation and some would be downright nasty about establishing her territory.
Best option would be a separating fence for a few days at least then evaluate again after her chicks are a week old...it is also possible that the older chicks can attack the younger ones because they consider them intruders and competition for food. A lot of supervision will be needed until introductions are complete and everyone seems settled.

I agree

 

[nchls school]

He's a Pekin (mom) and Crested Blue Swedish (dad) cross duckling. My duck won't brood, so I put a couple under her a bit over 3 weeks ago and......tada!

A very cute duckling.

 

[Curnow]

Thanks for the good advise. Will keep the little ones separate and introduce when they are a bit older. This hen is pretty mellow tempered in general, but why take chances it I don't have to.

Thanks!

 

[Crista]

Outside today...time to go back to coop before storms hit.

Oh my they are so adorable ! Long sighhhhhh

 

[microchick]

Me too, 16 paws. I did a little experiment tonight. Aggie is still acting stressed and tonight was pacing and once again was making that little tuuk tuuk tuuk sound that they make when they are broody. She is laying regularly now but I was curious to see if she wanted back with her babes again. Well, nope. She was chasing them away from the food and even pecking at them so I pulled her back out and put her with the flock. Either A) she is just hormonal or B) she is considering being broody again? Geesh, I hope not. I wouldn't mind having another broody hen this spring but I don't have my coop expansion more than planned at the moment. The only thing that makes me thing she is just being hormonal is that she isn't fluffed up like a pre-broody.

Do they make Midol for hens?

 

[Crista]

Oh my gosh, everyone's chick pix are so cute ! If I hurry right now I could hit the
farm store and pick up a few more !!!!

My momma hatched all of hers and a few I snuck in when she wasn't looking. They
all seem to be doing well so far. Funny the change in the momma...she isn't nearly as grouchy.

(Imagine that !)

Thankyou everyone for the pictures. I am enjoying them all !

 

[Klay]

1) agree with above.
OR
2) do a combo, let her sit on dummy eggs for a week, switch and give her fertile eggs to hatch (timed to coincide with arrival of hatchery chicks).
Depending on how many hatchery chicks you have coming and how many total chicks you want (assuming you want other than the hatchery chicks)

Personally, unless you have a special reason for hatching your own eggs I would go with # 1 with a complete bait and switch.

Ok so I might have worded it wrong the chicks from the hatchery get here April 15. But if I let my chicken sit on eggs they won't hatch until a week after my hatchery chicks arrive.