Broody Hen Thread!

[WVduckchick]

I have taken lots and lots of egg candling pics when incubating eggs, but this might be my favorite candling pic ever, because it was my first glimpse of the eggs under my broody duck!


She had 15 eggs, but I have since removed 4 that were clear. 11 developing beautifully!

 

[10AcreChick]

X3 on moving her, and sooner than later. You can candle at day 8. Should be able to see blood vessels, but if you have colored eggs, they are easy to miss. You sound like me, just as soon as I get rid of something, I need it! Best of luck to you! Oh, and the part about the food being a bit away from the nest is a very good idea. I thought I was helping my broody by putting the food and water where she could reach it from the nest...and she never left the nest...even to poo...YUCK!

I got Red (she was the only Australorp among 20 RIR for a while, so I named her Red!

) moved last night. She did great, just moved some of her warm eggs first, then her, then the rest of the eggs. My mom said, "put her food and water where she can reach them from the nest." I said "NO WAY, they will string me up on backyardchickens if I do that!"

LOL The food and water are several feet away.

I can't wait until day 8! So eggciting!

 

[TheDenaChickens]

I have my first broody hen and I have decided to have her hatch out some chicks. She has been in the same nest box for a week now so I went and got her some fertilized eggs yesterday. I have a small coop I use for raising babys or as a sick bay. Should I try to move her there now or when the chicks hatch? This is my first time at this so any suggestions or tips would be appriciated

 

[WVduckchick]

I got Red (she was the only Australorp among 20 RIR for a while, so I named her Red!

) moved last night. She did great, just moved some of her warm eggs first, then her, then the rest of the eggs. My mom said, "put her food and water where she can reach them from the nest." I said "NO WAY, they will string me up on backyardchickens if I do that!"

LOL The food and water are several feet away.

I can't wait until day 8! So eggciting!

Bwahaha!

Congrats!

 

[WVduckchick]

I have my first broody hen and I have decided to have her hatch out some chicks. She has been in the same nest box for a week now so I went and got her some fertilized eggs yesterday. I have a small coop I use for raising babys or as a sick bay. Should I try to move her there now or when the chicks hatch? This is my first time at this so any suggestions or tips would be appriciated

I'm on my first broodies also, but I think the experienced folks say move them sooner, rather than later. But let them offer more input!

Good luck!

 

[blessings6]

A coop for Mom and chicks can be as simple as turning a plastic tote on its side or cutting a hole in the side of a tote for them to get in and out-----put it in the shade.

ok i tried seprating mom and chicks. My extra run had a gap in the fence so chicks went out. Instead now i have mom chicks and roo free ranging that way he can protect against hawks. And rest of hens are in my main run so they so not destroy the garden. Wish the weather would get better so i can make repairs. Will they be safe free rangingthis little.

 

[chicken puff]

I have had 3 welsummer hens and 3 bantam hens for a year now (welsummers in one pen and bantam in a different pen). I had a too for each pen but for some reason neither too made it through the winter. My question is I've never had a hen go broody ,anyone have any idea why that might be?

 

[Morrigan]

I have my first broody hen and I have decided to have her hatch out some chicks. She has been in the same nest box for a week now so I went and got her some fertilized eggs yesterday. I have a small coop I use for raising babys or as a sick bay. Should I try to move her there now or when the chicks hatch? This is my first time at this so any suggestions or tips would be appriciated

I would move her to where you want her to raise and hatch her chicks now. I would than let her sit on fake eggs/golf balls for one more day to make sure she is willing to brood there and then give her the fertile eggs.

 

[vpatt]

Lady of McCamley, i have only had my chickens about 1.5 yrs. But i have probably had broodys on eggs a dozen times. Twice i have let the hens set about a week past the hatch date due to no eggs hatching...in case i somehow had the wrong date so i gave them extra time. I've not had any issues with them dying or becoming sick including the two that set past the three weeks. I know that's not an impressive number. The two times with no hatched eggs i blame on my lack of experience.as i believe the number of eggs i allowed those two hens had something to do with the outcome.

I think my only hen now is getting ready to raise chicks again. Sadly, I'm down to only one because of fox issues. I hope she will be successful!

 

[Morrigan]

Yay! My hen adopted the late chick I stuck under her last night. She was up walking and clucking around the brooder this morning and I saw all 9 tottering after her. I hope she can take one more tonight as that last hatcher looks pretty lonely in the incubator.