Broody Hen Thread!

[JessLonn]

For sure, even with the chick are with there own, I'm worried about them and the remaining eggs because I still have 8 more that are going to hatch in a couple days to this weekend. Hopefully my other chickens will laying eggs again, ever since the 2 hens brooded and the fertile eggs accumulated, all the hens stopped laying.

 

[katatonic123]

Pipqueak - Had an unabsorbed yolk sack and spent a night in the incubator.











Little Miracle had quite a start to her life. Mom abandoned the nest after the first 5 hatched. Found her egg cold. Got mom to sit back on the nest for the night but she was off again in the morning. Cold again. Luckily I had the incubator going for just such an event so I brought the last 2 eggs inside. Not 20 minutes later our power went off. Left her in the incubator for a bit but it cooled quickly. Rigged a nest in a fanny pack with my hand warmers in the bottom for heat and eventually stuck the whole thing in the front seat of the van. They always say vehicles in the sun are like ovens. Power came back on after an hr and a half. Waited impatiently for the incubator to heat back up and put the eggs back. I had been hearing cheeps earlier but wasn't anymore so I was worried but after they got good and warm I candled and could see movement in one. She pipped around bed time and was out flopping around the incubator this morning!

 

[mymilliefleur]

Pipqueak - Had an unabsorbed yolk sack and spent a night in the incubator.











Little Miracle had quite a start to her life. Mom abandoned the nest after the first 5 hatched. Found her egg cold. Got mom to sit back on the nest for the night but she was off again in the morning. Cold again. Luckily I had the incubator going for just such an event so I brought the last 2 eggs inside. Not 20 minutes later our power went off. Left her in the incubator for a bit but it cooled quickly. Rigged a nest in a fanny pack with my hand warmers in the bottom for heat and eventually stuck the whole thing in the front seat of the van. They always say vehicles in the sun are like ovens. Power came back on after an hr and a half. Waited impatiently for the incubator to heat back up and put the eggs back. I had been hearing cheeps earlier but wasn't anymore so I was worried but after they got good and warm I candled and could see movement in one. She pipped around bed time and was out flopping around the incubator this morning!

That is one lucky chick! What breed(s) are they?

 

[JessLonn]

For sure, even with the chick are with there own, I'm worried about them and the remaining eggs because I still have 8 more that are going to hatch in a couple days to this weekend. Hopefully my other chickens will laying eggs again, ever since the 2 hens brooded and the fertile eggs accumulated, all the hens stopped laying.

 

[katatonic123]

The two black ones are silver laced polish and one of 3 roos (ee/silkie, japanese bantam/silkie, or buff silkie). Judging on behavior I'd say the EE/silkie mix is the dad.
The others come from my 2 EE/white silkie hens and one of the above roos.

 

[Treasured Chest]

Hi everyone! I have a quick semi broody relates question. I have read a couple of stories on here about hens disappearing for three weeks only to return with chicks. I was just wondering what these runaway broody hens are eating during this time? Do they come back to their normal feeding place and you just don't know it or is there enough food elsewhere for them to survive on?

I ask because one of my favorite hens has disappeared without a trace. We have very few predators in this area and I have seen no signs that she has met a bad end.

A number of my hens have caught the broody bug recently and so I am hoping that this hen is just off on a chicken hatching adventure somewhere!

 

[Manningjw]

Hi everyone! I have a quick semi broody relates question. I have read a couple of stories on here about hens disappearing for three weeks only to return with chicks. I was just wondering what these runaway broody hens are eating during this time? Do they come back to their normal feeding place and you just don't know it or is there enough food elsewhere for them to survive on?

I ask because one of my favorite hens has disappeared without a trace. We have very few predators in this area and I have seen no signs that she has met a bad end.

A number of my hens have caught the broody bug recently and so I am hoping that this hen is just off on a chicken hatching adventure somewhere!

I have heard those stories too but I haven't yet experienced this yet. Broodies typically do eat 1-2 times a day along with their bathroom breaks, mind return to their feeders but they also have always brooded in the nest box for me (fortunately). Several of my birds have found 'secrete' nesting spots to lay their eggs, and if they had gone broody during this time I am sure they would have brooded on those locations and I would have had a very difficult time finding them. I suspect some birds would return to the same place to eat/drink if the brooded in a secrete location just as my hidden nest layers would eat/drink and hang out with the regular flock then lay their eggs elsewhere.

I have lost 4 birds in my 3 years of having my own chickens, 3 were obviously predator related finding blood and a pile of feathers or even seeing the attack itself. One of my favorite young roosters just vanished one night in the middle of winter, I suspect he roosted outside somewhere and a predator got him in the night. Count yourself lucky if you don't have Raccoons in your country, they are horrible animals when it comes to chicken predation.

 

[Treasured Chest]

I have heard those stories too but I haven't yet experienced this yet.  Broodies typically do eat 1-2 times a day along with their bathroom breaks, mind return to their feeders but they also have always brooded in the nest box for me (fortunately).  Several of my birds have found 'secrete' nesting spots to lay their eggs, and if they had gone broody during this time I am sure they would have brooded on those locations and I would have had a very difficult time finding them.  I suspect some birds would return to the same place to eat/drink if the brooded in a secrete location just as my hidden nest layers would eat/drink and hang out with the regular flock then lay their eggs elsewhere. 

I have lost 4 birds in my 3 years of having my own chickens, 3 were obviously predator related finding blood and a pile of feathers or even seeing the attack itself.  One of my favorite young roosters just vanished one night in the middle of winter, I suspect he roosted outside somewhere and a predator got him in the night.  Count yourself lucky if you don't have Raccoons in your country, they are horrible animals when it comes to chicken predation. 

I certainly do count myself lucky that I don't have to deal with raccoons!

I guess I just have to cross my fingers that nothing else gets/got her and I will see in about three weeks.

 

[katatonic123]

Hi everyone! I have a quick semi broody relates question. I have read a couple of stories on here about hens disappearing for three weeks only to return with chicks. I was just wondering what these runaway broody hens are eating during this time? Do they come back to their normal feeding place and you just don't know it or is there enough food elsewhere for them to survive on?

I ask because one of my favorite hens has disappeared without a trace. We have very few predators in this area and I have seen no signs that she has met a bad end.

A number of my hens have caught the broody bug recently and so I am hoping that this hen is just off on a chicken hatching adventure somewhere!

I think water would be harder to get than food if they are out free ranging themselves. They can eat bugs and grass and whatnot when they get up for their daily walkabout. If there isn't already, I'd put out some water that would be accessible even if the coops are closed up. *crossing fingers* she comes back with a brood!

 

[Treasured Chest]

I think water would be harder to get than food if they are out free ranging themselves.  They can eat bugs and grass and whatnot when they get up for their daily walkabout. If there isn't already, I'd put out some water that would be accessible even if the coops are closed up.  *crossing fingers* she comes back with a brood!

That's a very good point! There are a couple of water sources around for her so hopefully she is using one.