Broody Hen Thread!

[surgerynut]

Okay, I had 3 hens that wanted to be broody, but they kept having other hens lay fresh eggs, (which I had to give up for lost since I didn't mark the original eggs) in the same nesting box and were sometimes chased off of their eggs by fellow not-so-broody hens who wanted to lay in that specific box. The broodies would return to set, but not necessarily returning to the same nest they had been sitting on. After a week and a half, I decided enough was enough and decided to separate the 3 with their eggs. Moved them at night, per BYC suggestion to a little pen where they could set in peace. Well, 2 days post move, looks like I've cured all 3 of their broodiness. I didn't want to raise chicks anyway...yeah right...

 

[will102]

Few years ago I had one of my bantams disappear during the day while they were out of the pen.
Assuming the worst and having given up on her returning she turned up weeks later with 24 healthy chickens in tow.

 

[Jharper]

Broodies can be very bad about that when free ranging. One of my friends had their BO go missing for 3 weeks and show back up with 11 healthy BO/silkie crosses.

 

[chicky lady]

My hen just hatched some babies!! I have incubated before but this is the first time a hen went broody and hatched her own. I am unsure what to do now. I know she is capble of caring for her chicks but I have some questions. I set out started feed and clean water for them and they are separated from the flock do I need to do anything else for them? When can they return to the flock? She just hatched them and I haven't gotten a good look at them yet when will she bring them off the nest?

Thanks!!

 

[Jharper]

My hen just hatched some babies!!    I have incubated before but this is the first time a hen went broody and hatched her own.  I am unsure what to do now.  I know she is capble of caring for her chicks but I have some questions.  I set out started feed and clean water for them and they are separated from the flock do I need to do anything else for them?  When can they return to the flock?  She just hatched them and I haven't gotten a good look at them yet when will she bring them off the nest? 

Thanks!!

That's perfect with what you have done. She should have them off the nest in the next day or two, just when she feels safe to get up.

 

[pemphredo]

I have a hen that went broody close to a week ago and I have no roosters so I got some fertile eggs and she is now sitting on 12 eggs lol

 

[bowie1]

My hen seemed very happy being away from the rest of the flock. She and her little chicks stayed in a 3ft. by 2ft. pen for two weeks. Then I noticed my hen began to get a little anxious. She showed signs of wanting to get out a little. I was too nervous to let her six chicks out yet, so I'd let her stay out and stretch until she wanted back in to them. This would only be a short while, maybe a hour. This seemed to be enough time for her. She would remain perfectly content for hours on end. I kept chick starter and water in her pen all the time, and she would eat the starter with her babies. When they were three weeks, I let them all out with her. It was amazing to watch the hen teach her chicks to go back in the pen with her when she decided to settle down for the night. Is helping the mother hen raise and protect her chicks a lot of work? You betcha. But I love it!!

 

[bowie1]

I have eight laying nest, all the same. It's funny how all the hens want to sit on top of each other to lay in the same nest. This irritates the brooding hen so you did the best thing by taking some eggs and giving her space and peace. I've done this same thing for 7 years.

 

[pemphredo]

this was my hen before I decided to let her set on some eggs away from the rest of the flock

 

[Arkansas81]

That's what my broody does. The next time I'm going to seperate her from the others. Her eggs I have no hope for. There are chicks in there but they should have hatched by now. Next time around I may get her chicks or I may let her raise some that we hatch, who knows ive not made up my mind yet. We have 43 eggs in the bator but we shouldn't have any left over they should be spoken for.

I just hope she gets the broody bug again very soon. Good luck everyone!!