Broody Hen Thread!

[BLT79]

I pulled the 14 eggs Monday. I didn't notice any sitting until yesterday. I gave 12 of those away. Should I go put more in there? One of them came off the eggs this morning and out into run. The other one is still in there. They are a Splash Maran and BCM by the way. Dad is an EE.

 

[fisherlady]

I heard from some folks(which are longer than me into chickens) that first food newly hatched chicks will eat should be boiled mashed egg.Is it true?
my chicks should start hatching Saturday and Sunday!Cant wait

They don't have to have eggs, but they sure do seem to like it.... we usually scramble an egg and cook it, then put it through our food chopper along with a handful of hulled sunflower seeds and chop it pretty fine. Then just put it in a bowl in front of where the mama hen is setting. She will eat some of it herself and will begin calling her babies out from under her to come eat the goodies also. I also usually put a tablespoon or two of chick starter in the bowl... they will pick at it over the first day or so, I put in fresh daily for the first 3 days, after that our hens have them out and about scratching and doing other 'chicken stuff' so the bowl of goodies isn't as big of a deal, though they still love it and come running when they see us with a 'treat dish' in our hands!

and btw... when you set the dish down for them each time... tap it with your fingers and say 'chook, chook, chook' or something similar, the chicks get used to this very quickly and you can call them when they are out in the yard and you find a worm or have a treat for them simply by tapping the ground near the goody and repeating which ever phrase you started with. I can walk out into my yard at any time of the day an call in the whole flock simply by yelling 'here chook, chook, chook' ... they come running from every direction to see what goody I have (and I NEVER call them like that if I don't have some type of treat, even if just scratch or raisins... If there is ever an emergency I want them to respond to me calling!)
Having a call phrase like that makes it much easier to gather birds when you need them for anything, just keep a coffee can in a couple of handy spots with some mixed scratch or treat that they really like...
A few of our broodies from this year introducing their youngsters to feedings...

 

[griggy]

Day 21..nothing happening so far.

 

[Alaskan]

I heard from some folks(which are longer than me into chickens) that first food newly hatched chicks will eat should be boiled mashed egg.Is it true?
my chicks should start hatching Saturday and Sunday!Cant wait  

They don't have to, chick starter is fine too.

However, the egg would be good for them.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

My Sizzle is on broody duty....again. She just got done with her last brood about a week ago! She hatched 6/6 on her last try, I gave her a dozen this time

 

[Alaskan]

Hehe, where is the head?

 

[farnorth]

I pulled the 14 eggs Monday. I didn't notice any sitting until yesterday. I gave 12 of those away. Should I go put more in there? One of them came off the eggs this morning and out into run. The other one is still in there. They are a Splash Maran and BCM by the way. Dad is an EE.

If it was me I would give them some fake eggs or golf balls to sit on and then wait a couple days to make sure they are serious about sitting. Getting up for a short time is normal but if they are dedicated they will return to the nest....they will also stay on the nest at night instead of roosting.

I also usually move my hens at this time out of the egg laying nest boxes and into a nest where they won't be bothered by other hens trying to lay their eggs. At this time I am still using golf balls so I don't risk the actual eggs. Usually if they are broody they will sit tight with the nest full of golf balls I have given them in the new spot I have put them....but I know this is not always the case. If the spot they have already chosen is okay with you then you can leave them where they are.

In the meantime I would collect the best eggs I wanted them to hatch. I would put them in cartons in a cool room, pointy side down. It's okay if you take a couple days to collect the best sized and shaped ones and the ones from the hens whose chicks you most want to hatch out, like your best layers etc. Don't set any dirty or damaged ones. Decide how many you want each of them to hatch and save up that many eggs. The hens will wait. Remember half of the chicks will be males and you will have to keep them, find them homes or eat them.

Mark the eggs you save with a date or an X so later you can make sure none of your other hens lay eggs in the nest with the broodies. You want only the eggs you set for them to be in there and you want to set them all on the same day so they will all hatch around the same day.

If they prove to be dedicated then give them the eggs you have saved and marked and take away the golf balls or fake eggs (you might have to do this at night if your hens are aggressive about you reaching for their eggs).

Check daily and remove any new eggs you find that are not the ones you marked.

After 21 days you should have some chicks.

 

[mrchicks]

Hehe, where is the head?

I think it's toward the top of the picture. My first thought was dreadlocks!!!

No insult intended, it's a great look.

 

[KinkyMKD]

One more stupid question.How long after the hatching chicks are dry?

 

[Caheen]

3 so far! A 4th is going now that I'm at work. It's amazing how genetics works. Both the red ones are from red star hens, and the black one is from a white cochin. Dad is a Meyer hatchery buff brahma.