Broody Hen Thread!

[PD-Riverman]

Dog cage with a wire bottom. I put it up on sawhorses to make sure that she couldn't really start setting. This worked great for my Australorp... for her, not so much. Am I doing something wrong?

A open wire bottom cage is what I use and I break all I put in it---including silkies. Can not be anything for then to lay on in the bottom but wire----you leaving the plastic pan in the bottom? What kind of hen is she???

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Dog cage with a wire bottom. I put it up on sawhorses to make sure that she couldn't really start setting. This worked great for my Australorp... for her, not so much. Am I doing something wrong?

Sounds like you are doing fine. Some girls just have a stronger will than others.

As for moving her out from the other hens, I leave my broodies in the general population. Of course they always go broody in the favorite nest box. Each night I roll the eggs out from under her and remove the unmarked ones. Otherwise, they bully each other a bit in the nest but at the end of the day, she ends up sitting the eggs. Sometimes when another hen wants to lay, she goes for her crazy broody run, goes outside, poops, gets a bite to eat and a drink then sits beside the nest until the other hen leaves (or tries to push herself under the other hen.) Either way, not much problem. I do have a portable wire cage that I put around the nest box around day 18 to keep the other hens out during hatch time. That is the most vulnerable time for the eggs/chicks to get crushed in the push and shove for the nest box. During that time I put in food and water for mom and I also leave a little room so that she can get outside the nest and do her poop if she needs to. Generally during hatch they don't get off the nest at all. I leave the cage, food and water until the chicks are fluffy and climbing all over mom and then I remove the cage so she can take them to ground when she is ready.

Some times their behaviors to each other look pretty mean but unless there is blood drawn during an altercation, I generally let them work it out themselves.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

On another note, I candled tonight and have 4 nice wigglies for my broody girl to continue with. That is a good size as it is her first time.

 

[Halloweengirl13]

Angry bird is in the " yay babies!!!" Mode....she hatched 4 and I moved her into the brooder to keep the babies from getting into bad places in the coop...its a 12 ft by 4 ft pen.there were already chicks in it.....this is what resulted....

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Halloweengirl that looks like a very happy broody hen. What kind of chicks are your red ones?

 

[Wendy High]

New broody hen. Been on nest 48 hours now.

 

[Wendy High]

Hen went on nest 2 days ago. Forgot to post pic in above caption.

 

[Wendy High]

Angry bird is in the " yay babies!!!" Mode....she hatched 4 and I moved her into the brooder to keep the babies from getting into bad places in the coop...its a 12 ft by 4 ft pen.there were already chicks in it.....this is what resulted....

That is too cute.

 

[Macis Papa]

Hen went on nest 2 days ago. Forgot to post pic in above caption.

I like your broody pen

 

[Wendy High]

It did not start out as a brooder cage. It had the 3-4 month olds staying in it at night. The hen started laying in it and I didn't move eggs. Should be a good spot. I am very excited. It is her 1st time. So we will see.