Broody Hen Thread!

[PD-Riverman]

Ok this may come across as a weird question but can you put your rooster to "stud" by isolated him with only the hens that you want bred or will he only breed with his "chosen"?

I do that all the time with different roosters and Ladies..

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

PD_Riverman does it greatly increase the fertility of the eggs? As it appears that I only have one rooster for 18 hens so was thinking if that's the case then I will just swap out hens he gets to be with so therfore i will have fertile eggs when someone goes broody. Is this a correct thought?

 

[PD-Riverman]

PD_Riverman does it greatly increase the fertility of the eggs? As it appears that I only have one rooster for 18 hens so was thinking if that's the case then I will just swap out ego he gets to be worth so therfore i will have fertile eggs when someone goes broody. Is this a correct thought?

Yes, I usually put 7 or less hens with one rooster and most cases I get most all the eggs fertile----If Not---I get another rooster---LOL. Some people will do 12 or more and I did a experiment with one pen---17 white leghorn hens and one rooster--I got about 75% fertility---but the rooster seems to be aging quick----LOL.

 

[nchls school]

Ok this may come across as a weird question but can you put your rooster to "stud" by isolated him with only the hens that you want bred Not weird and yes.or will he only breed with his "chosen"?

 

[S5apiotrowski]

I have a broody hen that was sitting on eggs for 1 week. She got out of the broody coop/pen today (not sure how or for how long)- but she could not get back in. Eggs were at ambient temperature (70s) when I got home. When I put her back in the enclosure she went right back to the eggs. Not sur the odds of success - how long have people had eggs go uncovered and still have success? I'm happy it was in the 70s and not the 30s!

I have a second broody now - this one a welsummer (the other is a Cochin). I don't have a separate place for her (at least not one she'll accept). How do multiple Broodys do together? Will they share space and just mind their own eggs/chicks or is putting them together a disaster waiting to happen?

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have a broody hen that was sitting on eggs for 1 week. She got out of the broody coop/pen today (not sure how or for how long)- but she could not get back in. Eggs were at ambient temperature (70s) when I got home. When I put her back in the enclosure she went right back to the eggs. Not sur the odds of success - how long have people had eggs go uncovered and still have success? I'm happy it was in the 70s and not the 30s!

I have a second broody now - this one a welsummer (the other is a Cochin). I don't have a separate place for her (at least not one she'll accept). How do multiple Broodys do together? Will they share space and just mind their own eggs/chicks or is putting them together a disaster waiting to happen?

They will probably be ok---just have to give them time. I know some do not take broody hens as serious as I do---But I rarely have problems with my broodies. I just move ALL of them to private hatching pens. I had 67 broodies hens in one year---I moved all 67 to private hatching pens and they all stayed and they all hatched, rarely loosing a chick after the hatch. Never come home to a broody in the wrong nest or trapped out her nest, never having eggs go cold.

I had 2 broodies in pens side by side---when they hatched their chicks---if a chick got under the wire and into the pen beside it----that broody killed it. Happen more than once which was another reason to build private broody pens.

 

[S5apiotrowski]

They will probably be ok---just have to give them time. I know some do not take broody hens as serious as I do---But I rarely have problems with my broodies. I just move ALL of them to private hatching pens. I had 67 broodies hens in one year---I moved all 67 to private hatching pens and they all stayed and they all hatched, rarely loosing a chick after the hatch. Never come home to a broody in the wrong nest or trapped out her nest, never having eggs go cold.

I had 2 broodies in pens side by side---when they hatched their chicks---if a chick got under the wire and into the pen beside it----that broody killed it. Happen more than once which was another reason to build private broody pens.

Thanks. What do your pens look like? How big are they? We are set up with a couple large fenced yards for free-ranging with a few coops with communal nesting boxes. One small coop works well for one broody-it has a good size run attached to it as well. The only other area I can easily convert is a small, low to the ground coop that is very dark - we have it blocked in as a starter coop to introduced fully feathered chicks to the flock before letting birds interact. I think it is way more cramped and uncomfortable than what they are used to. I just figure if a hen is broody and we have fertile eggs, let Mother Nature work instead of fight it- but I don't have the best set-up to support privacy

 

[16 paws]

That brings up a question I have for anyone who wants to chime in.

Do you always let your broodys hatch eggs or do you sometimes break them? If you do let them all hatch what in the world do you do with all the chickens? Just wondered because I have a lot of chickens and a lot of broodys. I would love to let them all set because I feel guilty when I dont let them have a chance at motherhood at least one time. But I really dont need anymore chickens. If you sell them at what age do you let them go?
Any replies greatly appreciated.
Marie

 

[heatherlaw]

That brings up a question I have for anyone who wants to chime in.

Do you always let your broodys hatch eggs or do you sometimes break them? If you do let them all hatch what in the world do you do with all the chickens? Just wondered because I have a lot of chickens and a lot of broodys. I would love to let them all set because I feel guilty when I dont let them have a chance at motherhood at least one time. But I really dont need anymore chickens. If you sell them at what age do you let them go? 
Any replies greatly appreciated.
Marie

I have only had one broody but she's a fab mum so I let her hatch. I give her sizzle eggs because the babies are cute and easy to find homes for. I probably won't let them hatch every time I have a broody but I'd like to give anyone a chance who wants to try. Sometimes it's easier to get hatching eggs of rare breeds than chicks but I don't want to incubate. It's easier to let a hen raise them and I think broodies get better hatch and survival rates (assuming she's a good mum).
If you wanted to hatch but didn't want more chickens you could always have them hatch an interesting or popular breed and sell the chicks. Give mum a few weeks to raise them though, so she's not upset by having her babies taken away. Or hatch meat birds if you don't mind butchering.

 

[16 paws]

Thanks heatherlaw,
Good idea to let mama keep them for a while. I cant imagine taking them away from her. We are no kill so butchering is out.
Thanks so much
Marie