Broody Hen Thread!

[16 paws]

Thank you! That is what I will do. Will update soon on how it goes!

Great, cant wait to hear how it goes, my silkie named Puff is such an awesome mama. I bet yours is the same and she tried for so long!
Marie

 

[ericadenise]

I can't stand the suspense! I have a broody silkie/Cochin and she's sitting on 3 eggs that were fertilized right at the time I had to give my rooster away so it's almost day 21 and I keep checking in on her. I can't wait to see the little chicks one from my buff Orp, one from my barred rock and one from the silkie/Cochin. All fathered by a bantam sizzle - the cutest splash Frizzled silkie Cochin ever. I hope I can keep his fuzzy legacy alive here with the babies.

 

[Mezzer]

all six doing good here, happy and healthy, even the little runt who was last hatched and is still the smallest

[/IMG]

 

[lydiagirl99]

So nice to know that young people are involved with enjoying raising and keeping chickens...I know they are out there...but most of us on this sight don't really say much about actual age...there are hints here and there...but ya know? So it makes me happy to hear from the younger generation of poultry people...Silverman is absolutely right about chicken wire not really meant to keep predators out...if they are determined to get to your birds...most larger predators won't be stopped...or weasels they can slip right through the 1 inch holes. I found out the hard way, and lost 8 chicks to a Momma weasel last year...she couldn't get any of them through the the wire...but she killed all of them except for the hen. If you can't cover the whole run with hardware cloth...it might help to cover the lower couple of feet at least. The predator may give up after checking all around, and not finding a large enough hole or weak spot...I know that they can and will climb...but if that's what you can do. It's better than nothing...and night light in the area tends to discourage night visitors. I keep a dim red light...on inside my coop and a radio playing on the NPR station...24/7...I am owned by a neurotic Border Collie....so I have dog scent all around the yard, I figure it might help. My coop opens into my garage...I installed a screen door to provide some great ventilation during the summer months...and just outside the screen door I just hung a Bug Zapper! We had a really bad mosquito problem and they were making me crazy...it's So satisfying to hear that thing go off! It might give predators something else to think about...oh no! Off on a tangent! Sorry...what I was trying to get to, is keep changing up on the predators...they don't like surprises...if you get into a Regular Schedule...they will adapt to it and show up when you are not around. The radio playing seems to calm the birds (classical music, they don't seem to like the other stuff) might keep the predators guessing....is that a real human or not? Use your imagination...if your run is covered like mine is, I put lots of perches for the birds to escape to if possible. I could go on and on...but I won't...nothing works as well as a good secure shelter....but...

Awe, thank you! Most of my friends and family think of me as the animal girl, haha. Always rescuing, fostering, and caring for the ones I have. I found a love for chickens about 2 years ago and have just been in love ever since. It's so funny to hear how many people have so little knowledge on chickens. For example, I've had a lot of people think hens cannot lay eggs unless there is a rooster present which we all know is not true

My parents more or less tolerate them because they know I love them very much. I have 4 girls that I got as chicks, then got a Rooster for them a few months back then I just hatched 4 of their eggs in an incubator, and now one of my girls went broody ! Her eggs are due to hatch in 3 days

3 Red sex links, 1 White Leghorn and my rooster is an Americana so the babies are little mixes. About the whole cage thing, I'll make sure they'll be safe. Even if I have to raise up the money quickly for hardware cloth. I'm sure I can convince my Dad ! LOL Thank you so much for your help !

 

[microchick]

Okay, either this is weird or it's something I have never encountered until now. This morning I went into the coop to find my Speckled Sussex hen in the nesting box. She was fooling with something in the nest working it with her beak and when I checked closer, I realized it was a Welsummer egg. I picked up the egg and on an impulse put it at her breast. She immediately tucked it under her and settled down on the nest.

Another broody? Was my main thought. Don't really want another broody this soon after Aggie hatching. I went back two hours later expecting to see her pancaked out on the nest and she was off the nest and singing her happy I just laid an egg song.

Is this common for hens when just laying an egg? Seems a little strange that she would go to all the trouble of putting an egg in her nest just to lay another one and then leave.

 

[the poppster]

Okay, either this is weird or it's something I have never encountered until now. This morning I went into the coop to find my Speckled Sussex hen in the nesting box. She was fooling with something in the nest working it with her beak and when I checked closer, I realized it was a Welsummer egg. I picked up the egg and on an impulse put it at her breast. She immediately tucked it under her and settled down on the nest. 

Another broody? Was my main thought. Don't really want another broody this soon after Aggie hatching. I went back two hours later expecting to see her pancaked out on the nest and she was off the nest and singing her happy I just laid an egg song.

Is this common for hens when just laying an egg? Seems a little strange that she would go to all the trouble of putting an egg in her nest just to lay another one and then leave. 

Dear Microchick, I've seen the behavior before. They putter around acting like they are broody rolling eggs around, just lay an egg and leave...if I'm wondering about it, I will chase her out of the nest box. She will fuss and find another, get the job done. I figure Chasing them off the nest if they are just thinking about going broody might help to discourage them.
To Lydiagirl99, Good for you! Enjoy it! Good luck with the babies! Keep us posted!

 

[microchick]

Dear Microchick, I've seen the behavior before. They putter around acting like they are broody rolling eggs around, just lay an egg and leave...if I'm wondering about it, I will chase her out of the nest box. She will fuss and find another, get the job done. I figure Chasing them off the nest if they are just thinking about going broody might help to discourage them.
To Lydiagirl99, Good for you! Enjoy it! Good luck with the babies! Keep us posted!

It was 93 here today. She probably thought that spending 21 days in that nesting box without the fan blowing a breeze on her wasn't worth the misery.

 

[wannahomestead]

I think I'm on day 11 today. I'm down another egg. I went out and did some candling and noticed LOTS of changes since last time. I found one egg that just didn't look "right" though, so I set it aside. There was no signs of life or veins. Upon closer inspection I noticed the slightest little crack in the shell. Unviable, tossed it away.


Down to 10 healthy looking, actively developing eggs. I saw movement in most of them while checking as well .

We'll see what the next 10 days holds

 

[the poppster]

It was 93 here today. She probably thought that spending 21 days in that nesting box without the fan blowing a breeze on her wasn't worth the misery.

93! Eeeuuu! I'm sweating just thinking about it. In my old age I don't tolerate heat like I used to. Don't blame her one bit.

 

[JayJo]

Awe, thank you! Most of my friends and family think of me as the animal girl, haha. Always rescuing, fostering, and caring for the ones I have. I found a love for chickens about 2 years ago and have just been in love ever since. It's so funny to hear how many people have so little knowledge on chickens. For example, I've had a lot of people think hens cannot lay eggs unless there is a rooster present which we all know is not true   My parents more or less tolerate them because they know I love them very much. I have 4 girls that I got as chicks, then got a Rooster for them a few months back then I just hatched 4 of their eggs in an incubator, and now one of my girls went broody ! Her eggs are due to hatch in 3 days   3 Red sex links, 1 White Leghorn and my rooster is an Americana so the babies are little mixes. About the whole cage thing, I'll make sure they'll be safe. Even if I have to raise up the money quickly for hardware cloth. I'm sure I can convince my Dad ! LOL Thank you so much for your help !

The least expensive hardware cloth I've found is on wayfair.com. Someone recommended it on this board somewhere. That's what I used to build my coop and it's good quality.