Broody Hen Thread!

[stuckinthecity]

Is that 20+ chicks that she hatched/is mothering?

The game hen hatched 8 chicks herself and I gave her 24 chicks (2 were dead in the box when I received).

 

[stuckinthecity]

I may have been posting under the wrong subject line, so I'll try again here.
Bertha has been spending 99% of the time in the nest box recently. She's a black sex link, 18 months old. I didn't think, last Saturday, and pulled her out and brought 5 eggs in the house, leaving 2 ceramic eggs in the box. She went right back in.

Sunday morning I heard a loud ruckus and my rooster was bleeding. Following the blood spatter, he must have poked his head in where she was and she pecked him. I thought she was in to lay an egg, but she was still there late in the evening. I couldn't find other eggs, except 1, so the others may have climbed in and laid theirs in the same box. The one I found was laid on the bare floor and was cracked. I checked late Sunday night and she was sleeping in the nest box.

Monday morning, I saw her come out to eat and drink. Monday evening I had another cracked egg and no others, so she's probably on them, too, if there were any.

Tuesday same thing, so when I got home from work I set up a wire dog crate with one door by the nest box and the other for me to put in food and water. Someone must have laid late in the day, because Wed after work there were 5 eggs (only 4 hens, including the nest bound Bertha). The math doesn't add up, I know.

Anyway, there was no evidence that she came off the nest to eat drink or poop since I set up the crate. Yesterday and this morning I carried out some scrambled egg for her and maybe just a nibble was gone, but definitely no poop in over 24 hours.

Should I take her off so she'll at least move a little? I'd hate to think she was sick and I'm thinking broody, but what should I do? I'm fine with leaving her if that's the best course of action. The other chickens cannot get at her or her food/water, so she's safe and they are fine and now laying in a second nest box.

Also, I have 16 chicks in the garage that I had planned to move into the big coop several days ago--should I move them as planned (into a sectioned off area under a mhp). They are10 days old and starting to flutter so well that I'm wanting them someplace they can't fly out of.

Any advice is welcome. Thanks!

Got you a broody! congrats!
I'd leave her be if she was my girl (well after I got her some eggs). So you did move her to the crate with her fake eggs? Or is the crate in the house for when she hatches chicks?
Often times when hens pile into one box to lay theres gonna be cracked eggs. I'd separate her so the other hens don't push down on her or step on the eggs (they're not being any where near as careful as she is with them).
The egg or eggs on the floor...I can only imagine that the hen who laid it wanted in that chosen nest box pretty bad and finally laid it on the floor when she ran out of patience. Any object that's "new" is gonna draw attention from the other girls and maybe they pecked it? Good luck!!!! Hoping to see pictures of the fam!

 

[aart]

especially in Alabama in spring/summer.

Well, therein lies the key...ambient temps can make a huge difference.

 

[stuckinthecity]

Well, therein lies the key...ambient temps can make a huge difference.

Never said it wasn't the key. There were still chilly nights and rainy chilly mornings especially when they were smaller. I had a large rubber tote for her to get in. The confined area kept everyone warm...again body heat. small shelter. doable.

 

[trudyg]

Thanks, stuckinthecity. I have 2 of those large plastic nest boxes from TSC. Since it's mounted to studs, it goes back pretty far and there is plenty of room for another hen to get in there with Bertha. I think that's what they did and she just pulled their eggs under her.

Last night, when I got home, I ran out there and she was half in/half out. She had eaten some of the egg, so I assume she ate pellets and drank some water, but I didn't see any poop. Everything is right there in easy reach for her.

I just opened the side door of the crate and pushed it up to the nest box, so she can sit in the nest or step out to eat, etc, but not go too far or have company in her space. The other eggs yesterday were 2 in the second nest box and one on the floor. The one on the floor is laid in a corner of the coop, right on the 2X4 sill edge and, I think, cracks when it rolls off that sill onto the floor. Last night's was not cracked, so that's good. No loss, tho since we scramble the cracked ones and feed it back to them. The space where it is laid is inside the area set aside for the chicks so, once I move them and it's blocked off, she'll have to lay somewhere else.

Thanks for your reassurance. I was hoping someone would go broody and I'm so glad she's not sick or egg bound.

 

[Clucklandia]

Iv'e got a Silkie and Barred Rock sharing some eggs!! Will hatch tomorrow!! (I think...)

 

[PouleChick]

Iv'e got a Silkie and Barred Rock sharing some eggs!! Will hatch tomorrow!! (I think...)

So cute - do they both sit at the same time and share them out or how does it work? How many eggs?

 

[featherhead007]

Being broody pays off!

 

[philnj]

Question
I have a hen who I think is going broody. She did last year as well and hatched and reared a few chicks she was a great mother.
I cUrrently have Muscovy duck eggs in an incubator due to hatch in 2 weeks. If it put them under the broody to have her hatch and rear them will she if they hatch only 2weeks from when she went broody?
Thanks in advance

 

[dunnmom]

I have a broody who is getting so deep in her trance that she is skipping out on coming out some days. I haven't let her go more than 48 hrs. without getting her out to eat, drink, poo, and dust bathe. Her health is more important to me than the eggs she's on. Other than that, she's doing great and chicks are due May 15.