Fall brooding? Story and questions

[centrarchid]

This has not been my experience. There is heavy hawk predation in my area. Several summers ago, I lost 3 full grown birds to Northern Goshawk. This prompted me to change up my management style. My flock is now penned in a covered run unless I can be out and about to protect them. When I let them out to free range, hawks often show up within 10 minutes. They are brazen, and will sit in trees and taunt me. They will hang out on the run, trying to figure out how to get into the run, and I've seen a hawk on ground casing out the cockerels in the grow out pen. My neighbor has perfect cover for his flock: pasture with heavy weed and shrub cover. Yet, he has lost a number of full grown birds to red tails. He has also had to keep his flock penned unless he sits vigil to guard them.

Try with mixed age and sex flocks with birds with more substance.

 

[SueT]

My broody' s eggs are on day 16, tomorrow is 17. Is there going to be a point she stops getting off nest once a day? Sort of a lockdown?

 

[GitaBooks]

My broody' s eggs are on day 16, tomorrow is 17. Is there going to be a point she stops getting off nest once a day? Sort of a lockdown?

Some stop a few days before the hatch, others get off to eat and drink while the chicks are hatching! It depends on the hen, how hungry or thirsty they are, if they are scared or pushed off (such as by another hen) and if it is warm or cold (they get off more often and for longer during warm weather.

 

[CelticArche]

Just throwing in my two cents here. I have a splash cochin hen that has decided to go broody. And I decided to let her. (I haven't told my mom, who thinks we should get rid of the eggs because winter is coming.) I'm glad to see other people also let hens set in fall. (All of ours except our EE are tiny chickens. Practically bantams, but I don't think they were bred that way on purpose. My great-uncle had lackadaisical ideas about chicken breeding.)

About roos and chicks... What I've noticed is all my frizzy's gathering around the nest with the sitting hen. 2 of which are a rooster and a cockerel. This cockerel, his name is John Silver, helped my silkie raise four dominique chicks this year, of which one 1 is left. Billy and Goodnight pretty much ignore the chicks. Goodnight is really laid back, and I love him for it. Silver takes an active part and is already guarding Miss Splash as she sets. When Cotton Ball was sitting eggs, he'd take the chicks out into the run and protect them and show them food and water.

 

[SueT]

Another question: Day 18. My broody's nest has some hay, and cardboard beneath. And she's pushed all the hay to the perimeter and basically the 3 eggs are sitting on bare cardboard. It has been really hot here, but that will change today. Highs in 70's, lows in 50's. Just in time for hatching. Should I add more hay? I am concerned about disturbing anything.
Thanks for your advice!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Another question: Day 18. My broody's nest has some hay, and cardboard beneath. And she's pushed all the hay to the perimeter and basically the 3 eggs are sitting on bare cardboard. It has been really hot here, but that will change today. Highs in 70's, lows in 50's. Just in time for hatching. Should I add more hay? I am concerned about disturbing anything.
Thanks for your advice!

You can if you wish, I don't think it will bother her, but it's probably not necessary. I probably would, more to make sure the chicks had firm footing so they don't slip on the slick cardboard. What's under the cardboard? Not sure why it is in there to start with.

 

[rojororeo]

Another question: Day 18. My broody's nest has some hay, and cardboard beneath. And she's pushed all the hay to the perimeter and basically the 3 eggs are sitting on bare cardboard. It has been really hot here, but that will change today. Highs in 70's, lows in 50's. Just in time for hatching. Should I add more hay? I am concerned about disturbing anything.
Thanks for your advice!

If it were me, I would likely let her be. The last time I messed with her on the nest, I later found 3 dried out baby sized carcasses. I don't know exactly what happened, but wonder if my having messed with her to check on eggs caused her to kill some hatching or just-hatched eggs. But my hen has never liked human interference at all and also is not the most human friendly or tolerant in general.
With only 3 eggs, I would think that she likely won't bust them, based on seeing my hens sometimes get the nest boxes down to bare wood shuffling around and still having no broken eggs.

 

[The Golden Egg5]

Im having the same problem! I have one gal on 5 eggs and 2 more went broody over a week! Im going to let one hatch and break the other two.

 

[Photokitty]

I had a brown leghorn go broody a few days ago I have been trying to break her but I am not suceeding. Half tempted to just give her some eggs, she is a mean little bugger.

 

[rojororeo]

I need to check her again today for a baby count, but yesterday was her due date and she had one little baby. No idea on breed as our rooster is a Polish- _____ mutt and I have no clue who bio-mom is among all the different breed hens we have.

This will be our last clutch for the year, as she only goes broody up to this time of year, and no one else does.