Helping my Hen Go Broody and Preparing for my First Time Hatching Eggs

[Sunshine009]

Hey, all! Hopefully I've found the right category for this thread as it could really fit in a few different areas.

I've been raising hens for several years now and raised chicks twice. Now, my hen that I got as a day-old last year has started going broody. I'm so proud!

But the keyword here is...started. I hadn't looked into it much before now since it hasn't been an issue, but I always thought hens sort of went through this gradual hormonal shift, but once they sat on the eggs, that was it - they're basically stuck there unless you take drastic measures. This hen has been displaying all the warning signs of a broody hen over these past few weeks - grumpy, moody, puffy, and loud - but just two days ago she FINALLY went to go sit on some eggs left behind in the coop.

Until she didn't.

She's gotten up and went milling around, eating, dust bathing, socializing, and so on, twice now in the past 24-48 hours, only to return to sit on her clutch for hours on end, and overnight once.

I know for most a broody hen is a nuisance, but as I was looking to get another small batch of chicks this year anyway, I was PUMPED for the opportunity to give her some fertilized eggs to sit on.

So, my first few batch of questions is - is this on-off behavior normal? Is she likely to settle in for the long-haul in the coming days? Is she maybe getting disturbed by the other hens coming in and out of the coop? Is there anything I can do to help her settle in and go full broody (I sort of suspect that the constant activity of the other hens in and out of the coop is upsetting her but that's just a wild guess)?

But there's a bit more to it...

So in my excitement (all the stories I've read of how HARD it is to break a broody hen running through my head, thinking she's not going anywhere anytime soon) I picked up a dozen hatching eggs. Of course, not being a /total/ idiot, I also got a top-of-the-line incubator, as backup. It'll be my first time starting fertilized eggs in any capacity, so any advice is welcome on that front. So now I've got a bunch of fertilized eggs, and I'm not totally sure what my next step is. The kind person who sold them to me dated all the eggs and the oldest one is only 3 days so I've got a bit of time left to make a decision.

Bringing me to my final volley of questions - Can I start the eggs in the incubator and transfer them to my hopefully-mum-to-be when she's gone TRULY broody? If she's already gotten up several times now, will there always be worries that she isn't reliable, even when she's sat for longer periods, given her current behavior? Can I at any point try (with close observation, obviously) give her young chicks, and maybe she'll take to them?

No matter what, whether under a hen or in an incubator and then a brooder, these chicks are going to have the best life I can give them. But I'd love nothing more to see my "child" and her "grandchildren" just being chickens out in the yard. Anything I can do to make the dream come true.

Thanks so much in advance - I know it was a long one!

(Attached is the angry hormonal puff in question, Plum. From a few days ago. She's a barnyard mix, if anyone is curious - but nearly as big as my pure buff orpington.)

 

[The Birb King]

I currently have 2 broody Seramas sitting on eggs and have experience with broody hens in the past. For the first few days of being broody, they are normally not super attentive to the eggs, and will get off for what seems like a long time (especially if it is their first time being broody). After a few days however is when the hormones really kick in and they normally become very protective of their nest and only get off it a few times a day. You could put the eggs in the incubator first until she is very broody then give them to her, but it is up to you.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

She's gotten up and went milling around, eating, dust bathing, socializing, and so on, twice now in the past 24-48 hours, only to return to sit on her clutch for hours on end, and overnight once.

She must relieve herself at least once per day. And also eat.. this is normal behavior.

Can I start the eggs in the incubator and transfer them to my hopefully-mum-to-be when she's gone TRULY broody?

Totally.. I even wait until they're hatched!

Can I at any point try (with close observation, obviously) give her young chicks, and maybe she'll take to them?

I even tuck in (sexed female) feed store chicks at night so she feels them and hears them throughout the night and they learn one another's voice and make that bond.

No matter what, whether under a hen or in an incubator and then a brooder, these chicks are going to have the best life I can give them.

Have a plan for the extra roosters that hatch.

Happy hatching!

 

[Sunshine009]

She must relieve herself at least once per day. And also eat.. this is

For sure - my concern is she's off it more often than she's on the nest as of right now, though she's still sitting several hours a day/night.

Either way - @The birb king is giving me hope she'll start nesting more full time in the coming days - for now I'm gonna go get the eggs in the incubator!

 

[The Birb King]

She must relieve herself at least once per day. And also eat.. this is normal behavior.


Totally.. I even wait until they're hatched!


I even tuck in (sexed female) feed store chicks at night so she feels them and hears them throughout the night and they learn one another's voice and make that bond.


Have a plan for the extra roosters that hatch.

Happy hatching!

I hatched some chicks in an incubator then gave them to broody hens last year. Worked great!

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

She’s still a young hen, and it sounds like she’s not sure if she wants to go broody yet. I’d go ahead and put the eggs in the incubator, and if she goes full-on mother hen, then you can give the eggs to her. But right now, if she’s off the nest more than on it, those eggs wouldn’t stand a chance. You can try moving her from the chaos of the coop, but sometimes that causes them to quit being broody altogether. Honestly, I’ve never had a fickle broody like yours, all mine want to sit…and sit…and sit…until I kick them out of the coop. I hatched eggs with one of my girls a couple years ago, and she was a great mom. It took her a few years for her hormones to really kick in, though, the first year she didn’t go broody, and now she lays a couple eggs in spring and is broody the rest of the year But all hens are different! Yours may decide she wants to be a mom and start sitting, or she may decide she’s not done being single and having fun. Either way, best of luck hatching

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Can I at any point try (with close observation, obviously) give her young chicks, and maybe she'll take to them?

Update/addition to my previous answer.. I generally don't give a hen chicks before she's been sitting at least 2 weeks.. Doing so too soon *may* not allow enough time for the cycle to come full circle.. she may not be ready to leave the nest with them yet.. ALL broody's are individual so your mileage may vary!

Also I've been successful bonding chicks to a mum up to 7 days old.. beyond that it's much MUCH harder for the chicks to accept her.

This hen has been displaying all the warning signs of a broody hen over these past few weeks - grumpy, moody, puffy, and loud - but just two days ago she FINALLY went to go sit on some eggs left behind in the coop.

I mean she does "look" broody.. but 3 weeks is a long time to be displaying symptoms without committing.. I mean it's hormonal (not a choice) and hormones are crazy.. but are you sure it's broodyness? I'd have to be not me to not look at all sides of the story or at least raise question.

Maybe she just hasn't read any of our books or stories about what she *should* be doing especially on her first time around.. Is she still laying? Most my broody's may continue for one or two more days.. after starting the "cluck".. and I do love a good warning.. so basically we're kinda trying to figure what is normal for her. I do think she's beautiful, but I didn't catch her name yet.

I would leave some fake eggs in the nest.. noting NO amount of collecting eggs will break my truly broody hens.. they will brood air until the cows come home or die trying if not "broke".. and this EVEN when allowed to raise a clutch, after clutch..

Adding a small curtain to darken the nest box and block some line of sight.. *might* help.

for now I'm gonna go get the eggs in the incubator!

Run the bator for 12- 24 hours first to allow for stabilization if you don't have it going already, especially with egg freshness not being of concern.

If she does go full on you can try letting her raise them.. but if she doesn't you already have a back up brooder planned.. so sounds like adventures are at hand!

What's your version of top of the line bator? What breed or color eggs are ya hatching? Are you adding in extra thermometer/hygrometer or relying on built in ones?

 

[Sunshine009]

Update/addition to my previous answer.. I generally don't give a hen chicks before she's been sitting at least 2 weeks.. Doing so too soon *may* not allow enough time for the cycle to come full circle.. she may not be ready to leave the nest with them yet.. ALL broody's are individual so your mileage may vary!

Also I've been successful bonding chicks to a mum up to 7 days old.. beyond that it's much MUCH harder for the chicks to accept her.

Good to know! I'll keep an eye on her. Currently strutting around the yard as if nothing is amiss

I mean she does "look" broody.. but 3 weeks is a long time to be displaying symptoms without committing.. I mean it's hormonal (not a choice) and hormones are crazy.. but are you sure it's broodyness? I'd have to be not me to not look at all sides of the story or at least raise question.

I'm quite certain. She's definitely not sick. I think it's partly down to her being only a first-time brooder. gotten some replies suggesting some hens go through a pre-broody stage as they slowly build up the hormones and will sit on and off for a few days before committing fully, though her current behavior isn't a guarantee she'll get to that point, unfortunately. I can't tell if she's still laying eggs as I have too many hens laying very similar eggs. Her name is Plum!

What's your version of top of the line bator? What breed or color eggs are ya hatching? Are you adding in extra thermometer/hygrometer or relying on built in ones?

Haha to be honest I really just called it "top of the line" because it was expensive! I don't know too much about it besides the reviews look good, it had auto rotating, and it was for sale went I went shopping XD It's a "Lumia 16 egg incubator".

I specifically found a seller specializing in olive eggs and copper marans, as those are the two colors I'm missing from my egg basket and I'd really love to see. The copper marans eggs (4) are purebred, the others are a mix of either a copper marans or a cream crested legbar roo plus another purebred (wyandotte, copper marans, cream legbar, ameraucauna, silverudd blue, and cochin) or an olive egger of some kind. Not all the eggs are olive or copper, but many. Excited to see what I get, a lot of my favorite breeds in the mix!

I am relying on what comes with the incubator. The instructions it came with were extremely thorough and insistent I do things in a very particular way to get the best results - so I'm following instructions!

 

[Mrs. K]

Mine have done this too! OH I think I have a broody, set eggs under her - find her obviously not broody, clutch is spoiled only a couple of days later - Tighter than a tick! Only now, I don't have eggs!

So NOW - don't put all your eggs in one basket so to speak! Put the dummies eggs in there, add a partial curtain if you want, PRAY to the broody Gods and hope hard. If she settles down and gets serious - then stick part of the dozen under her, and part in the incubator. My broody eggs tend to hatch a bit closer to 20 days rather than 21, FYI.

That way - you should get chicks! Even if you get it going and all is well, don't be too worried about it. I have had them get off, do their thing, and get back in the wrong nest. Even if the eggs are cool to the touch, just put her back where she belongs, and things will be fine.

NOTHING is more fun than a broody hen with chicks. LONGESY 21 days Ever!

Mrs K

 

[Sunshine009]

So NOW - don't put all your eggs in one basket so to speak! Put the dummies eggs in there, add a partial curtain if you want, PRAY to the broody Gods and hope hard. If she settles down and gets serious - then stick part of the dozen under her, and part in the incubator. My broody eggs tend to hatch a bit closer to 20 days rather than 21, FYI.

That way - you should get chicks!

yes! This is exactly my plan. I just don't fully trust this first-time mama XD

though as someone new to incubating, who knows how trustworthy I am! Though I guess I'm putting most of my trust in the egg seller and the incubator in doing a good job. Not much for me to do but wait.