Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[fisherlady]

Went to the coop one last time tonight to check on the broody, and look what we found



He's the only one so far, but she has more eggs.

Congrats! He is a cutie, and looks like the attitude is already there! Hope the rest hatch well for you!

 

[Kassaundra]

Cute. Cute. Cute. You need to get that one entered in the chick photo contest.
LofMc

Thanks, I didn't know there was a chick photo contest

 

[Kassaundra]

Congrats! He is a cutie, and looks like the attitude is already there! Hope the rest hatch well for you!

Thanks, I have this broody and one more about a week and a half later, they have been very dedicated so I am hoping for good hatches.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Thanks, I didn't know there was a chick photo contest

Look here; (Deadline April 17)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...st-baby-fowl-6th-annual-byc-easter-hatchalong

 

[little]

fisherlady so cute.my white leghorns are still cooking under my silkie momma that was born /hatched last july. 3 days to go. do u think there's a chance my silkie rooster could fertilize standard size hens? I've never seen them do the deed but was kind of hoping.what do you think?

 

[StarMeKritten]

fisherlady so cute.my white leghorns are still cooking under my silkie momma that was born /hatched last july. 3 days to go. do u think there's a chance my silkie rooster could fertilize standard size hens? I've never seen them do the deed but was kind of hoping.what do you think?

I have a silkie rooster in with my standard sized hens (and 2 standard sized roosters). I have hatched chicks from them several times and never had a silkie mix hatch. I now have some smaller hens in with them too. They are crosses between standard/ bantam. I hatched a few eggs from the smaller girls yesterday. The first two that hatched were from my head rooster. The third was definitely a silkie mix. Finally!!

 

[Kaylish]

fisherlady so cute.my white leghorns are still cooking under my silkie momma that was born /hatched last july. 3 days to go. do u think there's a chance my silkie rooster could fertilize standard size hens? I've never seen them do the deed but was kind of hoping.what do you think?

Absolutely! I have one of my bantam Cohin roos in with my layers (all LF, most are dual-purpose so larger birds) and most of my eating eggs are fertile. I've gotten some cute mixes out of my Crested Cream Legbars; all fluffy feet and crested.

 

[Fentress]

I got some Kraienkoppes (a game type breed) from Sandhill, 2 years ago to use as broodies. I thought they would be a less aggressive alternative to OEG. They are quite broody, but I can't work with them. Last year I chalked it up to them being inexperience pullets, but this year I am having the same problem, they basically don't like to be relocated. I have tried repeatedly to move them and I giving them the best of occomadations that other hens have liked, but they won't stand for it. I let one out of the pen yesterday and she went straight back to the nest box and sat on some eggs. I could try to build some type of extender that coudl be attached to the front a nest box, but I am not sure that would work. They also seem to be a little restless. It is frustrating that they get broody frequently but are so difficult to figure out. Any suggestions that people may have would be appreciated.

thanks

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I got some Kraienkoppes (a game type breed) from Sandhill, 2 years ago to use as broodies. I thought they would be a less aggressive alternative to OEG. They are quite broody, but I can't work with them. Last year I chalked it up to them being inexperience pullets, but this year I am having the same problem, they basically don't like to be relocated. I have tried repeatedly to move them and I giving them the best of occomadations that other hens have liked, but they won't stand for it. I let one out of the pen yesterday and she went straight back to the nest box and sat on some eggs. I could try to build some type of extender that coudl be attached to the front a nest box, but I am not sure that would work. They also seem to be a little restless. It is frustrating that they get broody frequently but are so difficult to figure out. Any suggestions that people may have would be appreciated.

thanks

I built a designated broody hutch with attached run so that my broody queens (bantam Silkie and bantam Cochins) would always be where they needed to be, and protected from the flock and predators.

That way, nobody has to be moved. It has settled a lot of transition stress and stress on my broodies as they are out of the main stream nest box (with eggs getting stomped on and more dominant hens pushing in on them).

Your broodies may just need a one and only spot where they live, brood, raise chicks.

We went cheap (as in free) and re-purposed some packing crates (used for corporate exhibits) set on top of an old grape arbor. I love the fact it is waist high as it keeps all predators out and is super easy to clean that way (important for a brooding hutch...you can see the re-purposed clean feed bags I cut up for liners). It is dividable so I can keep mommas tight in their end nests for lock down, or open up to extend room for half or whole, plus still have fully hawk netted run with a dog crate below for overflow and grow out.

Here are some photos when we were first setting it up...we've made some improvements on the tarping system since the first photo with blue tarp. Eventually we'll get a more permanent roofing system. You can't see it but the hawk netting competely encompasses the run and hutch as I have trouble with Cooper's Hawks hunting for a chicken nugget dinner.



Inside you can see one end nest, then breezeway (which I can divide into halves or thirds) and at the far end the other end nest box.

 

[Fentress]

I built a designated broody hutch with attached run so that my broody queens (bantam Silkie and bantam Cochins) would always be where they needed to be, and protected from the flock and predators.

That way, nobody has to be moved. It has settled a lot of transition stress and stress on my broodies as they are out of the main stream nest box (with eggs getting stomped on and more dominant hens pushing in on them).

Your broodies may just need a one and only spot where they live, brood, raise chicks.

We went cheap (as in free) and re-purposed some packing crates (used for corporate exhibits) set on top of an old grape arbor. I love the fact it is waist high as it keeps all predators out and is super easy to clean that way (important for a brooding hutch...you can see the re-purposed clean feed bags I cut up for liners). It is dividable so I can keep mommas tight in their end nests for lock down, or open up to extend room for half or whole, plus still have fully hawk netted run with a dog crate below for overflow and grow out.

Here are some photos when we were first setting it up...we've made some improvements on the tarping system since the first photo with blue tarp. Eventually we'll get a more permanent roofing system. You can't see it but the hawk netting competely encompasses the run and hutch as I have trouble with Cooper's Hawks hunting for a chicken nugget dinner.



Inside you can see one end nest, then breezeway (which I can divide into halves or thirds) and at the far end the other end nest box.

Thanks for your response. Within your broody pen/compound do you isolate the hen when you set eggs? I am assuming their is more than one hen in this area. I free range, so this approach would be a little more difficult for me, but still doable. I could divide out the broody subflock in early spring and give them their own pasture.