Saddest looking broody ever

[bonder]

I've been waiting and waiting for someone to go broody. Finally I've got a hen who wants to sit on eggs. She was the sweetest, most timid bird until she became broody, now she's a mean old mama. She's always been scrawny and looks terrible. As a baby chick, I didn't think she would make it. Here's a picture of her on day 3 of brooding. She's still in the hen house, in a regular nesting box. I've brought her a treat of cantaloupe to encourage her to keep her energy up.

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Isn't she disgusting looking? The rest of the flock is looking a little icky from being cooped up all winter but nothing like her.

It seems like most of the talk of baby chicks on here is through an incubator. What do I need to know to keep her (and her coming chicks) healthy? Can I let her stay in the chicken house for now?

 

[crj]

Quote:
Just leave her be and let her do her thing. She will know how to take care of the eggs. I would leave some water and food close to her. If she does get up to eat she won't have to go far. Don't expect to see her out of the box any time soon. I have a broody hen and I have to check to make sure other hens don't sit on her and add eggs to her clutch. I'm not having that much luck...... lol..... I did chase one out yesterday. Poor Broody, she just wants to hatch her eggs.

 

[chicky_mommy]

mostly its a good idea to remove her and her eggs from the coop and put them into a small area of their own, often it is necessary to wait for the chicks to hatch before moving them so as not to disrupt the broodiness...

 

[Judy]

If you leave her in the coop, which I have, others will get in her nest when she is off and lay, and she will steal others' eggs. Eggs can get broken with the jostling. Definitely mark the eggs you want to hatch if you leave her in with the others.

All about broodies:

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

 

[Ibicella]

Poor gal! What a little scruff. She's still cute though! I wish you and her luck with her eggs!

Put food and water nearby, but far enough away that she has to get up and walk over to eat and drink.

If you can, keep other hens away from her so they don't chase her off the nest, harass her, or interrupt her. If you can create a temporary brood pen, that would be best.

 

[Patchesnposies]

What has always worked for us is to put the broody hen and her eggs into an old dog crate (plastic with a metal door) with a bowl of food and a waterer. They'll get up once a day or so to eat, drink and go poop. They feel safe knowing no one can steal or harm their eggs and no predators can get them.

When we have tried letting them have the nest in the coop the babies were all killed once they'd hatched.

I have six home schooled kids and have had more than one broody hen in her crate in the house for the kids to watch. It is great fun when the babies arrive and you can watch mom and the chicks interact, etc...pretty cool stuff!

 

[WriterofWords]

My last little Frizzle hen is broody, she looks horrible too!!