1st broody - what would you do?

[PetRock]

We have only had chickens for a little over a year now. Our top hen is a Black Australorp and she went broody about two weeks ago. We don't have a rooster so she is patiently trying to hatch a wooden egg, poor thing. Given that this is her first time to go broody and our first experience with a broody hen, I'm not sure whether to try harder to break her of it or to give her some fertile eggs to hatch or to slip a few day olds under her. What would you do? I've read all kinds of posts about broody hens but I'm no nearer to a decision. Any advice is much appreciated! The big, black, flat pancake bird would also grateful for the help!

 

[rungirl]

Well, I finally gave in to my broody and put a couple fertile eggs under her on Sunday. Got them from a friend. We'll see. Can't hurt and it makes her happy.

 

[kannna]

Well you have to ask yourself a couple of questions.

Can we accomodate more chickens?
Do we want more chickens? (I know stupid question

)
What will I do with any boys that may hatch?
Do we have a brooder space to grow them in case momma rejects them?
Do we want that responsibility?

If you don't want her to hatch, you should break the broodiness. She will just sit there and waste away futily trying to hatch the wooden egg.

Good Luck!

PS. What we did was get three hatching eggs for our broody after a long discussion answering the previous questions.

 

[PetRock]

Quote:
Just a couple questions, huh?

We seven hens that free range our 1/3 acre yard and nine 3-6 week olds that are in the indoor brooder at night and in the outdoor brooder area during the day. Three of those nine are definitely roos that we will be rehoming in the near future. So, with the six baby girls, our hen/pullet count will be at thirteen in a 6 ft by 8 ft coop. (I plan on having DH bump out the next boxes which will add some floor space.) I always want more chickens but we are really about at our max with the current group of babies. We wouldn't mind raising some to sell, though. Our current babies are finished with the heat lamp and we do have a large rubbermaid container that could be used for a first brooder. I'm just not sure that I want to start over again with little ones in the brooder. I have been offered 6 purebred Wheaten/Blue Wheaten eggs so I'm thinking about going that route. It would be adorable to see our beautiful black hen with tiny yellow babies! It is such a hard decision. I want to do what's best for everyone.

Precious has stopped laying and has been a flat pancake in the nest box for two weeks now. So, if I don't give her eggs or chicks, will she really just waste away or will she eventually give up? Do you recommend using the wire cage and ice on her stomach to break her of her broodiness?

 

[pdsavage]

I love broodies so im bias and will tell you to give her some eggs or chicks.6 eggs should be enough if half are boys rehome them and you might ony be left with only 2 or 3 pullets.Finding homes for any extra pullets should be no proublem as most people want pullets/hens.
Another thing you could do is just get 3 chicks from someone and give her those to raise.

 

[PetRock]

Quote:
Have you had success giving a broody 1 day old chicks? If you have, what's the best way to do it?