Advice on letting broody hen hatch eggs

[farmkid8]

Well, I have a Brahma that loves to go broody. So this year I thought I would let her sit on some eggs she had under her.I simply moved her to a nest the hens didn't use and she still accepted the eggs. It had been about give days now and she is doing fine.my advice would be to just leave her be and let her do her work as a mama she will know how to protect her eggs simply because chickens are the best at being chickens.also I wanted to say how happy I am that you decided to raise the chicks with a broody hen instead of an incubator.

 

[farmkid8]

Spell check * about five days now.

 

[bayareapilot]

Awesome advice-thank you for your insights!!! I have also recently heard about the sharpies possibly being toxic-but you have had no problems?

So if I have 2 broody hens, would you recommend only letting one hatch at a time? Or less problems with giving each and egg or two? The nest boxes are raised and seperated so I can't imagine them being able to move the eggs. So far, they haven't (that I can tell) since I collect eggs in the evenings.

And I have plenty of coop and run space so that won't be an issue.

Thanks again!

Much better idea is to use a non-toxic Crayola crayon...

 

[Angiebubs]

bayareapilot: That was from a year ago, and I have since just used a pencil and it has worked out just fine..if it started to fade, I would re mark it.

 

[ChickSter99]

As of now, I have two broody hens. I tried to slip some chicks under her in replacement for the eggs that Ii took. Neither of them will fall for this trick. They will peck the chicks. I have to be real swift at picking them up. This has happened with different chickens. It doesn't have to the same ones. I would live for one of them to raise them, but as of now, they aren't having any part of it. I tried to let them hatch the eggs but two of them got into a quarrel over who would be in which nest (both had eggs) and I walked into bloody broken eggs. I took the rest of the eggs and put them in the bator. They have hatched and are now one week old. I also have some hatching as we speak.

 

[farmlife]

I just wanted to throw in that some breeds are more go with the flow than others. My game hens tend to be more aggressive than all the rest. Before I worked out my system I had one hen steal eggs from other hens, take over another nest, and I had 2 broodies that fought over their newly hatched chicks so badly that a chick was killed and I ended up taking the rest from the mommas and raising them in the house. With Cochins and Silkies I've never had a problem.Now what I always do to be safe is let a broody stay in the coop until the eggs begin to hatch and then move her nest and all to a brooder away from everyone else for at least a week. The chicks toughen up a whole lot after the first couple of days. At my house free ranging is a no no until after a good 12 weeks unless I am right there with them. Hawks and eagles will snatch up chicks without leaving a trace. I've heard of game hens fighting off a hawk before, but I learned the hard way that it is not worth taking the chance. One thing for sure is I like to leave chicks with their moms as long as possible. They are much more savy in the long run and healthier too.

 

[trooper]

I'm in bad need for advice.I have a hen that is broody and I've seen the eggs.I think she is about 4-5 days broody.She ruffles her feathers and growls when I get near the nest.What is the best way to handle this.From what I have gathered I need to move her to a lower nest and mark the eggs.I understand why this is to be done;I just don't know how and when.I don't want to discourage her and I want to make sure she doesn't get more eggs than she can handle or hatch.This is new to me and it is something I have been wanting to do since I got chickens.I understand the marking of the eggs,how do I check them without taking the chance of discouraging her.Your advice is most definitely appreciated.Thanks

 

[LR Gamefarm]

i usually mark the eggs with a pencil usually with the the number of the day so that away i know if it belongs there or not i have several hens that go broody each year

 

[grammasmitty]

When our Barred Rock hatched eggs, we slipped 3 chicks under her that hubby bought from the local farm supply. She took them right in, but I believe it was probably because only 2 of her eggs had hatched at that point and she still had several more working at breaking shells. She was a really good mama hen. Can't say another of them would have done the same.

 

[WiscBroodyFarm]

We are looking for one or more full blood orpington roosters bred from broody hens.
Do you have any for sale or trade?
Jim and Lin