Broodies and their Babies

[Faraday40]

BYC must be one big family- I see a lot of people with enabler as their middle name!

Oh yeah... Broodies. Hmm. I forgot about those. Broodies are my weak spot -okay, one of many- because they are so dedicated.

My OEGB go broody at the drop of a hat.... Jace has gone broody TWICE, and she is 15 months old. I didn't let her hatch the 2nd time, that was crazy!

Sooo...... I'll just mostly plan on being done.

My last batch of eggs are due to hatch tomorrow. (Some in incubator, some under broody.) Any chicks we consider keeping will be added to the broody. Then, I plan to put my incubator away until spring. Too many chickens, so we will have some hard decisions to make.

Of course if a hen goes broody, it won't be my fault. My Cookie went broody 5xs last year, but we only let her hatch 3xs. She was easy to break when it was -20'F. Why would want to hatch chicks in the coldest part of a Midwest winter?

 

[Bantambird]

My LF black Orpington goes broody at least once a year. Last year I gave her some babies. She made a good mama but she went broody too late this year for me to let her have anything ( as in, she just went broody the other day)

 

[WVduckchick]

Wow! How did you get a LF orp to go broody? I've had black & lav orps for about 4 years. Only my bantam orp goes broody..... but she does it about 5xs per year, so I can't say we need more broodies.

I didn't try! Just kept noticing her in the box alot, and left her alone. I finally checked eggs under her one day and left her with a few that were developing. None hatched, so I gave her 4 more, thinking she would probably quit, but she didn't! She stuck with it and got 2 beautiful babies. (of the other 2 eggs, one was late DIS, one is still under her, it may hatch or not)

 

[WVduckchick]

I have a few new ones!

Golden comet momma, chicks are comet/light Brahma mixes


Bantam cuckoo cochin giving dust bathing lessons. Chicks are pure cochins, choc orp/cochin mixes, and one silkie/cochin mix.


OEGBs!


Chocolate orpington with OEGB baby, this was the first baby, but all 4 eggs hatched yesterday!

 

[littlechick2000]

My old English game and her day old baby. I took this posture yesterday and I have one or two more hatching right now!

 

[Faraday40]

My hen Princess Lay-a is a good mama. Since DD was hatching for a science experiment, we decided to set 2 eggs under Princess to keep her broody, and at the same time DD set her eggs in the incubator. Poor confused little hen sat on 2 eggs & hatched 2 chicks.... then she found a few more under her.... and a few more..... and MORE. Thankfully, hens can't count.

 

[abbevilleoz]

My hen Princess Lay-a is a good mama. Since DD was hatching for a science experiment, we decided to set 2 eggs under Princess to keep her broody, and at the same time DD set her eggs in the incubator. Poor confused little hen sat on 2 eggs & hatched 2 chicks.... then she found a few more under her.... and a few more..... and MORE. Thankfully, hens can't count.

. Chicken math for hens!

 

[WVduckchick]

My hen Princess Lay-a is a good mama. Since DD was hatching for a science experiment, we decided to set 2 eggs under Princess to keep her broody, and at the same time DD set her eggs in the incubator. Poor confused little hen sat on 2 eggs & hatched 2 chicks.... then she found a few more under her.... and a few more..... and MORE. Thankfully, hens can't count.

Oh my gosh, I have a similar situation, and hope my hen is as dumb. She went broody after I had already incubated for 7 days, so I gave her 4 of my 12 eggs.

I'm actually curious to see which hatch first!

Pretty hen, and adorable babies!

. Chicken math for hens!

 

[Faraday40]

Oh my gosh, I have a similar situation, and hope my hen is as dumb. She went broody after I had already incubated for 7 days, so I gave her 4 of my 12 eggs.

I'm actually curious to see which hatch first!

Pretty hen, and adorable babies!

If they're set to all hatch at the same time, she should accept all the chicks as long as you give them to her right away. Some broody hens only accept fosters at time of hatch, so if you slip them under her during the 1st 48 hrs there's no problem. Other broodies will accept chicks at any time, any age.

Although I start at the same time, my broodies tend to hatch a day sooner. I think the outside summer heat is part of the reason.

 

[abbevilleoz]

Oh my gosh, I have a similar situation, and hope my hen is as dumb.  She went broody after I had already incubated for 7 days, so I gave her 4 of my 12 eggs. 
I'm actually curious to see which hatch first! 

Pretty hen, and adorable babies!

That's how it happened to me. Just a few chicks then...boom!