Broody Buff Orpington

[bobbi-j]

Thank you!! I hope I can keep her in the coop with the others, since she is the top hen she isn't picked on. One got to close and she pulled it's feathers. Do you guys think its ok for her to stay there? I have a shed if she can't be with the others but its not predator proof.

Is she in a favorite nesting box? If so, you may want to try to move her just because sometimes the other hens may try to crowd in and lay in that favorite box, causing broken eggs. But if your girl is the top hen anyway, they may not mess with her.

I have hatched with a broody many different ways. When I first started, I would separate her to an entirely different building and keep them separate until the babies were about 8 weeks old or so. That was OK, but integration is a little tougher since Mama is no longer in her protective mode.

I have separated them until the chicks are a week or so old, and integrated while mama was still protective - that went better. The first year I tried that, the hen was killed by a raccoon when the babies were about 5 weeks old. The good thing about that was, the chicks had already been integrated and were part of the flock so they were able to hold their own pretty well.

This year, my broody hatched (just yesterday, in fact!) in the main coop because she refused to relocate. Didn't matter where I put her, or when I tried, she would have none of it! She chose to sit in a corner of the coop that was out of the way and no one dared come close to her nest to add to it. Five of her seven eggs hatched, and today - 24 hours after they hatched, she has them out in the run, scratching and pecking and doing chickeny things. She is one of the older birds, I'm not sure if she's at the top of the pecking order, but she's close, so I think the others have some respect for her. I'm not worried about the other hens bothering her or her chicks.

I have another, first time broody that is also nesting in the coop, but where I can shut a gate and separate her as she approaches her hatch date. I will probably do that. I want to keep her as much in the flock as I can right now, though, so she doesn't lose her place entirely in the flock. But because she's younger, I want her chicks to be just a little older and stronger before letting them out in case she's not feisty enough to stand up for them well.

There are a lot of different ways to handle it, and you are the only one who can decide what you're comfortable with. Personally, I'd recommend keeping her with the flock as best you can. I wouldn't put her in a separate shed that's not predator proof.

 

[Woytgirl]

Thanks. I am trying to decide if she can hatch or not since I'm busy. Yeah, I would let the chick be with the flock when the mom is still protective.

 

[Pstock44]

I just had 2 hatches. The 1st was 12 eggs under a broody BO. I left her in her favorite nesting box until a 2nd hen went broody and kept getting into the same nest with her. After unsuccessfully trying to break the 2nd hen and having 2 broken eggs I gave her 2 fake eggs and life returned to normal. After reading a lot of posts I decided to put her in a breeding coop in a sectioned off area of their run. This was 4 days before hatchout. She hatched 8 and they're doing great. Lost 2 eggs to crushing and 1 just disappeared (no idea where it went) before moving her. And 1 wasn't fertile. Chicks are 3 weeks old and doing great, mama has been outstanding.

I decided to give the 2nd hen 4 eggs and keep her in the coop. At about 2 weeks in another hen went broody, must be contagious! Anyway, when #2 went to eat and stretch number 3 took over. Again, 2 hens in a nest! So in went the fake eggs again and peace again too. She had 3 eggs hatch but 1 got crushed on hatch day.

Now #2 isn't as good a mama as #1. After day 2, she started leaving the chicks longer and longer, spending more time in the run. #3 has started taking over mothering duties so I've taken her fake eggs. So far #3 has done great and will probably be the mom. #2 checks on them but both hens seem to be sharing the duties and there's no fighting or squabbles. Everyone is happy.

Anyway, I rambled but I wanted to share what has happened to me. I'm a newbie, these are my 1st hatches, my hens 1st time hatching and I'm trying to figure all this out too. I hope you find this helpful.

 

[laney7]

This is my first time with hens setting and two of them don't seem to ever get off the nest. They are looking pretty rough. Should I try to take them off for food and water?

 

[Pstock44]

I was worried about mine too

This is my first time with hens setting and two of them don't seem to ever get off the nest. They are looking pretty rough. Should I try to take them off for food and water?

I've learned there's so many things to consider and so many options and as many opinions as there are chickens so...here's some thoughts of mine.

Are you able to watch them constantly to see if they eat? I was home during both my hatches and only saw mine out eating about 4 times total. I just missed seeing them but when I did they'd be out to eat, drink and stretch for about 15-20 minutes and go back to the nest.
Looking rough seems to be most everyone's concern, mine as well. But mine started out that way from a little rough rooster breeding when I had 2 roos. Both my hens still look thin even after a couple weeks after the hatches but I've noticed mama looks to be eating but it seems she is showing chicks the food more than eating it herself. But that's later on for you.
If you're sure she's not going out to eat you can put food and water within reach but then shell trend to poop in the nest. Then you'll have to keep it clean right up until the eggs are ready to hatch.

I have to say that overall my hatches went well even though I had several issues but it was broken eggs from 2 hens in a nest, egg stealing and disruption in the flock before I sold one of my roos. I worried about mama hens the whole time because I was new, it was my 1st hatches, it was both hens 1st hatches and the hatches were started 2 weeks apart. My final conclusion is that if I am going to let the hens do the work then I needed to let nature take its course and not worry so much. I'll only interfere if I see obvious problems developing.

Wishing you good luck with your hatches.

 

[bobbi-j]

Thanks. I am trying to decide if she can hatch or not since I'm busy. Yeah, I would let the chick be with the flock when the mom is still protective.

If you decide not to let her hatch, you may want to consider breaking her broodiness as they do lose condition while broody. I am busy, too, which is why I am using my broodies to hatch and raise chicks. No messing with an incubator, brooder or integrating. Mama hen does all the work.

This is my first time with hens setting and two of them don't seem to ever get off the nest. They are looking pretty rough. Should I try to take them off for food and water?

Unless you're watching her every minute of every day, she may be getting up when you're not looking. Broodies like to try to be secretive about when they get up off the nest. I don't mess with my broodies - chickens have been hatching and raising babies with out interference for centuries. They know far more about being chickens than we do.

 

[Woytgirl]

Yes, I think we are letting her hatch. I have to call a farm stand about fertile eggs. I went in the nesting box (opened it) and she was panting so I dunked her head in the water and she sat and drank, I think she was really thirsty. If I let her hatch I want to put her in a different location since it was 90 degrees F yesterday and today.
Thanks for all the replies! It makes me feel better about hatching since I know I won't be alone.
Now I just have to convince my Mom to let me hatch eggs

 

[Woytgirl]

I decided not to since she was off the nest for an hour. I think it is too hot for her in there and we are really busy. Thanks for all the wonderful advice and I will use it next time one becomes broody.

 

[bobbi-j]

If you're not going to let her hatch (and I think that's a good idea if the only place she has is somewhere that will be too hot for her to be healthy), it would be a good idea to break her. Keep taking her off the nest, or put her in a wire bottomed cage that's off the ground to cool her bottom side off. Don't give her any bedding, just food and water. I've read this usually works in 3-5 days. She'll be grumpy about it, but it's better than letting her lose condition by not eating or drinking as she should. Plus, once she's no longer broody, she should eventually start laying again.

 

[Woytgirl]

I took her off the nest and she lapsed out of it, but returned to a broody state. If she sleeps on the nest and is broody tomorrow, I will try to get eggs for her. If I get eggs, then I will move her (at night) to a cooler location.