Broody hen advice

[Cyprusrabbit]

Good Morning all

New here today. Looking for some advice.

I have three hens, and one has gone broody. She has been broody for a couple of weeks, so I have given her eight fertile eggs to hatch. if they work..... Now I plan to raise the chicks within my existing set-up. Has anyone done this before? TIA

 

[DobieLover]

Yes, lots of people have done this before with the exception that we let the hen raise the chicks.

I wrote an article on how I manage the entire process where I tried to answer most of the questions that come up before and during the process.

 

[Cyprusrabbit]

Yes, lots of people have done this before with the exception that we let the hen raise the chicks.

I wrote an article on how I manage the entire process where I tried to answer most of the questions that come up before and during the process.

this is excellent! I have read your article and found it extremely helpful and reassuring

 

[Knobby]

I currently have 3 broody hens, with one successfully hatching out 2 eggs (out of the 4 I let her sit on). I kept the mother and chicks, in the same coop, locked up in a separate brooder for about a week..to allow the others to get acquainted with one another. Then I let mother and her hens out, and they now roam freely with the rest of the flock. Mother hen is doing great protecting her chicks and making sure they are fed and have enough water.

 

[Cyprusrabbit]

The reason I am asking this is because I mucked up my dates, and when the chicks are due to hatch, I'm supposed to be away 2/3 days after. I have someone who keeps an eye on my flock, but I'm trying to decide what's best.

 

[Gazergirlstar]

following along for advise

 

[Knobby]

The reason I am asking this is because I mucked up my dates, and when the chicks are due to hatch, I'm supposed to be away 2/3 days after. I have someone who keeps an eye on my flock, but I'm trying to decide what's best.

Well, out in nature, there is no human intervention, so I believe the hens will know how to handle things. It makes it easier for them when we help, but nature knows best.

 

[Cyprusrabbit]

Well, out in nature, there is no human intervention, so I believe the hens will know how to handle things. It makes it easier for them when we help, but nature knows best.

Thanks - I feel much better coming here and speaking to people who actually have chickens. Stressed myself out good and proper.

 

[Knobby]

Thanks - I feel much better coming here and speaking to people who actually have chickens. Stressed myself out good and proper.

My main point was, we shouldn't stress too much about our flocks. They are more resilient than we give them credit for. I was in the same mindset as you, when I first started raising my own chickens..started with 6, lost a few, now up to 37 with more to come. Each one is treated as pets, with no plans for them to see my dinner table, and everything is kosher on my personal farm..hehe

 

[NightingaleJen]

@DobieLover's article has counseled me through this several times now (God forbid I mess anything up!). With a broody hen, you have a major assist in raising and integrating the peeps!

It is, however, important to have your proper brooder set up and ready to go around the time the chicks hatch (our last clutch began hatching a day early by my count, FWIW, but the broody is a bit crazy, so maybe she was cooking a little hotter). With our second broody, she began tossing the peeps out of the nest, having decided she liked the setting part, but now that these squalling wet things were here, she didn't want any part of THAT. All six of those peeps were perfectly healthy and got to spend a few weeks in the brooder in the living room (I was very ill at the time and this made care easier for me physically), but you definitely want it ready to go *just in case*.

Good luck and have fun!