Broody Hen Care

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I just set up a comfy dog crate next to the coop for my new mama and first night she nested behind it, but by by day 3 she moved right into that dog crate...
I had the opposite problem as the person's Inlaw-- mine hatched out in a nest box up high in the coop, hen hopped down day 3 post hatch with chicks and trotted down the ramp, one took a side route and got stuck in an crack in the coop door (I heard the peeping but it was a good 20 min, and freed it)-- the rest went down ramp ok, Mama left the coop and never looked back she and chicks freerange daily with the rest of the flock, but at night she takes them right to the dog crate (it is lined with straw)...
 
Ok so I've been plunged into the world of broody chickens! A buff orpington no less named Lemon Drop. She's 10 months old. This is the first successful group of chickens I've had in the last 3 years! The first group was attacked by dogs and killed. The second group turned out to be ALL males. With this group, I lost 4 to rats when they were young and not in the coop yet. We had them out on the porch in the summer and the rat broke into their crate!

So onto Lemon Drop. I've been reading a lot and still have a few questions and want to make sure that my facts are correct...

I have a very large coop that houses 6 chickens, 1 enourmous cochin male (the hopefully soon to be proud papa). Question #1 Do I really have to move her to a private location or do you think the spot she is in will suffice? It's in a corner behind a wall and feed can. Only she can squeeze in there. The others lay their assortment in another corner and as of yet she has shown no interest in the others but we collect them throughout the day and morning. We also marked her eggs so if another one does slip in we know which one to remove.
She hasn't moved from her spot from day 1 to 3. I gave a her a little food in the morning on day 2 and 3. We don't have waterers in the coop...they have a creek near by and tons of natural spring water pools in the yard in front of the coop. I fear she is not drinking. I also read that I should pick her up walk her out and let her poop and eat and drink. So that leads to question #2 Do I now force her to get up and take her out to the water? Or should I leave her and give her a small water bowl? How often should I remove her to do her business? What if she poops in the area behind her eggs...I know I have to clean that up but what if the mess gets on her eggs.
Question #3...because the area infront of the coop is swampy, I fear that would be detrimental to the peeps. When will she venture out with them? Should we take them and raise them inside for how long till we give them back? Which leads to the problem of reintroduction...we have a very mean Guinea. It has been know to kill other guineas and polish. Will Lemon Drop protect her peeps from him in the beginning and will she recognize them to protect them when they are brough back out?

And lastly, will medicated food be ok for all the adultsif it's mixed in for the peeps? How long on the medicated food? We have grow gel and such for the start.

Thanks all for any advice.
 
chckncrazee said:
Ok so I've been plunged into the world of broody chickens! A buff orpington no less named Lemon Drop. She's 10 months old. This is the first successful group of chickens I've had in the last 3 years! The first group was attacked by dogs and killed. The second group turned out to be ALL males. With this group, I lost 4 to rats when they were young and not in the coop yet. We had them out on the porch in the summer and the rat broke into their crate!

So onto Lemon Drop. I've been reading a lot and still have a few questions and want to make sure that my facts are correct...

I have a very large coop that houses 6 chickens, 1 enourmous cochin male (the hopefully soon to be proud papa). Question #1 Do I really have to move her to a private location or do you think the spot she is in will suffice? It's in a corner behind a wall and feed can. Only she can squeeze in there. The others lay their assortment in another corner and as of yet she has shown no interest in the others but we collect them throughout the day and morning. We also marked her eggs so if another one does slip in we know which one to remove.
She hasn't moved from her spot from day 1 to 3. I gave a her a little food in the morning on day 2 and 3. We don't have waterers in the coop...they have a creek near by and tons of natural spring water pools in the yard in front of the coop. I fear she is not drinking. I also read that I should pick her up walk her out and let her poop and eat and drink. So that leads to question #2 Do I now force her to get up and take her out to the water? Or should I leave her and give her a small water bowl? How often should I remove her to do her business? What if she poops in the area behind her eggs...I know I have to clean that up but what if the mess gets on her eggs.
Question #3...because the area infront of the coop is swampy, I fear that would be detrimental to the peeps. When will she venture out with them? Should we take them and raise them inside for how long till we give them back? Which leads to the problem of reintroduction...we have a very mean Guinea. It has been know to kill other guineas and polish. Will Lemon Drop protect her peeps from him in the beginning and will she recognize them to protect them when they are brough back out?

And lastly, will medicated food be ok for all the adultsif it's mixed in for the peeps? How long on the medicated food? We have grow gel and such for the start.

Thanks all for any advice.
Click to expand...

#1 If you can you should cordon off the area she is in with netting or fencing. This will allow the rest to see the new arrivals without them actually being able to touch them. It will also corral the babies in a certain area while mom continues to sit on the nest the first day or two. I also find that first time moms need an adjustment period of one or two days to get used to baby care.

#2 Get her a mason jar waterer. They are inexpensive and you will need it when the chicks are hatched anyway. Also different broodies take breaks in different ways. I have one that takes her break at the same time everyday, another one takes her break every other day, and still another one I have to encourage to take breaks.

#3 My broodies are ready to leave the coop usually on day three for the first chick hatched. And they are ready! There is usually an "I'm Free!" kind of attitude with running and a good dust bath.

#4ish I feed chicks grower from hatch. Then anyone can eat it.
 
How about a broody hen that has no right to be broody? No rooster, I'm not raising chicks, I take the eggs away everyday. Any hints for this? Will she stop on her own?
 
ggrichards said:
How about a broody hen that has no right to be broody? No rooster, I'm not raising chicks, I take the eggs away everyday. Any hints for this? Will she stop on her own?
Click to expand...
My mom lives within city limits, and she isn't allowed roosters. I usually give her a few eggs to hatch, and she gives me back the chicks that hatch. Maybe you can find someone like that?

This year, my mom didn't want to separate her from the other hens. They broke and ate all the eggs, but a few days after the expected hatch date, she quit.
 
We have a broody hen now,problem we don't have any fertile eggs,because we don't have a rooster what do we do?
 

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