Broody Hen - New To This!

[bobbi-j]

I have a broody sitting on 3 eggs due to hatch in a week (we started with 6, but 3 were clears when I candled at a week.) I’m in MN, so probably a little colder than OP. We have lows in the 40’s, (mid-30’s tonight) and highs in the 60’s-70’s. Mama will keep them warm, and if something happens to her after they’re fully feathered, they’ll be fine as long as they are dry and not in a direct breeze. No need to bring them in the house until spring. It’s totally your call if you want to set her or not. They’ll hatch or they won’t. Mama will keep them warm until she weans them, and by then they should be fully feathered.

 

[akf93]

Well if I do this, they’ll hatch about mid October which is when we usually get our first frost. And they will be feathered by the end of November. High temp average for that time is between 43-56*F and average lows are between 30-39*F.

 

[akf93]

So broody is doing her broody thing. But two of my other hens laid in the nastiest spots of the coop, up on top of the nesting boxes where all the night poop falls. They’ve never done this. They’ve always laid in the nesting boxes. I’m guessing it’s because of miss broody? Any thoughts? The eggs were covered in poop and one of them was broken because there no bedding or padding up there. how do I stop this?

 

[Ridgerunner]

A photo of your nests and the roosts might help us see what you are working with. How many other nests do you have and what do they look like.

Are you sure they are laying up there or were eggs laid from the roost so one broke when it hit? New layers sometimes drop eggs from the roost (could explain the broken one) but it would be strange for one established layer to start laying up there on top or from the roost, let alone two. Was it a one off or will it repeat?

It is possible the broody had something to do with that. You can always remove the broody, either break her or try moving her to a different nest. See what happens.

 

[JackVinehopper]

I’ve got my first broody hen. Just started today. I keep taking her out of the box and putting her with her flock and trying to distract with snacks but she keeps ending up back on the nest - sometimes different nests. After closing them up tonight, I took her out and put her on a roost.

Should I keep doing what I’m doing? Should I give her fake eggs? I do have a rooster. Is there a way to tell which eggs are fertile so I can give her some? Or should I get chicks at the feed store? What should I do? I don’t want it to “spread”. My laying girls don’t lay enough as it is. But I’m okay with a few more chicks if that’s the better route. However, it’s getting cold now and *I* don’t want to be caring for chicks.

Thoughts???

This just happened to me. My broody Barred Rock was broody all summer so I tried taking out of the nest box , taking her eggs away, etc. Then I no longer saw her in there for three weeks thinking she was broke of broodiness. She stealth nested in our hay bales and hatched 5 chicks out of two dozen eggs piled up in there! My fault for not head counting each evening at roll call.

Moved mamma hen and 1 week old chicks into a dog crate in the shop with water and chick starter then added another roost bar in the winter coop. When they return to the flock after they feather out they will have room in the coop.

All that to say, if she disappears while broody, go find where she's stealth nesting somewhere. Good luck.

 

[akf93]

A photo of your nests and the roosts might help us see what you are working with. How many other nests do you have and what do they look like.

Are you sure they are laying up there or were eggs laid from the roost so one broke when it hit? New layers sometimes drop eggs from the roost (could explain the broken one) but it would be strange for one established layer to start laying up there on top or from the roost, let alone two. Was it a one off or will it repeat?

It is possible the broody had something to do with that. You can always remove the broody, either break her or try moving her to a different nest. See what happens.

Oh that’s a good point!! It was both my RIR. They roost on the bar above this space. They’ve been laying almost daily for about a month. Usually within an hour or two of letting them out. The both ALWAYS lay in the top left box. Miss Broody is in the bottom middle. (We chose to attempt a hatch.) Someone else is laying beside her here. But both RIR eggs I found up on top of the boxes today. So strange! They are my most consistent girls and I hope they don’t keep that up!

 

[akf93]

Well now I’m confused. I just watched one of my RIR hens lay in that top left nesting box. I found those two eggs this morning. And I got two eggs yesterday (under miss broody). Can they lay more than one egg in a day? At least I know who the single culprit is now. Still not sure the reason for her laying up there unless, like you said, maybe she laid before coming off the roost?

 

[bobbi-j]

Did you mark the eggs that she is setting on? Since other hens have access to her nest, that’s very important. I just take a Sharpie and draw a circle around the egg. Otherwise, the other hens may lay in her nest, or your broody might steal some to add to her clutch. Then, once a day just slide your hand under her belly, lift her up enough to see the eggs and remove any extras. Otherwise you could end up with a staggered hatch, and those typically don’t end well.

 

[akf93]

Did you mark the eggs that she is setting on? Since other hens have access to her nest, that’s very important. I just take a Sharpie and draw a circle around the egg. Otherwise, the other hens may lay in her nest, or your broody might steal some to add to her clutch. Then, once a day just slide your hand under her belly, lift her up enough to see the eggs and remove any extras. Otherwise you could end up with a staggered hatch, and those typically don’t end well.

Yep! I did that! And I toss her off the nest about a half hour before roost time so she spends about ten minutes eating and drinking and then right back to the nest.

 

[WIchickMama]

Good luck! Those are some pretty eggs you set.