Broody hen pulling feathers? And how many chicks can she comfortably raise?

[ShrekDawg]

I have a broody hen and I'm a little concerned because she seems to be pulling feathers from her chest? Is this normal? The box is lined with feathers. The reason I'm concerned is because one of the feathers attached to her looked a little red around it? But I guess maybe just irritated from the plucking? But I didn't know if that plucking was normal for broodies? My last broody chicken never did that. I lost that one to a hawk in the fall. This one has never been broody before.

I am also thinking of buying her some eggs to hatch rather than breaking her but I'm not sure yet.

If I did, how many could she comfortably hatch and raise?

I mean, she had like 20+ under her recently when I forgot to collect the eggs for a few days and discovered she had gone broody, and I couldn't even see any eggs under her! So I know she can fit a lot under there but I don't want her to be overwhelmed or have too many chicks to raise or anything being a first time mother.

I was thinking 12 eggs figuring they won't all hatch and giving me better chance to get the breeds and gender I want but then if they all hatch is 12 too many for her to raise? Would 6 be better?

Thanks in advance.

 

[CiscoChickens]

Broody hens pluck their chest feathers to (1) line and warm their nesting area and (2) have direct contact with the eggs for proper humidity levels.

A normal sized hen can lay on a whole lot of eggs, but she can comfortably RAISE 10-12 chicks. Think about it: she's going to have to keep warming those little buggers even when they grow big. Having too many chicks would make others get pushed out.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Broody hens pluck their chest feathers to (1) line and warm their nesting area and (2) have direct contact with the eggs for proper humidity levels.

A normal sized hen can lay on a whole lot of eggs, but she can comfortably RAISE 10-12 chicks. Think about it: she's going to have to keep warming those little buggers even when they grow big. Having too many chicks would make others get pushed out.

That makes a lot of sense, thank you! I never thought of the humidity levels. So if a broody doesn't do that does that mean she's a bad broody? Because the one that I lost never did but she went broody A LOT. Like 5 times last year haha and she seemed pretty serious, pancaking, hissing, distraught when I removed her and took her eggs, etc. She was really gentle though. I miss her but she never did the plucking thing. Maybe I just never left her on the nest long enough?

So she can raise 12? I was worried that would be too many. Maybe I am being paranoid haha 12 kids seems like a lot of work

She is a rather large Australorp. One of my biggest hens. Her, the other Australorp, and my Barred Rock are huge. Meanwhile, Penny, my Buff Orpington that I lost, was my smallest hen.

 

[aart]

6-12 would be my advice.
May depend on how much room you have to keep all she hatches once they grow up.
Oh, and, have a plan for the inevitable males.

 

[ShrekDawg]

6-12 would be my advice.
May depend on how much room you have to keep all she hatches once they grow up.
Oh, and, have a plan for the inevitable males.

Thanks! I was thinking of buying 12 eggs figuring they won't all hatch and that I'll get males? Cause if I ordered only 6 then with my luck they either wouldn't hatch or would be male haha

But I only want a few breeds and I've never hatched before so maybe I should start smaller? It's her first time hatching anything.

I for sure want Partridge Rock and Speckled Sussex and then I also want Wyandotte, Welsummer, or EE, but the hatchery I was looking at doesn't carry Wyandotte eggs and EEs aren't available for a while so I was thinking of getting Partridge Rock, Speckled Sussex, and Welsummer and then getting Barred Rock and/or Buff Orpington or something easy to sell. Or I might just buy local eggs.

But I was thinking of 12 so I'd have a better chance of hatching hens and then selling the other chicks either as day olds or growing them out until they can be sexed. I'm not sure what's more popular. I have the room to grow chicks out. I just might not necessarily have room to keep them all so was planning to sell extras and figure popular breeds might go faster.

Or maybe I should just get 6 and get the breeds I want and not worry about hatching what people might want? That might be easier.

 

[CiscoChickens]

Of this is her first time hatching eggs, then you want to get more eggs. I had 13 between my two chickens (both first time mums) and only 5 made it. They didn't realize that they should stay on the eggs when they were hatching—or smashed the eggs cause they weren't careful enough.

 

[lazy gardener]

I would get local eggs if you don't have fertile eggs from your own flock. Shipped eggs are expensive and they are well known for their dismal success rate. While it's nice to want a varied flock, you are not likely to find the specific varieties you want all from the same breeder. Consider this: You will most likely pay AT LEAST $3 - 4 per egg by the time you pay for shipping. You will do well to have a 40% hatch rate. And of those that hatch, you will maybe get 40% pullets. So. That means that a dozen eggs may cost $36-48, and may result in 5 chicks that hatch, which may give you 2 pullets! Buy local back yard mix eggs. You might get them for $3/dozen, with about 10 chicks hatching, yielding 4 pullets which will be greatly varied in color. They will be genetically predisposed to do well in your climate, and they will most likely be wonderful layers.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Of this is her first time hatching eggs, then you want to get more eggs. I had 13 between my two chickens (both first time mums) and only 5 made it. They didn't realize that they should stay on the eggs when they were hatching—or smashed the eggs cause they weren't careful enough.

Aww that's sad.

Seems like I should definitely buy extra then!

I would get local eggs if you don't have fertile eggs from your own flock. Shipped eggs are expensive and they are well known for their dismal success rate. While it's nice to want a varied flock, you are not likely to find the specific varieties you want all from the same breeder. Consider this: You will most likely pay AT LEAST $3 - 4 per egg by the time you pay for shipping. You will do well to have a 40% hatch rate. And of those that hatch, you will maybe get 40% pullets. So. That means that a dozen eggs may cost $36-48, and may result in 5 chicks that hatch, which may give you 2 pullets! Buy local back yard mix eggs. You might get them for $3/dozen, with about 10 chicks hatching, yielding 4 pullets which will be greatly varied in color. They will be genetically predisposed to do well in your climate, and they will most likely be wonderful layers.

Thanks, that's a good point!

I've read a little about shipped eggs hatching rates but the reviews were good and figured maybe under a hen would be different?

And wow is the hen to roo ratio really that bad!?

And idk, I've considered mixed breeds but I also have certain breeds that I really want to try. I don't necessarily have to have all the varieties or mind if a breeder only has one. And for instance, I already have a Rock (Barred) so don't necessarily have to have thar, I just think Partridge are pretty. The only one that I really want is Speckled Sussex.

I've been looking on Craigslist and might post in a Facebook group I'm on to see if anyone has anything but idk.

Around here though even mix eggs or common breeds are still like $20 or sometimes a little more :/ but then of course sometimes they are really cheap. I guess I have to keep looking.

I wonder if I could buy like eggs meant to eat and hatch those? Cause those are usually way cheaper. Though of course I would have to find out if they had a roo or how fresh the eggs were

 

[chickengeorgeto]

In good quarters where there is no blowing rain and a dry pen a hen may successfully brood 50 chicks but I don't recommend her trying to mother more than 15 or 20 peeps. The real secret behind chicken math is that hens suck at doing math and they never seem to care whether they have one peep or 50 peeps, one chick is as good as a 100 to your setting hen.

 

[ShrekDawg]

In good quarters where there is no blowing rain and a dry pen a hen may successfully brood 50 chicks but I don't recommend her trying to mother more than 15 or 20 peeps. The real secret behind chicken math is that hens suck at doing math and they never seem to care whether they have one peep or 50 peeps, one chick is as good as a 100 to your setting hen.

Haha that's awesome and good to know! Thank you! I wonder if I could just buy her some chicks instead? But I really want to watch them hatch