Broody Hen Questions

[highpointfarm]

Hey everyone, I just had a few questions for you guys...

1 What should i feed my broody hen.. Is started crumble ok?
2 My coop is 6 feet off the ground, Once the chicks hatch will they be able to come down a 30 ft ramp?
3 A broody hen should theoritecly take a few chicks right?
4 How many eggs/chicks should i put under a Speckled Sussex.....

Thanks in advance

 

[SweetSilver]

I'd be careful about the starter crumble. It's a good way for hens to get really fat! I would feed her her regular feed, and when the chicks hatch try to segregate their feed from hers.

 

[highpointfarm]

I have heard though that the calcuim in layer feed can kill a chicken if they are not laying.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

I mixed my broody's food half chick starter and half layer feed which is what she was eating before. I also crumble up some bread for her and put a few pieces of fruit in a bowl so when she can get up she gets a special treat

This is my first broody, she's on 6 eggs so lets hope they hatch.

 

[Scifisarah]

My rooster has eaten layer feed all his life, and he doesn't seem to have a problem with it.

I have heard though that the calcuim in layer feed can kill a chicken if they are not laying.

 

[SweetSilver]

My rooster has eaten layer feed all his life, and he doesn't seem to have a problem with it.

Some chickens just are prone to problems. My mama hen (surrogate mama) had no troubles on the starter crumble, and my friend uses that method as well. But another hen just got monstrously fat on it. So I assume the same is true for layer feed for non-layers. Go figure.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

What you are forgetting is that broody hens don't eat 24/7 and usually lose weight. A broody usually gets off the nest once a day to eat/drink/fluff. Sometimes they forget to get off to do any of that! My current broody ( 5 hatched, 6 to go!) wasn't getting off to eat/drink or poo. The clue was finding poo in the nest. So we started lifting her off once a day. The first day we did that she spent 5 solid minutes drinking. The water was literally 18 inches away from her and she hadn't left the nest. Not very bright.
I would have no problem feeding a broody chick starter. If ours are seperated, we've been feeding the Omega3 layer , just for any extra it can provide. Vinegar in the water, too and occasionally some vitamins.
Tomorrow evening we'll give the next broody a nest of eggs and see if she is serious. She certainly loves to bite!