Broody Hen Thread!

[katatonic123]

I got home to find TWO broodies sharing a nest! To the time out box they went.

 

[yolksonus]

I think I have a broody hen, but we have no roosters so she isn't going to hatch anything. She spent a couple days in a nest box, and she did go out and eat as I took her out of the nest box myself a few times. She is not a happy girl when I take her out! So, we put her in a dog crate with the bottom a bit elevated and covered with chicken wire. She looks pitiful and I feel terrible!! I don't think she's eaten and she just sits there.

 

[Pork Pie]

I think I have a broody hen, but we have no roosters so she isn't going to hatch anything. She spent a couple days in a nest box, and she did go out and eat as I took her out of the nest box myself a few times. She is not a happy girl when I take her out! So, we put her in a dog crate with the bottom a bit elevated and covered with chicken wire. She looks pitiful and I feel terrible!! I don't think she's eaten and she just sits there.

As long as she has food and water she will be fine. I think that the frustration of not being with the flock helps to break broodiness - course i am guessing, but they sure get cheesed off when treats are in the offing!

CT

 

[PD-Riverman]

She looks pitiful and I feel terrible!! I don't think she's eaten and she just sits there.

She is fine----3 days and she can go on with chicken scratching-----and not have to sit in a nest for weeks for no reason. You did Good!

 

[FarmerMac]

I had a broody that could not brake her. Got her wet, put her in a cage with no luck. So I gave in and put 6 eggs in her nest from a pair that I have in a separate pen. 5 of them were light blue eggs from an EE. One was a white egg from a white leghorn hen. Here are the babies that came from those eggs.

 

[S5apiotrowski]

Its best for you to collect ever how many eggs you would want her to set on---then place them all under her at the same time----so all will hatch at the same time.

I moved about 70 broody hens in the last year---all stayed and all hatched----There is just certain ways to do it that works for me.

If you want her to set----you could put her back in the original nest with some ceramic eggs to see if she will stay on them-----then in a couple days move her in a way that she should accept the move and if she does then place some real eggs under her. Good Luck

I've not been around the last 2 days to watch her, but it appears she sat on ceramic eggs in the broody area Monday during the day, but she busted out in the evening and roosted with a group of hens (but not her preferred coop). Today she returned into her preferred coop with the nesting boxes, but was on the roost instead of in the box.

I'll let her do what makes her happy. If she stays in the nesting box at night again (or I observe a lot of sitting during the day), I'll move the ceramic eggs to her and see what happens. If she is dedicated to set, I'll let her. But if its not in the cards, thats okay too. I was hopeful the stars may align and she could mother the hatchlings, but all is well.

 

[Honora]

I had a broody that could not brake her. Got her wet, put her in a cage with no luck. So I gave in and put 6 eggs in her nest from a pair that I have in a separate pen. 5 of them were light blue eggs from an EE. One was a white egg from a white leghorn hen. Here are the babies that came from those eggs.

They are so cute. What breed is the hen?

 

[FarmerMac]

She is an EE, the hen that laid the blue eggs is from this pair. She is an EE too.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I hatched 16/17 a couple of weeks ago, 4 went to a friend. This mom had 4 for a bit, now the mom is in the house to bond with the other 8 she has not sat on yet. she went right to the chicks and sat.12 souls now... they will bond tonight then go to an outdoor brooder box tomorrow.

 

[phryan]

Not exactly a broody anymore but when I went out to check and make sure everyone made it into the coop last night. Found my most recent broody and her 9 chicks now almost 2 months old had taken over a nest box for the night. They were packed into 15" cube.