Broody Hen Thread!

[PD-Riverman]

It wasn't the incubator that did me in, it was the dang broody hens.

Oh Yea I had a little over 60 of them to hatch out in about 1 1/2 years---but that was no problem at the time.

 

[Macis Papa]

I think I might as well build another coop, I have 3 might as well have 4.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I think I might as well build another coop, I have 3 might as well have 4.

No, NO, NOOOOO don't Do it----I had 1 then had 2 then 3 also---- then 4 and 5 now over 60----Resist---Don't DO IT!!!!!! LOL

 

[Macis Papa]

Last year my wife went away for the weekend. I put an addition on one of the coops, I'm not sure if she's even noticed it yet. She's not really in to the whole chicken thing. LOL

 

[the poppster]

I'm jealous...wish I had a bigger yard....or a small farm....or a few acres to make into a farm...just so I could LOOSE THE BROODYS! Maybe it's a good thing I only have a yard. Could still use another coop...I've eyed up the left half of my wood shed...

 

[laura s]

Yes, I am a victim of chicken math. Currently have 4 coops for chickens and 1 quail pen. AND my tiny bantam went broody this week.

 

[laurianne]

When placing store bought chicks with a broody hen, do you place the chicks under her belly or under her wings. I want to try this for the first time in the spring. I have a silkie who is constantly going broody and I think she would be a good mom. I have heard many success stories of doing this.
Is there any info I need to know, besides putting the chicks with her at night time.

Thank you!

 

[William1hens]

When placing store bought chicks with a broody hen, do you place the chicks under her belly or under her wings. I want to try this for the first time in the spring. I have a silkie who is constantly going broody and I think she would be a good mom. I have heard many success stories of doing this.
Is there any info I need to know, besides putting the chicks with her at night time.

Thank you!

e

I wouldn't think it would make any difference as long as she is covering them.

 

[fisherlady]

There is always a risk that the broody will reject the chick, or visa-versa... but you can minimize the risk by making sure that chick is as young as possible when you slip them under the broody. Don't even show them the babies first, just cup them in your hand and slide them under with as little drama as possible... but be ready to spend some time in the coop afterwards because you will absolutely have to keep an eye on what is going on. When I did this with my broody she was fine with the babies, but the babies were clueless on what a broody is.... they had spent their short life thinking a bright light was the source of heat, so suddenly being under a dark broody was totally foreign to them, when they popped out from under Frannie to look around they didn't understand the concept of going back under her to get warm and toasty again. So for the first few hours I babysat by sitting by the nest and each time they came out to explore I gently guided them back under her after a few minutes. It took a few times each before they started realizing what it was all about and by that evening they had it down pat... but it takes a lot of time out of your day to make sure it goes smoothly. You may be able to just give them too her without there being any trouble, but in cool weather with new broodies it is a pretty high risk to try it without supervision.
If for some reason you absolutely can't be there to supervise you may want to provide a secondary source of heat right close to the broody so if the chick doesn't go back to her at least it won't freeze before you find it is having trouble.
,

Brought this forward rather than retype it... I just tuck them under left or right breast area, wing should work also, especially if adding a lot of chicks.

 

[fisherlady]

It is a very effective way of dealing with situations like you are in. I would continue to allow her to set on the two 'fakes' and try to be at the feed store at or near delivery time for the little ones. The problems with grafting is rarely on the hen's side of things, it is more often that the chicks have become accustomed to the brood lights already and are scared of the big chicken mama and don't understand that being under her is a good thing.
I would get at least 3 little ones, this allows you to handle multiple situations, if one or more doesn't graft it will give you another one to stay with it in the brooder while mama still has at least one to take care of.
When you get the little ones I would get them straight out to her in the coop, cup the chick in your hand with your hand on top, make sure the chick is well covered by your hand. Hold your other hand flat and slide it under your hen and lift her gently just high enough to slip the chick under her, release the chick and slide your hand out from under her to let her settle for a few moments, then repeat with the next chick. Do not show the hen the chick beforehand and make sure your hand covers the chick well to prevent the broody from pecking it. They often peck little ones as a way to tell them 'get back under me where you belong'.... it just seems to be their way and doesn't automatically mean they are trying to be nasty to the little one at all... but the poor little chick could be scared by such an event and you want to reduce the stress on them as much as possible to improve the grafting chances.

I would then cover her nest area with a towel or sheet to help reduce the light and reduce the stimulus.(unless it is already in a dark or quiet corner) You should remain with them so that you can catch any chicks who pop out and don't understand what they need to do... just repeat the process of placing them under her. Remember that the chicks don't recognize the broody hen as 'natural', to them the situation is scary and foreign so it takes a short while for their instincts to switch over. Continue to observe them for a while and after you are content that they seem settled you can leave them for a while, but check back frequently. Also make sure that the area is rather confined.... the chicks will lack the instinct to stay near 'mama' and may get lost or just stay out from under her and cheep rather than understanding how to get back under her.

Another on grafting with a little more descriptive information