Broody Hen Thread!

[the poppster]

I checked on her this morning when I let the flock out. Still no signs that she has been off the nest and she still looks more alert. I carefully opened the lid to the nesting boxes and listened. Still no peep peep peep but tomorrow is officially the first day for the early hatchers. This waiting is miserable.

Having a house chicken around here would be interesting to say the least. We would have 5 lazy house cats sitting on top of the cage never blinking, just staring and at least two dogs that would be glued to the area. The only way we could have a house chicken is if was a rooster and then the cats would have an attitude adjustment but the dogs would have dinner. Sometimes you just gotta count the pros and cons and just settle for what you can get.

Still, poppster, having a broody cam would be interesting.  It would be simple to say, hen observed getting off nest, eating, drinking, pooing, returned to nest. For 19 days. At least it would be consistent and easy to manage.

ya....like watching cement set...I've got a border collie house dog...She "Loves" the birdies...She looks at me and her eyes say...."Just one Mom...Just one bite, PLEASE!" ....fortunately she is pretty respectful of what is and is not allowed...She will stalk any birds that are not smart enough to stay in the pen or get back in if she's around...I can stop her in mid lunge, if the target becomes toooo!! Tempting....but I won't claim that she wouldn't kill if given the chance. Luckily she ignores the house chicken. She taught the last one to alarm call whenever the neighbor came to visit....She would start to bark and the chicken would start to alarm call....by the third visit the chicken would alarm call as soon as she saw the neighbor...so funny!

 

[fisherlady]

I checked on her this morning when I let the flock out. Still no signs that she has been off the nest and she still looks more alert. I carefully opened the lid to the nesting boxes and listened. Still no peep peep peep but tomorrow is officially the first day for the early hatchers. This waiting is miserable.

Having a house chicken around here would be interesting to say the least. We would have 5 lazy house cats sitting on top of the cage never blinking, just staring and at least two dogs that would be glued to the area. The only way we could have a house chicken is if was a rooster and then the cats would have an attitude adjustment but the dogs would have dinner. Sometimes you just gotta count the pros and cons and just settle for what you can get.

Still, poppster, having a broody cam would be interesting. It would be simple to say, hen observed getting off nest, eating, drinking, pooing, returned to nest. For 19 days. At least it would be consistent and easy to manage.

We have had broody cams, and loved them....it was actually pretty eye opening to see how often the hen would roll the eggs around and reshuffle her nest area. Also neat to see how often others in the flock come by and visit. We now have a couple of wireless nursery camera and monitor set ups which we swap around to whatever area we want to observe. We go away most weekends during summer and also invested in a security camera system which we can view over the internet. We absolutely love it and check in on the house and coops frequently when away from home.

 

[microchick]

Too funny Poppster. My husband and I were just talking about that. Our Border Collie is 12 years old this year and slowing up a bit. Still she has always been respectful to the chickens and we count on her guarding them if we are gone for the day as she HATES raccoons with a screaming red passion. We once saw her go through a fence, down a deep ravine, cross a stream, go up another steep ravine in order to catch and kill a raccoon she had sighted. She obediently brought it back to us, laid it at our feet and looked up as if saying 'did I do good?' I said I didn't know what I was going to do for a chicken guard when she is gone across the rainbow bridge. Our two youngest are brother and sister. Momma was a Border Collie. Sissy's daddy was a Jack Russell Terrier, Bubba's was probably a Walker Coon Hound type of dog. One day we let some extra roosters out to free range and for two days none of the dogs had paid them much mind. On the third day it was as if a light went on and Bubba noticed the roosters and took out after them. He caught one and much to his surprise came away with a mouthful of feathers. His moment of surprise gave the rooster a chance to run for his life. I found the rooster sitting at the back door begging to be let in, no worse for the experience except for some missing feathers.

To this day all I have to say is guard the chickies, Bubba and he takes off for the barn where he lays under the tractor and stares at them for hours. He might just be my next guard dog as long as he doesn't get a hankering for fresh rooster.

 

[16 paws]

Your lucky microchick to have the dogs guard your chickens.
We have been having a bobcat come to visit here and has been taking a couple chickens here and there. I have 6 Yorkies and would not dare to let them out there to guard anything!
The chickens have been in lockdown now for a few days and they are not happy. They still have a lot of space that is fenced in and above but they miss free-ranging in the afternoon. That bobcat is very bold, comes in broad daylight. I am thinking of getting a nursery camera to check on them as well.Last time I caught the bobbie here I had just glanced down at the coop from my deck when I saw this bobbie look up at me with my roo in his mouth! The roo made it but he had killed a hen right before that. Very bold and very fast....
Marie

 

[malkered]

Belle is on day 15 now and sticking at it. As far as I can tell all seven eggs are developing so she may end up a proud mother of seven (surrogate) chicks. Six of them are from my 9 hens but one is a light green possibly Araucana egg, I assume that she won't see it as different and an impostor!?

I hope no one thinks this cruel but I do find it amusing to give Belle a quick pat on th back as it sounds quite funny when she scolds me.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Belle is on day 15 now and sticking at it. As far as I can tell all seven eggs are developing so she may end up a proud mother of seven (surrogate) chicks. Six of them are from my 9 hens but one is a light green possibly Araucana egg, I assume that she won't see it as different and an impostor!?

I hope no one thinks this cruel but I do find it amusing to give Belle a quick pat on th back as it sounds quite funny when she scolds me.

They don't care who the babies came from, they did all the work so they consider them all theirs, even if they don't look alike.

I have my girl in the "general population" and of course she is in the favorite nest box so nightly, I roll the eggs out to remove any that were "added" during the day. I get lots of broody growls and sometimes a peck.

 

[chickmeme]

I have a hen going broody and wonder how should I store the eggs for a day or two until I have enough to put under her? She is a buff orpington. how many can she brood?

 

[malkered]

I have a further 10 Bantam eggs in the incubator and I'm wondering now whether I should have given these to Belle too although 17 eggs is probably too much?

 

[the poppster]

Beautiful Momma Bird update...Now here's an untouched photo broody and still warm poop...you asked for it! Amazing that came out of that little bird...all at one time!

 

[Puddin Fluff]

I have a hen going broody and wonder how should I store the eggs for a day or two until I have enough to put under her?  She is a buff orpington.  how many can she brood?

You can keep them on your kitchen counter in an egg crate. Put the pointy end down. Most people I have heard say you loose fertility past 5 to 7 days but they are potentially hatchable past that. I am actually running a test with this hatch, some of the eggs I was given were almost 3 weeks old so I am keeping records to see how they do.

As to how many, if its her first go, you may want to just give a few to see how she does with the brood and then as a mother. If it were me, I would put up to 8 and expect that a couple won't hatch for whatever reason.