Broody Hen Thread!

[fisherlady]

I am new to having broody hens and it's getting pretty stressful! Weather here is terrible. 28 degrees and an ice storm. My hen hatched 3 babies in the nest box, inside the chicken coop on Friday/Saturday. This morning I was outside and I heard a baby crying. So I went to investigate. There was 1 baby out of the nest box (there's about an 8 inch lip on the box) and the baby could not get back in with mom. He was cold and crying like crazy and mom was just sitting there like nothing. So I put him back under her. I put up a heat lamp because I was worried if it happened again and I was not around the baby wouldn't have much time before he froze. I've never used a heat light inside the coop before. I also put a chick feeder and waterer, right outside the nest box, so mom can bring the babies out to eat and drink but she hasn't yet. I'm nervous about the light so I went back out to check now and again the one baby was out of the nest and crying. And mom is just sitting there. It's about 50 degrees in there now with the light. Is this normal for the baby to keep leaving the nest solo? How is she going to get them all in and out of the nest box?? Should I seperate her and the babies and bring them inside?? Any advice is appreciated. This hen was a year old when I got her, so I don't know if she's ever been a mom before now.

Build them a new nest on the floor, toddling chicks will explore and short of placing a wire fence over the front of the current nest box you won't keep them in it.
If mama still has eggs she may be torn between getting up with the hatched chicks and staying on the eggs...
Just prepare a low sided box or even just a pile of soft hay in a quiet corner, dish the center out a bit, move chicks and remaining eggs to floor nest and mama will follow. If she thinks she still has eggs under her she may be reluctant to move but you can pick her up and place her on the floor beside her new nest and she should be easy to coax into it.

 

[RubyNala97]

Build them a new nest on the floor, toddling chicks will explore and short of placing a wire fence over the front of the current nest box you won't keep them in it.
If mama still has eggs she may be torn between getting up with the hatched chicks and staying on the eggs...
Just prepare a low sided box or even just a pile of soft hay in a quiet corner, dish the center out a bit, move chicks and remaining eggs to floor nest and mama will follow. If she thinks she still has eggs under her she may be reluctant to move but you can pick her up and place her on the floor beside her new nest and she should be easy to coax into it.

Ok. Because it just happened again! That's 3 times today. I could hear the chick crying from my kitchen door. Once it gets out it can't get back in. She only had 3 eggs and she hatched them all. But yesterday I found more eggs under her. She's in everyone's favorite nest box, so the other girls climb in with her and lay their eggs. I will make a nest on the coop floor. Thank you so much!

 

[RubyNala97]

Build them a new nest on the floor, toddling chicks will explore and short of placing a wire fence over the front of the current nest box you won't keep them in it.
If mama still has eggs she may be torn between getting up with the hatched chicks and staying on the eggs...
Just prepare a low sided box or even just a pile of soft hay in a quiet corner, dish the center out a bit, move chicks and remaining eggs to floor nest and mama will follow. If she thinks she still has eggs under her she may be reluctant to move but you can pick her up and place her on the floor beside her new nest and she should be easy to coax into it.

I went out there to build a new nest and move them and she was gone! She left the nest and the babies and went and sat in a different nest that had eggs in it! She left the babies behind! I took the eggs inside and I did just as you said. I moved the babies to the floor and the mom. I will go check in a little bit to see if they are ok.

 

[fisherlady]

I went out there to build a new nest and move them and she was gone! She left the nest and the babies and went and sat in a different nest that had eggs in it! She left the babies behind! I took the eggs inside and I did just as you said. I moved the babies to the floor and the mom. I will go check in a little bit to see if they are ok.

It may take her a day or two to transition to mama mode, she is still in the sitting mode....it isn't uncommon for new broodies to take a bit to get things sorted out. You are doing great with her and the littles, it shouldn't take too much longer.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Ok. Because it just happened again! That's 3 times today. I could hear the chick crying from my kitchen door. Once it gets out it can't get back in. She only had 3 eggs and she hatched them all. But yesterday I found more eggs under her. She's in everyone's favorite nest box, so the other girls climb in with her and lay their eggs. I will make a nest on the coop floor. Thank you so much!

It can be a mess/problem. I hope everything works out.

If you know my post/replies you know I preach--Move them broodies to a private pen and always set Fresh eggs under her so she does not have a staggered hatch(I think you did this). To me its just best to do this so I do not have to deal with this type problem and the other you stated below in the future---It can be very stressfull for her and you. Good Luck!

 

[RubyNala97]

I will get this "broody" thing figured out. I thought it was a no brainier. Mama figures it all out. But I'm learning that's not the case and it takes some getting used to, just like when I learned to incubate eggs and hatch them myself. I think next time and I know there will be a next time because I have a dozen silkie girls coming of age, I will seperate the broody and put her in a big space on the floor. I'll put some bedding down and food and water but no high boxes or nests with lips on them. That way babies can go in & out without having a hard time getting back under mama.
Here she is...can you see the little baby peeking out???

 

[nchls school]

I will get this "broody" thing figured out. I thought it was a no brainier. Mama figures it all out. But I'm learning that's not the case and it takes some getting used to, just like when I learned to incubate eggs and hatch them myself. I think next time and I know there will be a next time because I have a dozen silkie girls coming of age, I will seperate the broody and put her in a big space on the floor. I'll put some bedding down and food and water but no high boxes or nests with lips on them. That way babies can go in & out without having a hard time getting back under mama.
Here she is...can you see the little baby peeking out???

So very cute. Silkes definitely don't like high boxes, but my serama do.

 

[microchick]

Don't worry RubyNala97, like raising kids, the first broody is always the hardest. Just take a deep breath. I think it's safe to say that just about all of us has had the same 'oh crap' moment that you have been experiencing. Hens have been hatching eggs since well, probably since dinosaurs walked the earth. It'll get easier for both you and your hen.

PD Riverman, preach away! Your advice is the best and your cool headed experience has calmed many a jangled nerve for the new broody owner...mine included.

I had a funny thing happen today with our chicks. We have cornered off a section of run near their nursery so they can get used to being outside and in view of the main flock. I toss scratch to them so the chicks and adults are eating next to one another. Today was spring cleaning day so I had to take down the fence, and pen up the youngsters in order to clean out the main coop. Afterwards, I put the fence back up and let the chicks out thinking that I would batten things down along the way. Before I could turn around, zip, the biggest of the 8, a little cockerel named Primo who is all fuss and attitude slid under the fence followed by Dos the second largest cockerel and finally one of the smaller Buff O chicks joined the two escapees. They immediately ran over to the main flock and joined them, looking up at the roosters and strolling through the hens that were dust bathing. I couldn't believe how smooth it was going until Primo went over to one of the Welsummer hens and curiously pecked at her beak. She kind of looked at him like "who the heck are you and who gave you permission to touch me?" before she gave him a peck and sent him on his way. That was all it took. In a moment of sudden recognition, all the adults suddenly noticed these kids strolling about and sent them scooting back to the fence squealing in distress from the sharp reprimands they were getting. Suddenly they wanted back in that pen again and luckily all I had to do at that point was lift the bottom of the loose fence so they could dart back under to safety. I think they found out that they aren't nearly as grown up as they think they are, even though Primo's voice is starting to change all ready. Next time they decide (or I do) that it's time to enter the world of the adult chicken I'll rig their fence so they can escape back under it if they need to go to their safe place.

My poor broody, Aggie is still just having a terrible time of it trying to get back to everyday life with the flock. She's laying every day but continues to be nervous and almost frightened of the roosters. I'd almost rather see her return to being broody other than being so miserable. How long does it take before they settle down? She has been done with the little monsters for 10 days now.

 

[the poppster]

Question for al you seasoned hatchers!

My broody hen is due to hatch her chicks in a few days,  I also have 11 chicks I purchased just before she decided to sit.  What I need to know is....can I put the month old store bought chicks in the same coop with the broody once she has her chicks?  This is our first broody...first hatch!  Will she hurt the older chicks if they get too close or rambunctious?  I can put them behind a wire enclosure if need be.  Just hoping I won't have to and they will all have access to the same food and water.  I don't want her to get stressed or something with the other juveniles in the same house and abandon her new chicks.

No Do not expect the broody hen to accept the older chicks....she will probably attack them and the older chicks might go after the younger chicks. Mixing them before they are ready to be on their own will probably cause as a stressor....and my cause the younger chicks to not grow as quickly as they would if isolated with the broody for a few weeks.

 

[Curnow]

No Do not expect the broody hen to accept the older chicks....she will probably attack them and the older chicks might go after the younger chicks. Mixing them before they are ready to be on their own will probably cause as a stressor....and my cause the younger chicks to not grow as quickly as they would if isolated with the broody for a few weeks.

Thanks for the advice. I told my husband that broody must have overheard us talking about getting chicks and been offended! It won't be terribly hard to keep them separate. I was just hoping that they could all just move into my smaller coop at the same time.