Broody Hen Thread!

[harrellkd]

I've had 2 over the years that plucked their chest. Both were Black Australorps,not related to each other. One was ten or twelve years ago and the other one is sitting on seven eggs right now.

My blue copper marans plucked her whole belly/lower chest too.

 

[harrellkd]

What types of hens tend to go broody? I'd love a brood. I just did my first incubator hatch and boo hiss! It was awful. The hens I have act broody if they lay on a nest with other eggs but they are off it as soon as they hear the rooster call them for treats.

Silkies are the best! I saw a list the other day.....ill try to find it for you

 

[jonezjollyfarm]

I'd love to see that list. See I occasionally find feathers in the nesting boxes. I wonder if they want to but give up really fast

 

[rooboo]

Hey all, we have a hen who adamantly sought out an isolated laying spot about a month ago (we tried to get her back in the coop, then tried to just make the spot she was in comfortable, and she moved 3 times until we left it alone). I mark the eggs she lays and take them out about every 6 day, so she has between 6 and 12 eggs all the time. 2 days ago she got on the eggs at 4pm and stayed on until after dark, so i assume she stayed on all night. The next day it DOWNPOURED and she left her nest for the entire day. She was out by 645am. She didn't get on it that night. Today she got on for almost 3 hours, and then off for i dont know how long, and she is back on and in for the night.

Question one: are the eggs bad? The ones she sat on for the night? Question 2: is she trying to gobroody? Can it just take her a few days to ease in and figure it out? She would be the first in our flock to ever do it. I could put some eggs from the other girls under her to replace the ones that might be bad. I'm confused by her!

She's just having fun and laughing at you Lol. Sometimes people tend to over think things. I would just leave her alone, she probably knows what she's doing and she probably doesn't want your help. Here's a couple pictures of my silkies that brooded eggs last year. There were two of them laying eggs in the same nest box, and when they decided they had enough eggs the one started sitting while the other one kept laying eggs in the nest. Once the second one decided it was enough, she snuggled in with the other one and they both sat together. If you notice the picture of the eggs, they are absolutely filthy, you would think that they were just wasting their time. I don't remember the exact number of eggs that were in the nest, but it was around 28 eggs. During the time they were sitting they would occasionally push an egg out of the nest from time to time, which I would dispose of. Three weeks later they started hatching, one of them left the nest with 13 babies in the other picture. The other hen kept sitting on the rest of the eggs, and a few days later she came out with 8 more chicks. A total of 21 little silkies. I'm not a chicken, so I don't question what they're doing, because obviously they know, and that's all that matters. My suggestion would be to let her be, once she gets settled in on her own, she will protect her nest and let you know that she doesn't want you messing with her. She'll be happy to introduce you to the babies when she's ready. I believe in the hands off approach.

 

[trailrider330]

I've had 2 over the years that plucked their chest. Both were Black Australorps,not related to each other. One was ten or twelve years ago and the other one is sitting on seven eggs right now.

All 3 of my broodies have plucked their feathers. When I see a nest box lined with freshly plucked feathers, I always know someone is getting ready to go broody.

 

[fisherlady]

@irishsilkie
This was just posted yesterday...

Quote:
Originally Posted by fisherlady

You can't make a hen go broody! X2. You can encourage a hen who is already hormonally predisposed to it to maybe sit, X2. but it is a very iffy proposition. Depends on the breed.
You have to wait until she has decided to sit before getting her eggs, For the most part I leave the eggs as they are laid. In the last year 100% of the hens have gone broody.and I don't usually recommend special or expensive hatching eggs for a first time broody. X2.

Hatching eggs begin to loose viability after 7 days, many wouldn't use them past 10 days and I would only use them at 10-14 days if they were my own eggs and I knew they had been carefully handled.

Broody hens don't tolerate contact with other flockmates or people, they puff up and screech when someone gets near them... they park themselves on a nest and stay there around the clock except for a short daily break to eat, drink and relieve themselves (broody poo is huge and horrible smelling!) X2.
They will often pluck their chest also... I have never had a broody chicken do this in the 40 years I have had chickens.


Our flock
(101 photos)

I've had 2 over the years that plucked their chest. Both were Black Australorps,not related to each other. One was ten or twelve years ago and the other one is sitting on seven eggs right now.

Most of my hens pluck their chest, but most are large fowl breeds, the only ones we have who don't pluck their chest are a silkie and 2 silkie crosses, so maybe breed or size dependent?

 

[thebulg]

I think you are probably right! She definitely has a mindset to go broody, i should probably just leave her be and hope for the best!!!! Your chickens sound hilarious and super fun!!! How cute is it that they tag teamed!?!

 

[harrellkd]

I'd love to see that list. See I occasionally find feathers in the nesting boxes. I wonder if they want to but give up really fast

Found it!!! This was from another BYC thread.

 

[nchls school]

Most of my hens pluck their chest, but most are large fowl breeds, the only ones we have who don't pluck their chest are a silkie and 2 silkie crosses, so maybe breed or size dependent?

Quite likely as I have silkies and serama; mixed bantams in the past.

 

[jonezjollyfarm]

I think my rooster would seriously hurt a silkie. I still worry about my leghorn sometimes. Thank you for posting the list.