Broody Hen Thread!

[wolf-hen300]

Hey,


Everyone! this will be a thread about broody hens! Post pics, tell stories, ask questions, suggest, ANYTHING!! /img/smilies/wee.gif I have a year old black hen (dont know what breed she is) who is broody, I put an egg under her that is from one of the other hens I dont know if it is fertile but if it is it will hatch on may 3rd when i go in there she puffs up and growls at me XD she even attacked my rooster when he tried to see her.


GOOOOO!!!!! /img/smilies/celebrate.gif/img/smilies/celebrate.gif

 

[nchls school]

Irishsilkie, a few days ago you asked if golf balls would encourage a broody, then you asked about placing them into a bucket.... and now you are claiming a variety of very odd sounding methods which are 'proven' to work....
I will ask that you provide a list of your sources.
Have you personally used any of these methods?

We try to be as helpful as possible on this thread, but are careful to provide information based on personal experience or well researched materials.

X 2.

 

[RubyNala97]

You guys have been such a tremendous help on this thread with my new broodys. I wanted to share a quick story. I had eggs in the incubator and when my hen went broody I gave her a couple and kept most to incubate myself (to sell). She hatched hers and I hatched mine. I brooded mine in the house for 2 weeks and gradually sold them all except there was one chick I absolutely could not part with because I wanted to keep it to breed but also knew I couldn't keep a single chick alone. So I decided to see if mom would take it. It was daytime but the lady was here to buy the rest of my brooded chicks so we put the chick down behind her and I threw down some finch mix to distract her and she didn't even notice. The 2 week old baby took right to mom and mom took right to the baby as if it was hers the whole time! I was so happy. Today I let them free range together. Mom chased away any other chickens that came within 2 feet of the babies. she had 1 fight with another hen. But that's all normal behavior, right?

 

[harrellkd]

Well it's day 7 and I think Miss Ellie the broody is totall failing. Although she has sat diligently on her eggs, it appears that she is not turning them and they are all growing on one side of the egg. I took the viable ones from her, hoping they will make it and put them in the incubator. I left her a few that I'm almost positive aren't viable and marked an X on one side so I can check to see if my assumption is correct. Has anyone ever had this happen? Suggestions? Here are two photos of the same egg

 

[wolf-hen300]

My broody did the weirdest thing today. When i went out to check on every one she ran out of her hen house clucking and took a dirt bath. She then drank tons of water and started walking around with the other hens. I had someone with me and we were feeding the chickens scraps so i tried to chase her towards the scraps and she ran at my friend, turned around, and went back to her nest and sat on her egg. Dont know if this is normal.

 

[alibabba]

Harrellkd, Hi only 4 broody hatches. Thats how they looked to me with my flashlight candling. Viens and all are good. Blood ring is bad. Some i never could see very well, too dark shell. They hatched. BOL!

 

[microchick]

My broody did the weirdest thing today. When i went out to check on every one she ran out of her hen house clucking and took a dirt bath. She then drank tons of water and started walking around with the other hens. I had someone with me and we were feeding the chickens scraps so i tried to chase her towards the scraps and she ran at my friend, turned around, and went back to her nest and sat on her egg. Dont know if this is normal.

Hormones, ain't they wonderful? I wouldn't be too worried. She was probably just taking a break and you and your friend caught her at it. I don't think her running at your friend is all that unusual either. She probably didn't know her and saw her as a threat.

I'd say you got yourself a good broody hen. Happy hatching!

 

[alibabba]

This teeny little D'Uccle...has 8 medium/large SF eggs under her...no problem! She is serious! Not letting any out.

1 Cochin, 2 Breda, 2 Ameraucana, 3 EE's.

She and her sister have hatched everything I have given them.

Love love broody's!!!

 

[DoubleR]

I have a broody hen sitting on 9 eggs hatching April 25th she is in the coop with the other chickens. Do I need to separate her and the eggs before they hatch?

 

[wolf-hen300]

She is very serious about her job. She wont let anything get to her egg she attacked a raven that got in there and she will only let the rooster in there at night to sleep with her. She has only one egg and hasnt been laying. But I beleive for a first time brooder and hatcher she is doing good!