Broody Hen Thread!

[16 paws]

It's been a crappy, nasty, everything that could go wrong did go wrong kinda day. Then I went out to gather eggs and.....

.

AGGIE IS BROODY AGAIN!

Out of the clear blue, no warning. She isn't sitting on the plastic eggs I'd left out but happily settled in on 6 eggs. Just to test the water, I took two eggs out of an empty nest and laid them in front of her. She immediately tucked them under her and when I stroked her back she gave me that wonderful raptor, don't touch me or I'll rip your arm off, growl.

I wondered why she didn't come out after her usual treats tonight. Now I know. The big question now is do I let her keep the 8 she is sitting on or do I get 4 hatching eggs, different breeds and try to add some variety to my flock? The first clutch of eggs turned out so well and the youngsters are so great makes me want to stay with my own eggs. Got till morning when I put her in her broody lock up to decide.

So the day ended great!

Oh congrats!

I know you have been wanting this for a while, so happy for you. I have been following along, just havent posted for a while. I have been dealing with a hard situation here. I have a broody that hatched chicks on Mothers Day. About a week ago I let her and her chicks out of the brooder box and had a little run fashioned out of half inch hardware cloth. Well those darn squirrels dug under the hardware cloth and left a small opening. One of the chicks got out and either the squirrel or the big chickens got a hold of it and pecked its eye out. The other eye didnt looked damaged but she hasnt opened it since so something happened. To top it all off I think she is deaf as well now. Had to separate her because she wasnt keeping up with mama and she was getting cold. So I grabbed 2 other hatch mates to keep her company. I am trying to keep her in the mama heating pad cave but she keeps coming out and getting cold, then chirps up a storm. I cant put her down because she has a strong will to live. I hope she makes it.

 

[microchick]

Thanks 16paws, yes, I was hoping one would go broody for me before the heat of summer was here. Kinda hoping it would be one of the other hens. Seems like Aggie just got her conditioning back from her February brood and for awhile I was afraid that she had something wrong with her as she gained weight back so slowly.

So sorry you are having such a heartbreaking problem with your chick. Have you tried flushing her remaining eye really well with normal saline. Double antibiotic ointment in the damaged eye and the undamaged one also won't cause any harm. Hang in there with the little one. She might surprise you.

 

[16 paws]

Thanks 16paws, yes, I was hoping one would go broody for me before the heat of summer was here. Kinda hoping it would be one of the other hens. Seems like Aggie just got her conditioning back from her February brood and for awhile I was afraid that she had something wrong with her as she gained weight back so slowly.

So sorry you are having such a heartbreaking problem with your chick. Have you tried flushing her remaining eye really well with normal saline. Double antibiotic ointment in the damaged eye and the undamaged one also won't cause any harm. Hang in there with the little one. She might surprise you.

Hows her weight now? Does she seem to be back to normal?

Yes it is heartbreaking to see her struggle. I have been putting in some eye antibiotic ointment and it is just not helping. Dont understand it because that eye never looked injured. I hope she does surprise all of us. I will be following along on your hatch. Good luck!
Marie

 

[microchick]

Yeah, she isn't as fat as the other hens but she did feel as though she was back to a normal BO weight.

PM sent.

 

[RachaelR32]

Peeking in at my broody I've seen several chicks moving around. I'm so nervous now as a I've got to go out for the afternoon. Its been well over 24hrs since the first hatched so I'm hoping she stays on the nest for the rest. Today is day 21 and I set late in the day so the hatch had been very early.

 

[goldie1234]

I am on day 12 with 2 first time broodies. It is my first time too! I have a couple of questions. I put 15 dark colored shipped eggs plus one of my own white eggs under them (8 each).

1. I have both broodies isolated, together in a 4x8 coop with an 8x8 run. Should I move one to my brooder or something...will 2 broodies be ok together with chicks after hatch?

2. The coop is 2 feet off the ground with a ladder. Should I block off the ladder/run after hatch so the babies don't fall. If so, how long do I keep everyone blocked?

3. I tried to candle at day 10. Unfortunately, I had no idea what I saw. I could see a big aircell (I'm guessing) in most. There were two distinct different areas that absorbed light differently. The white egg (my egg) I saw movement. The others were very, very dark eggs and I really had no idea. They all smelled fine, thats about all I really know for sure. When you candle you hold the flash light down pointed down the egg on the fat end right? I turned them upside down and shined up (fat end down)...did I hurt them?

4. I was thinking of candling again in the next couple of days. I do not want to be disruptive since I really don't know what I'm doing. What day should I try again?

Any advise would be appreciated.

 

[fisherlady]

I am on day 12 with 2 first time broodies. It is my first time too! I have a couple of questions. I put 15 dark colored shipped eggs plus one of my own white eggs under them (8 each).

1. I have both broodies isolated, together in a 4x8 coop with an 8x8 run. Should I move one to my brooder or something...will 2 broodies be ok together with chicks after hatch?

2. The coop is 2 feet off the ground with a ladder. Should I block off the ladder/run after hatch so the babies don't fall. If so, how long do I keep everyone blocked?

3. I tried to candle at day 10. Unfortunately, I had no idea what I saw. I could see a big aircell (I'm guessing) in most. There were two distinct different areas that absorbed light differently. The white egg (my egg) I saw movement. The others were very, very dark eggs and I really had no idea. They all smelled fine, thats about all I really know for sure. When you candle you hold the flash light down pointed down the egg on the fat end right? I turned them upside down and shined up (fat end down)...did I hurt them?

4. I was thinking of candling again in the next couple of days. I do not want to be disruptive since I really don't know what I'm doing. What day should I try again?

Any advise would be appreciated.

When I candle all I look for is a defined air cell on the rounded end. The air cell should be solid and not move when the egg is turned. If the contents are sloshy/rolling around like a lava lamp then I pitch the egg.
Turning the egg is no big deal, just be gentle and don't shake them, lol. The hens roll them around many times a day in the nest.
Many hens will raise chicks together but only experience will tell. You can create a wire frame to divide the coop in half the day before hatch if you are worried. Also block the door with wire for the first day or two and expect to have to help the chicks back in the coop the first week or figure out a way to add nesting area at ground level.

 

[nchls school]

I am on day 12 with 2 first time broodies. It is my first time too! I have a couple of questions. I put 15 dark colored shipped eggs plus one of my own white eggs under them (8 each).

1. I have both broodies isolated, together in a 4x8 coop with an 8x8 run. Should I move one to my brooder or something...will 2 broodies be ok together with chicks after hatch? If the hens got along before going broody, they may team up to raise the chicks. Be cautious.

2. The coop is 2 feet off the ground with a ladder. Should I block off the ladder/run after hatch so the babies don't fall. If so, how long do I keep everyone blocked? Yes. Until the chicks are old enough to handle the ladder. Only observation will tell you when it is safe.

3. I tried to candle at day 10. Unfortunately, I had no idea what I saw. I could see a big aircell (I'm guessing) in most. There were two distinct different areas that absorbed light differently. The white egg (my egg) I saw movement. The others were very, very dark eggs and I really had no idea. They all smelled fine, thats about all I really know for sure. When you candle you hold the flash light down pointed down the egg on the fat end right? I turned them upside down and shined up (fat end down)...did I hurt them? No.

4. I was thinking of candling again in the next couple of days. I do not want to be disruptive since I really don't know what I'm doing. What day should I try again? I candle on the 7th and 14th day.

Any advise would be appreciated. The best of luck to you.

 

[RachaelR32]

I just got home after being out for hours. 2 of the chicks had climbed out and couldn't get back in. Theres only a small edge to the nest but it was too much for them to get back. They seem fine now I've put them back under mamma hen. To stop it happening again I've moved them all onto the floor. A bit of a disturbance to mamma but I figured it was in the best interests of the ones already out. 8 of the 9 viable eggs have hatched already so only one to go. My brahma chick was just kicking out of the egg shell so is out but wet. Mamma settled right back down on the chicks and remaining egg so hopefully the brahma will dry out ok and the last egg has a chance. Its a wet day here so hopefully humidity while moving won't be a big problem. I could hear that the last egg has internally pipped but not externally pipped.

 

[16 paws]

Microchick and who ever else is following along concerning the blind chick.
I have an up-date.
It was a little bit of a rough night for Chicken Little, (that is what I decided to name her), she kept coming out of her mama heat pad cave and getting cold.Fortunately I could hear her from my deck when she would start chirping the distress call. I had to go down to the coop 4 times and put her back under the heat. I guess she didnt know it was night time.
Well today she is doing great. First thing this morning I raced down to the coop to see how she was doing, ( almost expecting to find her dead), and there she was just eating, pecking and making a huge mess of her food. She was really enjoying herself. The sun came up and she was relaxing and basking in the sun. I even moved her water and she found it right away. I am so proud of her for being a fighter. So for right now she does have quality of life and as long as she seems content and she is not in pain I will just take this thing one day at a time.
Thanks to those that offered advice or support, I really appreciate it.
Marie