Broody Hen Thread!

[ChxLadyCass]

Hey all! I have a Buff Orpington who sleeps in her nest box and is often there in the day, but does get out to socialize and eat. How do I know if she is spending enough time in the nest to hatch and brood chicks? Also, the nest is raised and we have lost chicks before falling out of it. Any suggestions on building a ramp or lip on the nest to keep them safe? Thank you!

 

[PouleNoire]

Naturally she will know if she is spending enough time on the nest so I wouldn't worry about that, building a lip or ramp would probably be a good idea but I don't have experience with broodies, I am hoping to get my first experience this spring!! But you could also maybe move her to a nesting box on the ground?

 

[nchls school]

Hey all! I have a Buff Orpington who sleeps in her nest box and is often there in the day, but does get out to socialize and eat. How do I know if she is spending enough time in the nest to hatch and brood chicks? A good broody will not leave the eggs untended for long; 10-20 minutes-not long enough to where the eggs get cold. Also, the nest is raised and we have lost chicks before falling out of it. Any suggestions on building a ramp or lip on the nest to keep them safe? When the chicks start hatching put a cardboard rim around the nest; high enough so the chicks can't fall out. Many of my nest boxes are higher up/also removable. When chicks are hatching the nest box is moved to a safer location; usually after one or two eggs have hatched. At that point the hen will stay with the chicks/moved nest and not try to return to the original location.Thank you!

 

[microchick]

My best advice is that the broody needs to be isolated from her coop mates if the hen is definitely Broody. You won't want the other hens to lay in her nest box and saddle you with a staggered hatch. Some have a broody pen. I simply attach a cage to the outside of the nesting box that the broody has claimed and fasten it securely so the broody has her own space and her own nesting box. Some people simply lock the broody in her nesting box so she doesn't get confused and try to switch nesting boxes. Of course then you have to be sure to give her the opportunity to leave the nest to stretch her legs on occasion.

You can provide a ramp as mentioned, piled bedding, or you can be on scene to assist babies and momma down and make certain they have a box at ground level that they can retreat to for safety.

 

[Coop de Grass]

Yea I had one set and had her first two chicks lost her and one chick along with over 20 hens so I was decimated I have now 14 day olds and her one on my second incubation trying to get my flock reestablished

So sorry about your flock.

I guess that is one of the things we learn when we have chickens. It isn't easy, but it's a part of the entire experience. Wishing you all the good fortune with your new little ones.

 

[Coop de Grass]

Excellent advice!

 

[Coop de Grass]

Hey all! I have a Buff Orpington who sleeps in her nest box and is often there in the day, but does get out to socialize and eat. How do I know if she is spending enough time in the nest to hatch and brood chicks? Also, the nest is raised and we have lost chicks before falling out of it. Any suggestions on building a ramp or lip on the nest to keep them safe? Thank you!

My Buff Orpington was the first broody hen I'd ever experienced. I bought her fertilized eggs because she was so determined. Luckily her nest box was low, so it was never a problem. I have had other broodies, and once the chicks are hatching, it is easier to move them to a new nest box. My broody area is across the coop from the regular nest boxes. When I started to move the chicks, she immediately joined them. It was easier than trying to stop the other hens from crowding her out of the original nest box.

I apologize for the baby talk, but I can't help talking to my babies! You can see that the nest box is low to the floor and the straw bridges the gap. They manage to scramble nack up to the nest box fairly easily.

 

[PouleNoire]

I like the separate nesting box idea, and it's good to hear you had good luck with your buff, I am pretty sure Twinkie, my buff orpington, might be the one to hatch for me this year .

 

[ChxLadyCass]

Thank you for all the great advice! The nesting boxes are not mobile so I think moving one to the ground or doing the cardboard lip idea would be best.

My buff does leave the nest long enough for the eggs to get cold, so maybe she isn't ready to brood?

@microchick what is a staggered hatch? I haven't heard of that before! I am not sure who is laying the eggs either!

We are talking about buying new chicks. I think I have seen it asked somewhere else if you can just give those new chicks to a hen to mother, but now I am slightly concerned that none of my hens are ready to mother. Only our australorp has raised a chick from egg to hen.

Love the baby chicks Coop de Grass! Those are adorable chicks!

 

[microchick]

Thank you for all the great advice! The nesting boxes are not mobile so I think moving one to the ground or doing the cardboard lip idea would be best.

My buff does leave the nest long enough for the eggs to get cold, so maybe she isn't ready to brood?

@microchick what is a staggered hatch? I haven't heard of that before! I am not sure who is laying the eggs either!

We are talking about buying new chicks. I think I have seen it asked somewhere else if you can just give those new chicks to a hen to mother, but now I am slightly concerned that none of my hens are ready to mother. Only our australorp has raised a chick from egg to hen.

Love the baby chicks Coop de Grass! Those are adorable chicks!

A staggered hatch is when you have eggs that are not set to hatch on the same day or within 24 hours of the first chick hatching. Bad when you consider that mom will lead her new babies to water and food and leave unhatched eggs behind even if they are viable but just late to hatch. That is why it is important that if you have a broody hen that she is isolated from the other hens as they will lay eggs in her nest and broody butt will sit on them without question. If you don't have a back up in the form of an incubator you will likely wind up with eggs that will not hatch even if they are viable.