Broody Hen Thread!

[LindaLoo2]

My computer shows that there are 143 pages on this thread. I read through a bunch of them but haven't found an answer to my question, so here it is:

What is the trick to getting a hen to stop being broody?

I have a year and 2 months old Rhodie that's been broody for two weeks. I separated her from the other 3 hens so she couldn't sit on any eggs. Getting her some fertilized eggs (or chicks) is the last option because we're only allowed 4 hens in the city. I would have to find new homes for the chicks.

Any ideas?

 

[melina90]

Just showing off my broodies, shot a few snaps outside today while watching the chicken TV:






They're brooding five chicks, but this was the only one who posed long enough for me to photograph him. This one is about 4 weeks, and I think it's starting to look like a roo!

 

[DeesChicks]

Here is a picture of our first broody mama. Of the 14 we started with, 5 were bad when we candled them at day 11, 5 have hatched so far. Them mama just left the nest with 3 eggs left in it. I candled them and 2 look ready to hatch so I shoved them back under mama in her newly made nest on the floor and the other one stopped growing, so took that one out. For those doing the math, 1 egg disappeared! Weird! Maybe I didn't count right when I put the eggs in there in the first place??? Oh well. Can only see 4 of the 5 babies in this picture. Our hens are all Barred Rocks, and the Rooster is an EE. I'm assuming then, that we have 4 boys and 1 girl, since we have 4 with the white dots on the head and there is one without the dot. So fun!!!

 

[cluck-cluck]

My computer shows that there are 143 pages on this thread. I read through a bunch of them but haven't found an answer to my question, so here it is:

What is the trick to getting a hen to stop being broody?

I have a year and 2 months old Rhodie that's been broody for two weeks. I separated her from the other 3 hens so she couldn't sit on any eggs. Getting her some fertilized eggs (or chicks) is the last option because we're only allowed 4 hens in the city. I would have to find new homes for the chicks.

Any ideas?

Some people report success by putting them in a wire bottom cage. This works, supposedly, because it keeps her undersides cool, and she can't snuggle and get warm. I gave up on my broody because she was so stubborn and I didn't have a wire bottom cage, or a limit on birds, so I let her hatch some eggs

Hi everyone! I have a small problem and wondered if any of you had any suggestions.

I have a broody bantam hen and I gave her 8 eggs to sit on, and then several days later ANOTHER of my bantam hens decided to go broody and they are sharing the nest box and eggs! The eggs are due to hatch next week, and I don't know if I should leave them together or divide the eggs and give them each their own box. I am a bit nervous about leaving them together because the second broody bantam (a golden Seabright) is normally very mean to the first broody, a very small mixed breed that looks a bit like an old english hen. They are sharing the box peacefully, but I am afraid once the chicks hatch they will fight and possibly hurt the chicks!

What should I do?

Do you have a second nesting box you could set the seabright and a few of the eggs into? I think that should be good?

 

[melina90]

Hi everyone! I have a small problem and wondered if any of you had any suggestions.

I have a broody bantam hen and I gave her 8 eggs to sit on, and then several days later ANOTHER of my bantam hens decided to go broody and they are sharing the nest box and eggs! The eggs are due to hatch next week, and I don't know if I should leave them together or divide the eggs and give them each their own box. I am a bit nervous about leaving them together because the second broody bantam (a golden Seabright) is normally very mean to the first broody, a very small mixed breed that looks a bit like an old english hen. They are sharing the box peacefully, but I am afraid once the chicks hatch they will fight and possibly hurt the chicks!

What should I do?

Just let them share and don't worry. Mine did this too, and it's so funny watching the chicks grow up with two mama's. No problem at all. Separating them will only cause stress for both you and the birds. Just let them do their thing, sit back, relax and enjoy the chicken TV

 

[CSWolffe]

Tomorrow is hatch day!
I have a question though... I have my broody isolated from the other hens, they were kicking her out of the nest box to lay, and every time they did my broody would move back into the main coop to sit on the fake eggs. When should I open the pen back up? I'm of two thoughts on this one: the sooner they other hens have access to the nest and newly hatched chicks the sooner they can integrate into the flock, but on the other hand the sooner the other hens have access to the nest and newly hatched chicks the sooner they can peck them to death...
So how should I handle this?

 

[Cynthia12]

Here's my Broody girl. A bantam Favorelle. Lock down is on Wed. I wonder if she knows that.

 

[Cynthia12]

Tomorrow is hatch day!
I have a question though... I have my broody isolated from the other hens, they were kicking her out of the nest box to lay, and every time they did my broody would move back into the main coop to sit on the fake eggs. When should I open the pen back up? I'm of two thoughts on this one: the sooner they other hens have access to the nest and newly hatched chicks the sooner they can integrate into the flock, but on the other hand the sooner the other hens have access to the nest and newly hatched chicks the sooner they can peck them to death...
So how should I handle this?

Yes, if you are worried about them being pecked to death..have them in a place that the other chickens can't get to them. My girl is in a pen of her own. If you don't have that, you can put her in something, like this carrier I have mine in, and place her in a safe place for a while. If it's in your home, just let her out a few times a day. Then, on day three or four, when it looks like those little chicks can scoot pretty quick, you can try having them out. But, I would watch for a while to see how things go. Just a thought here. I am lucky I have a place for my mama and babies for a couple of weeks.
Good luck.

 

[Ginger Assassin]

So I was wondering if Fawn runner ducks are good ducks? What are their flaws? What is really good about them?

Thanks

 

[DeesChicks]

Our other two eggs hatched!!! Looks like another boy and another girl! And the mystery of the missing egg has been solved. We have roll out egg boxes, and I thought I stuffed the backs really well with bedding, but apparently not well enough!!! Next time, I'll have to put a board there or put a nest on the floor. This was a last minute decision to try out a broody hen in a coop that was built for other chicks that aren't grown enough yet to go in there. They're still in the nursery, and my turkey poults are in my broody coop we made for this mama while the turkey coop is being built. We'll have a grand switcharoo in a week or so.