Broody Hen Thread!

[WVduckchick]

Sorry to hear that. I had two broodies last Fall that started fighting when the chicks hatched. One of them suddenly started attacking the other hen and it got pretty bloody. But I have had other broodies that got along fine together. You never know I guess. Hope the rest of your hatch goes better.

Thanks!

Before I left the house, I checked them again, and one had broken through my temporary barrier. I'm pretty sure the one that broke through is the killer, so I just took her out and put her back in her regular pen. I think the other hen was the more serious one. Hope I made the right call, but I guess we'll see.

Last year, I had a pair of co-broodies. They mothered together fine for about a week, then one kinda took over, and the other went on about her business. Didn't bother or hurt the chicks, and was good to them, but was more like a good aunt instead of a co-momma.

 

[mich9510]

I'll answer that by telling you about my first broody. She got off her nest to eat drink and poo. While she was off the nest, a second and possibly third hen plopped themselves down on her eggs and added one of their own. In the mean time the broody, finding her nest occupied, plopped herself down on an unoccupied nest with 4 eggs in it. When I discovered what had happened her eggs were chilled and as I was new at broodies, I hadn't marked the original eggs so I was left with a mess to deal with. I did my best guess and removed the new (hopefully) eggs from the clutch, put mom back where she belonged and isolated her using my wire pen/kennel. She had a 75% hatch rate. Not great.

My last broody was immediately isolated with the cage attached to her nesting box giving her extra space to walk around in. Still she managed to escape once and I found her on the nest next to her proving that no matter how thorough you think you are being, a stupid hen can still out think you.

Ok. I moved her to what i now call "the broody coop. Is a small prefab coop (ha, 6-8 chickens my you-know-what) i bought it before i knew anything about chickens. It been sitting empty because its junk but i thought it would be perfect for a broody girl for 3 weeks. It does seem to be water tight and the temperature is warm enough now that she can be by herself.
I was going to move her tonight but there has been so much commotion and fighting over the favorite nest box i thought it best to just move her now.
She wasnt happy but only time will tell if she'll settle down a sit.
She already ate and stretched her legs today so I've closed the door to keep her from getting out. Any other suggestions?

 

[LadyCluck77]

Thank you for responding!

Here is what happened:
I stayed up quite late last night to try and graft my one chick to the broody.
Around 11 , trapsed out to the coop.
Minimal use of the flashlight, minimal noise, no talking. Wrapped the chick inside my shirt, I got in there and the faverolle broody was in one box, a Silkie in another. I chose the faverolle because she'd been broody longer. More likely for the hormone levels to be there.
Quietly got my hand in, pulled one egg from under the sleeping hen, tucked the chick under her wing.
For twenty minutes, sat in complete silence and darkness to listen for sounds of rejection. (Loud peeps from the chick or angry biting noises from the hen)

So far, so good. Early this morning, put some food and water next to them, then blocked off the door so the others will leave them alone for a few days. ( I have another coop they can all use freely)

Was able to hear very soft peeping from the chick, but didn't see it.

Will update when I know more.

 

[mcclucker]

Wvduck- that is what I did with mine. She was really mad for the first afternoon but has since settled in.

Ladycluck- this is very exciting!! I'm doing the same next week. I decided I need a night vision game camera to watch them!

 

[microchick]

@Mitch9510 Good job. I am sure you won't regret doing that.

@LadyCluck97 I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you and your little one.

 

[lpyrbby]

We do have a new Auction that open a hour away-----but---Gotta have eggs to hatch-----all I kept was some turkens and some project birds----the project birds are crossed so I do not want to hatch them----the turkens I have some in the incubator. I have been looking for 3 months in my area for a person that can sell me like 50 to 100 RIR, YB, Barred Rock, etc hatching eggs per week----with no luck. The friend I have been hatching for has no standard chickens---Yellow buff, RIR, barred rock, etc---she has them orpington and them Aym cermani Blue red lace, etc, etc---I do not want any of them----hard to sell more than a few of them where I go..

Have you been in touch with Peagler in Ridgeville? Not sure if that's too far for you or if he can supply that many, but I figured it's worth a mention. Are you in the SCChickens group on FB too? That might be another option to find some people to help out with the hatching eggs.

 

[mich9510]

@Mitch9510 Good job. I am sure you won't regret doing that.

She quit. Maybe next time.

 

[lilwildrabbit]

She quit. Maybe next time.

If she quit I'd take the eggs and incubate them wouldn't hurt

 

[PD-Riverman]

Have you been in touch with Peagler in Ridgeville? Not sure if that's too far for you or if he can supply that many, but I figured it's worth a mention. Are you in the SCChickens group on FB too? That might be another option to find some people to help out with the hatching eggs.

I am on SCchickens. I am watching the price of chicks drop so hatching now might not be a good thing---they were awful last Saturday at the sell? So I am not looking for any eggs now to hatch.Thanks

 

[mich9510]

If she quit I'd take the eggs and incubate them wouldn't hurt

I already have 39 in the incubator...lol.