Broody Hen Thread!

[User395221]

on her fluff and her spread.

She doesn't really have fluff, she's got polish feathers, she doesn't look at all silkie, I just happen to know who her parents were to know she's not just polish. She spreads out a lot when she sits.

As for not going broody, she's been broody since the silkies started up (and their babies are now hatched). She was joining in with them, but now she's by herself, all day, every day, sitting in the nest box.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

She doesn't really have fluff, she's got polish feathers, she doesn't look at all silkie, I just happen to know who her parents were to know she's not just polish. She spreads out a lot when she sits.

As for not going broody, she's been broody since the silkies started up (and their babies are now hatched). She was joining in with them, but now she's by herself, all day, every day, sitting in the nest box. View attachment 1132552

Pretty girl.

She looks bigger than a Silkie...and that all important spread is what counts.
So this is what you do.
Take regular eggs, the size you want to hatch, and start putting them under her. Watch to see how well she covers. If you get to about 8 eggs, check around her to see if they are staying nicely under her. Then try 10. Then try 12. Stop when you see eggs beginning to peek when she shifts.

I generally fill the nest under her spread and take away 2 if I want to be certain for a good hatch.

My thoughts
LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

@potato chip
...and weather plays a big role into how many I set as well.
I am willing to set more in warmer weather and less in colder as those on the fringes will be affected more by the ambient temperatures.

So for my Silkies, I would set 6 in summer and only 4 to maybe 5 in winter.
LofMc

 

[User395221]

Pretty girl.

Thank you, I think so (shame about her personality )

and start putting them under her.

She's mean. She pecks me if I touch her. I'll see if I can get a half a dozen. I think she'll easily cover those. (I really don't need any more chickens, it's just that letting the girls have babies seems to cure their cluckiness and she seems to be willing to continue with it indefinitely.)

 

[User395221]

Ok, so I got 8 eggs for Paulina. Brought them home, added some fresh bedding to the nest box (up the other end from where she was sitting) and put in the eggs, then picked her up and put her in.

She immediately left the coop, went downstairs, chased the other chicks about. "Uh-oh", I thought, "she's not going to do this and she's a homicidal maniac to boot". She then went back inside, stepped into the nest box she had been in, steps out, steps into the next one along, steps out, steps into the one with the eggs and sits on them and pushes the front ones in underneath.

Wish us luck!

(I got the eggs from the guy I got my silkies and Paulina from, he's local and he was happy to give me how many I wanted. We settled on eight, when he said his silkie cross is sitting on 9.)

Thanks for the help.

 

[SueT]

Hi....I have a Sebright pullet, first time broody, sitting on 3 Dutch bantam eggs. The eggs were laid yesterday. I've never had a broody hatch eggs before. The man who gave me the eggs said make sure she gets off the nest once a day to eat, drink, and poop. I thought she'd do this on her own, should I take her off the nest? Food and water are right nearby.
Background: She's on a nest in the coop with 7 other chickens. 6 are large breed. They all get along but the bigs are in charge. I don't have a rooster, which is why I got eggs elsewhere. He gave me 3 which is all he had yesterday. I hope I get at least one to hatch.

 

[rebrascora]

@SueT

Make sure to mark the eggs and remove any laid by the others. I appreciate that her eggs are bantam eggs and you have mostly large fowl so the other eggs should be notably different but it is very common for hens to lay their eggs in a broody's nest and either push her out to do so, or sometimes climb in on top of her. Eggs can get broken like this although bantam eggs are usually more robust, but when the chicks start to hatch, there is a risk that they will get crushed by other hens climbing into the nest to lay, so once it gets close to hatch day, make some provision to seal off the nest area from the others to prevent such a tragedy.
Generally a broody will get off the nest herself once a day to eat drink and poop..... you will probably know when she has been out because there will be a huge stinking dollop of broody poop in the run to show for it. There is no real harm in getting her off the nest yourself once a day. If she has already been off, she will probably get straight back on so don't worry too much about it.

What you do need to be aware of is the risk of an infestation of red mites. Broody hens are a magnate for them like a 24/7 banqueting opportunity, so make sure she has access to a nice dry dust bathing area and check the nest.... You will see mites crawling on the eggs if they become a serious problem and your broody will be actively dust bathing every day. I always dust my broody nests with DE before I set eggs and again 2 or 3 times through the incubation period, just to keep the mites from getting out of control. I once had a trusted broody abandon her nest and eggs close to hatch date because it was alive with mites. I've been very proactive as regards broody nests since then.

Good luck with your hatch and I hope you get more pullets than cockerels. For your information, you can set eggs that are up to 2 weeks old, they don't have to be laid fresh that day, so if you wanted to add a couple more and it's only a day since you set them, you could sneak them under her. Once it gets past a day, you are into the complication of a staggered hatch.

Broody hens and chicks are the best type of chicken TV, so I hope you get the chance to observe them.

Best wishes

Barbara

 

[SueT]

@SueT

Make sure to mark the eggs and remove any laid by the others. I appreciate that her eggs are bantam eggs and you have mostly large fowl so the other eggs should be notably different but it is very common for hens to lay their eggs in a broody's nest and either push her out to do so, or sometimes climb in on top of her. Eggs can get broken like this although bantam eggs are usually more robust, but when the chicks start to hatch, there is a risk that they will get crushed by other hens climbing into the nest to lay, so once it gets close to hatch day, make some provision to seal off the nest area from the others to prevent such a tragedy.
Generally a broody will get off the nest herself once a day to eat drink and poop..... you will probably know when she has been out because there will be a huge stinking dollop of broody poop in the run to show for it. There is no real harm in getting her off the nest yourself once a day. If she has already been off, she will probably get straight back on so don't worry too much about it.

What you do need to be aware of is the risk of an infestation of red mites. Broody hens are a magnate for them like a 24/7 banqueting opportunity, so make sure she has access to a nice dry dust bathing area and check the nest.... You will see mites crawling on the eggs if they become a serious problem and your broody will be actively dust bathing every day. I always dust my broody nests with DE before I set eggs and again 2 or 3 times through the incubation period, just to keep the mites from getting out of control. I once had a trusted broody abandon her nest and eggs close to hatch date because it was alive with mites. I've been very proactive as regards broody nests since then.

Good luck with your hatch and I hope you get more pullets than cockerels. For your information, you can set eggs that are up to 2 weeks old, they don't have to be laid fresh that day, so if you wanted to add a couple more and it's only a day since you set them, you could sneak them under her. Once it gets past a day, you are into the complication of a staggered hatch.

Broody hens and chicks are the best type of chicken TV, so I hope you get the chance to observe them.

Best wishes

Barbara

Thanks! She's in a less favored nest, and so I don't think the others will crowd in. It's an upright milk crate. The others who are laying prefer the bigger nests. Haven't decided what to do about the milk crate if/ when the chicks hatch, they probably can't get out unless I turn it on its side or cut an opening.

Afternoon edit: I went in after it warmed up, and took her off the nest and dusted it with DE as you reco'd. She ate, drank, ran around a bit, probably pooped, took a dust bath, threatened all the others, and then within 10 min, settled back on her eggs. So far, so good!

 

[The Golden Egg5]

I have my very first broody on a clutch of 5 eggs. I put them under her today. I can't wait to see what hatches!! I really hope all goes well and that she is a good mama.

 

[Honora]

I have my very first broody on a clutch of 5 eggs. I put them under her today. I can't wait to see what hatches!! I really hope all goes well and that she is a good mama.
View attachment 1138922
View attachment 1138923

Great picture! Good luck with your hatch!