Broody Hen Thread!

[My peeps]

First time with a broody hen. My silkies have always laid their eggs in the run. My hen was sitting on her eggs, in the run, in front of the door so tonight I moved her. I kept checking on her and she isn't sitting on her eggs Is there a chance she will go broody again? Soon? I wanted to place an order of eggs this week. I can always put them in the incubator but I was excited to have a hen FINALLY go broody!!!

 

[RideRed93]

My hen went broody!! YAY!! Now for a few questions someone could possibly help answer?

I have placed 7 pheasant eggs under her a few days ago.. but now I am not so sure if that was a good idea.. She is in a raised nesting box so do I leave her there or try to move her? I don't want the chicks to be falling out when they hatch.

Second, my chicken is low on the PO but not the very bottom.. so should I move her for her sake and and for the chicks? The other hens don't seem to be bothering her at the moment.

Third, This is my very first time ever having a broody, so I am very excited, but since she is hatching pheasant chicks will there be a time that the hen will push the babies out because she's done being a mommy and the chicks will fly away? (because that's a pheasants natural instinct? )

Sorry if they are dumb questions, but like I said this is my first time with a broody so I'm not quite sure what to expect.
Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[dodgewoman]

Well, I'm sad to say that I did help the chick out. I didn't see the responses before I did that the chick did die. Overnight I feel like I killed the poor thing. My only hope is that the reason she wasn't coming out was b/c it was to weak and would have died anyway. Note to self, leave the animals alone and just observe!

yes I 100% agree. Sorry - I missed dodgewoman's most important question. They rest and finish absorbing the yolk sac sometimes for 12 hours or more. I hatched some marans that pipped then waited a full day.

 

[Wrightsx4]

Well, I'm sad to say that I did help the chick out. I didn't see the responses before I did that the chick did die. Overnight I feel like I killed the poor thing. My only hope is that the reason she wasn't coming out was b/c it was to weak and would have died anyway. Note to self, leave the animals alone and just observe!

So sorry that happened! Don't be hard on yourself, it's a learning experience and you're right - it may very well have been weak in the first place. I wish I'd have commented on that question sooner For next time this is an excellent article to read. It really helps with slowing down and resisting the urge to help until the right time - and knowing when it is time.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

 

[denanner13]

My BLR Wyandotte is broody for the first time. She keeps moving between 2 boxes & some of the eggs have been broken (possibly by other chickens?). She is so mean right now I don't want to get close enough to see if she's actually sitting on anything! Should I just leave her alone & see what happens?

 

[Jharper]

Are wyandottes good broodies? B/c in have two GLW pullets coming in this week.

 

[kannna]

My Wyandotte was a horrible broody! Flaky. And when she realized everyone else had chicks but her, she went on a kill mission. Fortunately she only got two babies before I realized.

 

[bobbi-j]

My Wyandotte was an awesome broody! She's now raising her 4 babies and is a good mama, too. Yesterday I noticed one poor hapless hen that wandered into "her" domain, and was quickly chased out. She'll let me near the chicks, but lets me know she is NOT happy about it.

 

[JohnsonHomested]

Not sure if this has been asked before, but those of you with broodies raising clutches in a coop, how long before mama hen decides to take her babies outside? Our first clutch is two weeks old now and I feel bad that the broody gets picked on so much when the other hens come into the coop to lay. The chicks are very active and agile and I'm kind of surprised the mama hasn't ventured outside with them yet. At what time does she usually do that? (It's already in the mid-90's here, so no worry about weather.)

 

[TXchickmum]

I was wondering the same thing. My broody and chick haven't ventured outside the nesting box. (It has only been about 48 hours, though) I don't think the hen has come off of the nest box at all after she discovered her chick. -tiny water and feed bowls are in the nest box, and both are eating and drinking. -wondering if it is days or weeks before they come down and venture out... -very warm temps here, too. Weather isn't an issue.