Broody Hen Thread!

[Lady of McCamley]

Well I've tried and the hen flipped. She knocked over the eggs, crushed one and knocked over water and food. There is only one chick and I put the water and food nearby. They are in like a tiny mini coop/ brooder. The chick usually stays under mom or near the food which is right by her. So I'm gonna leave the chick for now....

Yes definitely leave the chick with mom.

Hopefully momma will just naturally be sitting with the new chick anyway these first few days...enough to hatch out any more from those in the shells...this is of course the risk when you have delayed egg settings...momma gets distracted with the hatched chicks and is less likely to sit with the eggs.

I can't remember how many days apart the eggs are....if you still have 3 more days left and an incubator...it might be wise to put the eggs in the incubator to finish hatching then attempt to reintroduce the new chicks after they've dried off. Momma will likely accept them quickly, and if you only have one older chick, it shouldn't be a big deterrent to the others from connecting with momma.
Lady of McCamley

 

[AmateurChickie]

My broody stopped sitting because of all the mites, they got so bad, pretty much over night, we have bought some stuff though so stop them and we are changing the hay. I think we have another broody, if she's still on there when I lock them away, then she's broody!

 

[LONDON HENS]

 

[jammyjammy2112]

a month old already? Wow time goes by fast. Glad to hear they are doing well!

yah i no i will try to get a pic tomoz,

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Foster situation has gone really, really well this time

After keeping them pretty quiet in the broody hutch for a week (they bonded well in the first 24-48 hours), I allowed a first day outing in the broody run today and Momma Silkie (Oma-San) taught them to scratch and take dirt baths.

Babies were following orders and doing what she told them as if they were her naturally hatched chicks (so much different than last attempt!).

With the fostering this time, It seemed to really help to:
1. Do it in warmer weather to allow less shock adjustment for the feed store "heat-bator" chicks to natural surroundings (I don't add heat lamps anymore due to fire issue in past with heat lamps in brooding hutches...nearly burned the house down)
2. Placed all fosters at the same time
3. No other chicks were present with Momma first (no boisterous broody hatchlings to intimidate fosters as they adjusted)

Here's a photo of my happy trio. 2 EE's with Momma Silkie....Caddy (for Cadbury) and Peeps....you know...for those Easter candies

So happy this foster situation has gone well. Yippee.

 

[sharol]

Foster situation has gone really, really well this time

After keeping them pretty quiet in the broody hutch for a week (they bonded well in the first 24-48 hours), I allowed a first day outing in the broody run today and Momma Silkie (Oma-San) taught them to scratch and take dirt baths.

Babies were following orders and doing what she told them as if they were her naturally hatched chicks (so much different than last attempt!).

With the fostering this time, It seemed to really help to:
1. Do it in warmer weather to allow less shock adjustment for the feed store "heat-bator" chicks to natural surroundings (I don't add heat lamps anymore due to fire issue in past with heat lamps in brooding hutches...nearly burned the house down)
2. Placed all fosters at the same time
3. No other chicks were present with Momma first (no boisterous broody hatchlings to intimidate fosters as they adjusted)

Here's a photo of my happy trio. 2 EE's with Momma Silkie....Caddy (for Cadbury) and Peeps....you know...for those Easter candies

So happy this foster situation has gone well. Yippee.

 

[hogster160]

I've got 3 eggs that have holes in them this morning. I didn't want to move any when momma got off the eggs, but I can see 3 holes in 3 different eggs. And I can hear a lot of chirping. Getting excited now! First time mamma here, and shes only 8 months old, so we shall see how things go over the next couple of days.

 

[chickydee64]

I've got 3 eggs that have holes in them this morning. I didn't want to move any when momma got off the eggs, but I can see 3 holes in 3 different eggs. And I can hear a lot of chirping. Getting excited now! First time mamma here, and shes only 8 months old, so we shall see how things go over the next couple of days.

 

[hogster160]

5 out of 9 so far have hatched. Well I should say 5 have come out from mamma. Mamma hasn't moved yet, it's so hot the chicks are moving out from under her and chirping up a storm. 2 black, 1 chip monk stripped, 1 yellow and 1 light brown yellow. Guessing just a barnyard mix. The guy I got them from says he shows auracanas and has ee's well. This was just a trial run to really see if she was broody, yup guess she was.

Deb

 

[Lady of McCamley]

5 out of 9 so far have hatched. Well I should say 5 have come out from mamma. Mamma hasn't moved yet, it's so hot the chicks are moving out from under her and chirping up a storm. 2 black, 1 chip monk stripped, 1 yellow and 1 light brown yellow. Guessing just a barnyard mix. The guy I got them from says he shows auracanas and has ee's well. This was just a trial run to really see if she was broody, yup guess she was.

Deb