Broody Hen Thread!

[Hannahs Hollow]

So after much ado and planning to build this beautiful maternity ward within the green house structure, something that can be used and moved/reused in the future... I have instead gone with a very large wire dog crate in the unheated storage space of the furnace room. Furnace doesn't work anyway! Saved time, money and worry! YAY! It's just as cold or warm depending on how the chicken views it, in the coop. We are expecting temps to drop to a high of -8 for a bit. She'll get heat if that happens. If you know where Vancouver BC Canada is, that is freakin cold for us!!!! I did buy a heat lamp for the coop just to warm it up for a bit in the evenings and mornings. Insulated coop should hold the heat in between.

Now my Mama to be is very doting on her 2 eggs. I did candle them on day 5 and am happy to report I am the Grandma to 2 big black blobs at this point! They don't look anything like all the pics to me but I candled an egg I knew couldn't be ferted and nothing was there.

I try to coax her out twice a day for the few minutes she will cooperate with my interferance. Ate like a pig tonite! She has been in there 2 or 3 days and hasn't pooped until tonite. Mother of GOD the stench! ! I almost had second thoughts bout chicken keepin! How can a chicken keep that much inside her???? Even my Jack Russel who brought home a long dead rat tonite turned tail and ran!

I hope my husband doesn't notice or she'll get the outdoor maternity ward he said he could build....

Now my second problem is chicken math.

I have been very good about not buying one or 2 of each as my coop was built for 6. 5 are comfortable in there. Roo was a mean bugger and had to go. I was told to get my broody a dozen eggs. How would I fit a possible17 chickens in my coop built for 5/6, in January when building another coop just isn't going to happen! So I got her only 2 eggs. She tried to lay more but I think her egg producer up and quit now. I take them away anyway as they are not fert. Now if neither egg makes it to term do I go buy her a new chick?

This is a test for her to see how good a mama she'll be for next spring's special eggs I will be getting. Heck, she probably won't go broody ever ever again....

 

[korlia]

She definitely sounds like she is contemplating being broody but hasn't settled down quite yet. Watch her for a couple more days and make sure she has a box that is safe from others, warm, reasonably dark and leave her with about 4 or 5 eggs. That will likely trigger a full brood and you can then know if it is safe to order the eggs providing the seller can get them to you fairly quick (within a week) especially if this is her first brood...you want her to have chick sounds in a couple of weeks to help her stay the course.

Lady of McCamley

Aaaaaannnnd she is out. I was so excited but it seems that she lost interest..... She freeranged from 15:30-19:00 last night

There goes my plans for little fluffy bundles....

 

[korlia]

She definitely sounds like she is contemplating being broody but hasn't settled down quite yet. Watch her for a couple more days and make sure she has a box that is safe from others, warm, reasonably dark and leave her with about 4 or 5 eggs. That will likely trigger a full brood and you can then know if it is safe to order the eggs providing the seller can get them to you fairly quick (within a week) especially if this is her first brood...you want her to have chick sounds in a couple of weeks to help her stay the course.

Lady of McCamley

She was in again today the whole day and didnt come out to free range or eat? Just sits in the nesting box. Should I move the box to the ground? At night I see is best? I only have the three hens in a chicken tractor with one nesting box in the air? The one hen climbed over her to lay an egg today? What to do?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

She was in again today the whole day and didnt come out to free range or eat? Just sits in the nesting box. Should I move the box to the ground? At night I see is best? I only have the three hens in a chicken tractor with one nesting box in the air? The one hen climbed over her to lay an egg today? What to do?

It usually is best if the broody can have her own isolated nest so she doesn't clog the works for the others and the others don't mess things up for her. Some hens community brood but I find they often intimidate the broody or eggs get kicked out in the constant shuffling.

If you can create her own quiet nursery area on the ground that may be best and likely will help her settle in for serious work. Otherwise she may go on and off as others disrupt and distract especially as the other hens contend for the one nest.

Be prepared she may not approve of the move and may try to go back to the first nest. They often tend to bond with the idea there. Whenever I move a hen I wait a day or so to make sure they stick...but I always move them where they can't get back to the first nest. I found they could abandon and go back even halfway through hatching chicks leaving eggs cold.

Good luck.
Hopefully you can get her settled enough for hatching babies.

Lady of McCamley

 

[korlia]

Thanks so much for the advice. I will try and see if I can make her a quiet nursery away from the other two.

Hold thumbs!!

 

[korlia]

Last night when they were sleeping she didnt rolst she slept in the nesting box, but this morning when I opened them up. She was ready at the door waiting and went out to free range. I dont know how long she has been off the nest? The eggs feel cool to the touch but not cold? She really confuses me? I dont want to get fertilized eggs if she is not in it all the way?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Last night when they were sleeping she didnt rolst she slept in the nesting box, but this morning when I opened them up. She was ready at the door waiting and went out to free range. I dont know how long she has been off the nest? The eggs feel cool to the touch but not cold? She really confuses me? I dont want to get fertilized eggs if she is not in it all the way?

Some hens are inconsistent at first and take awhile to settle in. Giving her a place that is separate and quiet may help her be less distracted....or she may simply not be fully in the mood. Many settle down with the quiet into some serious work. Some hens never become consistent brooders and are not good for brooding. You never know until you try and you never know until it's a good try...until you give them the best environment for brooding to eliminate all distractions and being intimidated off the nest by others wanting it. If she is lower on the pecking order (and many broodies are), it will be best if she has a place of her own. Then you can decide if she is in fully or just not going to settle enough for fertile eggs.

Lady of McCamley

 

[korlia]

Thanks so much!! I have arranged to borrow a small mobile rabit hutch/coop from a friend. It has an enclosed little wooden area at the back and a small run. I am going to pick it up this afternoon and try to move my hen tonight. Hopefully with success!

I appreciate your advice since this is my first flock and broody!!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Thanks so much!! I have arranged to borrow a small mobile rabit hutch/coop from a friend. It has an enclosed little wooden area at the back and a small run. I am going to pick it up this afternoon and try to move my hen tonight. Hopefully with success!

I appreciate your advice since this is my first flock and broody!!

Good luck.

Lady of McCamley

 

[Nicky-the-witch]

Quick update - my broody Nell, sat on her 12 araucana eggs.

Due to hatch Christmas day!!