Broody Hen Thread!

[Lady of McCamley]

I have a broody bantam frizzle that should be hatching her eggs soon (3 days), the temp here is just below freezing to a couple degrees above. Should I remove the babies as soon as they hatch and bring them inside or will she keep them warm enough?

Unless its horrible weather (sub zero with strong wind), I wouldn't worry if she has a safe nest box that is out of direct elements blowing in.

My Silkie hatched 3 BCM chicks on January 10th...during and since we've generally been in the low 30's with stretches of days not getting above 32.

This last week, mom and babies endured a COLD winter storm that brought in 6 inches of snow (unusual for my normally rainy Oregon), daytime high around upper 20's, lows in low 20's and strong east winds giving a chill factor of 7 degrees.

I did have to haul warm water twice a day; I added more pine shavings so the bedding was extra deep; and I put a tarp over the normally open cage door of the hutch (think rabbit type hutch...2 end boxes with a walkway between that is open on one end, the south side), and I denied access to the outdoor run as it was deep in snow.

Mom and babies did just fine. Mom's a little snow bound, but doing very well. I'll let them out in a few days after the slush and deep mud has dried out and I've put more shavings in the run.

The last time this broody hatched chicks in winter, it was a very cold February that never made it above the low 20's. I kept them again in an enclosed area, but again unheated coop separate from the house. Hatched babies thrived. (Lost all attempted foster babies though, those from the heat lamp feed store).

So unless you've got direct elements blowing into your nesting/coop/run, they should be fine with mom. It's just plain amazing. Broody hatched babies hardly notice it's cold out there. They run around, tuck in mom for warm ups, then run around some more. Feather faster, grow faster, and lay earlier.

My experiences.
Lady of McCamley

EDITED TO ADD: and I agree 100% with Fisherlady that they need extra protein (I feed 20% crumble) and ability to get to thawed water at all times (I add ACV and alternate with Chick Saver vitamins/electrolytes). Mom does the rest.

 

[Hannahs Hollow]

Here is Josie and Sophia cuddling!

 

[chicksurreal]

Here is Josie and Sophia cuddling!

So sweet!

 

[Chicken-Man]

I have a broody bantam frizzle that should be hatching her eggs soon (3 days), the temp here is just below freezing to a couple degrees above. Should I remove the babies as soon as they hatch and bring them inside or will she keep them warm enough?

wow!!!! Love frizzles!!

 

[fisherlady]

Well, Rosie (our 10 month old black giant) has been sitting on 7 eggs which were due to hatch Friday evening (we set them late on a Friday evening 3 weeks ago). Tonight DH lifted her chest to make sure there were no broken eggs and found a chick! Fluffy and dry and bright as a button.... he said solid black. He also said one other was pipped and 2 others were zipped with large gaps in the shell already. I didn't see because I wasn't going to lift her again. Hope to get pics tomorrow.

Once again a broody gets the job done despite the cold... these last 3 weeks we have had sub zero weather multiple days with some of the harshest weather we've had in years (as so many others are experiencing also). We had -15 on 2 or 3 nights and numerous days it never got over 10 degrees... and she is hatching her eggs a day early!

Now I am just keeping fingers crossed that she is as good of a mamma as she has been at sitting!

 

[Chicken-Man]

I have 3 hens who are all best friends they love each other!! and one of them (Ninjago my Australorp cross) is broody, and I make her go out for exercise at time and the other 2 girls go their normal day but Ninjago seems to go her own way, the other 2 are always together and before Ninja went broody all 3 were inseparable!! but now...

is this normal?

 

[fisherlady]

I have 3 hens who are all best friends they love each other!! and one of them (Ninjago my Australorp cross) is broody, and I make her go out for exercise at time and the other 2 girls go their normal day but Ninjago seems to go her own way, the other 2 are always together and before Ninja went broody all 3 were inseparable!! but now...

is this normal?

I would say it is to be expected... when hens are broody they don't usually bother with any socializing with others in the flock unless it is to flare their wings at them and growl if they get in her way when she is trying to scratch or get in a quick dust bath. Seems like hens are totally fixated on their 'job' and don't have time for anything else. She will be very standoffish with them when the chicks are little also, because her job is strictly to find food for her babies and keep them safe and other hens are a 'threat' till proven otherwise.
Once she leaves the chicks (4-8 weeks, depending on the hen) she my go back with her flock buddies and all will return to normal, or she may not have quite the same relationship with them anymore... no way to tell for sure. I have one hen who will 'rejoin' the flock just like nothing ever happened with some hatches, and a few other times she just kind of hangs out on her own most of the time till she goes broody again.... there are no hard and fast rules.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Well, Rosie (our 10 month old black giant) has been sitting on 7 eggs which were due to hatch Friday evening (we set them late on a Friday evening 3 weeks ago). Tonight DH lifted her chest to make sure there were no broken eggs and found a chick! Fluffy and dry and bright as a button.... he said solid black. He also said one other was pipped and 2 others were zipped with large gaps in the shell already. I didn't see because I wasn't going to lift her again. Hope to get pics tomorrow.

Once again a broody gets the job done despite the cold... these last 3 weeks we have had sub zero weather multiple days with some of the harshest weather we've had in years (as so many others are experiencing also). We had -15 on 2 or 3 nights and numerous days it never got over 10 degrees... and she is hatching her eggs a day early!

Now I am just keeping fingers crossed that she is as good of a mamma as she has been at sitting!

Good for you Rosie...keep up the good work

Lady of McCamley

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I have 3 hens who are all best friends they love each other!! and one of them (Ninjago my Australorp cross) is broody, and I make her go out for exercise at time and the other 2 girls go their normal day but Ninjago seems to go her own way, the other 2 are always together and before Ninja went broody all 3 were inseparable!! but now...

is this normal?

I would say it is to be expected... when hens are broody they don't usually bother with any socializing with others in the flock unless it is to flare their wings at them and growl if they get in her way when she is trying to scratch or get in a quick dust bath. Seems like hens are totally fixated on their 'job' and don't have time for anything else. She will be very standoffish with them when the chicks are little also, because her job is strictly to find food for her babies and keep them safe and other hens are a 'threat' till proven otherwise.
Once she leaves the chicks (4-8 weeks, depending on the hen) she my go back with her flock buddies and all will return to normal, or she may not have quite the same relationship with them anymore... no way to tell for sure. I have one hen who will 'rejoin' the flock just like nothing ever happened with some hatches, and a few other times she just kind of hangs out on her own most of the time till she goes broody again.... there are no hard and fast rules.

x2
That's been my experience as well.
And don't feel you need to make her get up and exercise. She will when she needs to. "Enabler Alert"

If you can, put some fertile eggs under her

Lady of McCamley

 

[zinkie]

SO it seems like I should not worry about the cold.
So should I still move her to get her out of the hub bub of the coop and maybe put her in the barn close to the coop where she has some piece and quiet?