Broody Hen Thread!

[pickinchicken]

Hello, I just got had my first hen go broody!!!!!! I live in MO and the weather has been in single digits, today in 50s, but going to be back to freezing weather and possibly snow again I think later this week. My question is can I let her sit on the eggs or is it still to early? I figured mid march may be too cold still for chicks but wasn't sure. Any advice appreciated!!!

 

[fisherlady]

Hello, I just got had my first hen go broody!!!!!! I live in MO and the weather has been in single digits, today in 50s, but going to be back to freezing weather and possibly snow again I think later this week. My question is can I let her sit on the eggs or is it still to early? I figured mid march may be too cold still for chicks but wasn't sure. Any advice appreciated!!!

If you go back a couple of pages you will see the pictures I just posted of our hen's hatch on 2/14... she sat on her eggs during the 'polar vortex', multiple sub zero days and the rest were in single digits and brutally cold. She had a nest area that was safe, quiet, free of drafts and well insulated with a good bed of hay for her to sit on.... and she hatched out 7/7 fertile eggs. One chick didn't absorb the yolk and died on day two but the rest are out and about scratching in their area (we have sand floors and the broody has a 2.5 foot x 6 foot area in the coop)

The coop is averaging in the mid 20s most days and teens at night. There is a 90 watt ceramic lamp over the water fount in the broody area so that the babies always have fresh water. So.... as long as you can provide her with a safe, draft free environment with a good layer of bedding to settle into she should be fine. If she just went broody within the last few days you can keep her happy on golf balls for a week or so while you decide what breed of eggs you want to get her. That will put her hatch into mid March and they will be able to stay in the coop with mama for a week or two if the weather doesn't cooperate.

We are in central Pennsylvania... and currently we have one hen with chicks from the 14th, 2 hens setting on clutches and due in 16 days, 1 hen on golf balls who will be getting her hatching eggs on Saturday and 2 more who are acting broody but haven't committed enough yet for me to get them eggs (I wait till they've stuck to a nest for 3 or 4 nights at least before I even think of giving them eggs unless it is one of my older broody hens who I know I can trust). The weather is still pretty frigid but my broody hens have not lost a chick to cold weather yet.

So evaluate your coop and flock set up carefully to see if you can provide them a safe environment and take it from there.

 

[fisherlady]

A couple of new pictures of the broody and babies... and 2 of the ladies in waiting...

 

[Hannahs Hollow]

@ pickin chicken

if you read back through this thread just a few pages even, you will see that we have been hatching chicks in the coldest of weather. Momma hen will know what to do. Just make sure you supply the proper food and water close to the nest for her, a quiet place where she can rest in peace without other hens climbing in with her, no drafts and she will do just fine. This is assuming you want chicks in 3 weeks.. yes she can keep them warm if she is a good momma hen. good luck and keep us informed with pictures!

 

[Hannahs Hollow]

So cute, the little fluff balls!

A couple of new pictures of the broody and babies... and 2 of the ladies in waiting...

 

[pickinchicken]

Thank you, I appreciate your advice. You separate the broody hen and her chicks from the rest of the flock after they hatch? Is that correct?

 

[fisherlady]

Thank you, I appreciate your advice. You separate the broody hen and her chicks from the rest of the flock after they hatch? Is that correct?

My coop is set up with an area that is separated by chicken wire... the broody hens are in that area so the main flock can't bother them on the nest (though I have left a couple of my broody hens in with the others because they were bossy girls who didn't take guff from anyone in the flock!)
Though there is a wire fence, the flock still sees them and hears them every day, and the babies are in their area for a week or so depending on the broody... if she is high in the pecking order I open the gate and let her choose where she wants to nest with her babies. Though honestly, they usually choose to stay in the broody area till the chicks are a few weeks older. But then again, we have a busy flock of about 25 layers and 3 or 4 roosters at any given time, usually with a handful of teenagers running around being 'typical teens' and other broody type hens who have been known to attempt to chick nap babies so they can skip the boring 'sit on the nest' part of having chicks! LOL
The hens seem to like their special area, so we don't push them out till they want.

 

[Chicken-Man]

Hello, I just got had my first hen go broody!!!!!! I live in MO and the weather has been in single digits, today in 50s, but going to be back to freezing weather and possibly snow again I think later this week. My question is can I let her sit on the eggs or is it still to early? I figured mid march may be too cold still for chicks but wasn't sure. Any advice appreciated!!!

you could bring the broody girl indoors if possible to keep warmer and put the eggs under her then...?

 

[Hannahs Hollow]

you could bring the broody girl indoors if possible to keep warmer and put the eggs under her then...?

That what I had to do. Kept them in a big wire dog crate. My coop was not set up for Broodies. I kept them in an unheated , about 13 celsius room. A towel over the crate for privacy and ceiling lights on and of at dawn and dusk. Gave them each 3 weeks with the chicks and then back into the coop to be a hen. Chicks will go out when it warms up in another month at 2 and 3 months old. Took each hen a week to reintegrate back into the flock.

This spring we'll triple the coop size and be ready for Broodies!

 

[chickenkeeper12]

I just got a broody silkie, should I put eggs underneath her?