Broody Hen Thread!

[pickinchicken]

I have a Cochin who is broody on a new set of eggs going on almost a week (second round so she had been on this next over a month, but gets out when I bring snacks each day). She picked the highest nesting box so I'm worried when babies come. I am working on a new coop this week and making a large broody pen in it. If I move everyone to the new coop, should I move her? I don't want her to be alone in a coop so I thoughts if move her too. Will she still stay on her eggs if moved? She will still see everyone in the new coop and actually I can move her nest bc it was in a box in the nesting box. Advice?

 

[AmericanMom]

My Molted Java has went broody!!! Set her with 9 eggs... tried to move her last night to a more secluded spot, (she is currently on a nesting box 5 feet off the ground) she did great with the move, settled right onto the eggs... went out this Am to feed the animals and she was in freak out mode, I finally had to let her out as I was concerned she would hurt herself or the eggs.. She did her poop, ate a bit then heading back to the main coop and her "spot" running another hen off the fake eggs I had left there.. I decided to transfer the fertile eggs to where she is choosing to be but now I am thinking ahead 21 days and trying to figure out what the heck she is thinking and how in goodness sakes name I am going to try and move her yet again or if I even should until after the hatch?? She wants that spot and I fear if I keep trying to move her she will just give up

 

[AmericanMom]

I have a Cochin who is broody on a new set of eggs going on almost a week (second round so she had been on this next over a month, but gets out when I bring snacks each day). She picked the highest nesting box so I'm worried when babies come. I am working on a new coop this week and making a large broody pen in it. If I move everyone to the new coop, should I move her? I don't want her to be alone in a coop so I thoughts if move her too. Will she still stay on her eggs if moved? She will still see everyone in the new coop and actually I can move her nest bc it was in a box in the nesting box. Advice?

LOL, I am having pretty much the same issue, I didn't read your post until I had posted mine... Interested in what advice you get as its pretty much advice I need

 

[smcdonald]

I have 2 broody hens! One is sitting on 11 eggs, and the other 10.

 

[AmericanMom]

I have 2 broody hens! One is sitting on 11 eggs, and the other 10.

That's so cool! Hubby would freak right now if another hen went broody cause I would let her set eggs too! Somehow he thinks the 41 chicks we have now is enough

 

[fisherlady]

I remove the 2 eggs and gave her the incubator eggs she took them with out a problem. The eggs that I took from her where no good inside they stop deloping and had brown slime

I'm glad she took the new ones, and really glad you pulled the old ones before they had a chance to break in the nest!

I have 4 chicks! First came on Friday...How long should I wait to remove the unhatched eggs from the nest????

I usually only wait 3 days, but if your hatch may have been staggered it would be longer. Will she let you check the remaining eggs? If so, check for noises, a solid visible air cell, etc. Pitch anything sloshy (and don't open it!!!

) If she has any which still look like good eggs and she has easy access to food and water then give them back to her and let her decide, she will probably get up on her own pretty soon anyway to tend to the others. If she does then it is time to remove them (to an incubator if you still think they are viable) or to pitch them so she is no longer conflicted between tending to late eggs or tending to her chicks.

I have a Cochin who is broody on a new set of eggs going on almost a week (second round so she had been on this next over a month, but gets out when I bring snacks each day). She picked the highest nesting box so I'm worried when babies come. I am working on a new coop this week and making a large broody pen in it. If I move everyone to the new coop, should I move her? I don't want her to be alone in a coop so I thoughts if move her too. Will she still stay on her eggs if moved? She will still see everyone in the new coop and actually I can move her nest bc it was in a box in the nesting box. Advice?

Being able to move nest and all should help immensely. Once all ruckus in the main coop is done you can try to move her late in an evening. Just be ready to move her back if she freaks. If she does need moved back then plan to move her after the chicks hatch or allow her to use the old coop as her brooder... though I prefer my broodies share the coop with the rest of the flock (even if in a fenced off area) so that integration is simpler when the chicks are a couple of weeks old. Each flock is different and personalities of birds involved should be the deciding factor.

My Molted Java has went broody!!! Set her with 9 eggs... tried to move her last night to a more secluded spot, (she is currently on a nesting box 5 feet off the ground) she did great with the move, settled right onto the eggs... went out this Am to feed the animals and she was in freak out mode, I finally had to let her out as I was concerned she would hurt herself or the eggs.. She did her poop, ate a bit then heading back to the main coop and her "spot" running another hen off the fake eggs I had left there.. I decided to transfer the fertile eggs to where she is choosing to be but now I am thinking ahead 21 days and trying to figure out what the heck she is thinking and how in goodness sakes name I am going to try and move her yet again or if I even should until after the hatch?? She wants that spot and I fear if I keep trying to move her she will just give up

If you can fence her off somehow so other flock members aren't bothering her then just leave her where she is until she hatches... or if she is high enough on the pecking order they will probably avoid her on their own. Mark the hatching eggs to be sure and check every few days for sneaky additions. It seems once the chicks hatch the hens are much more willing to be moved and often choose a place on the floor on their own or are easily transitioned to a floor nest once the babies hatch. The babies will stay under mama for the first 12 hours or more, so just keep watch for when she hatches so you can plan the move. If possible, create a moveable 'box' where she is choosing to nest, and place the eggs in it, she will be content with the location and a moveable box makes it easy to transfer her after the hatch.

I have 2 broody hens! One is sitting on 11 eggs, and the other 10.

Congrats! Nice that they can keep each other company...

Quote: We have plenty (insert phrase 'we are full' here!) but both DH and I love the broodies... so when another hen goes to a box he just says... 'you'd better figure out what kind of eggs you want to give her so she isn't wasting her time' LOL

 

[AmericanMom]

If you can fence her off somehow so other flock members aren't bothering her then just leave her where she is until she hatches... or if she is high enough on the pecking order they will probably avoid her on their own. Mark the hatching eggs to be sure and check every few days for sneaky additions. It seems once the chicks hatch the hens are much more willing to be moved and often choose a place on the floor on their own or are easily transitioned to a floor nest once the babies hatch. The babies will stay under mama for the first 12 hours or more, so just keep watch for when she hatches so you can plan the move. If possible, create a moveable 'box' where she is choosing to nest, and place the eggs in it, she will be content with the location and a moveable box makes it easy to transfer her after the hatch.

I cannot fence her off and since she is 2nd or 3rd in command and the two top hens aren't messing with her I am going to just let her be, she is doing such a good job even getting up to take care of her potty breaks and eating, my other broody wouldn't even do that so I really don't want to mess her up. She wouldn't allow another hen to lay an egg in her nest this morning so I'm thinking that's good because the same hen was allowed to do that yesterday, she is set and I have marked the eggs and will check them every morning when she is off to make sure there are no additions. I have a portable rabbit hutch and even a dog crate that we will use when the time comes to move her and the chicks.. I'm not freaking out anymore, thank you so much for your advice!

 

[fisherlady]

Quote:
Sounds like she should do great! The hutch or crate will be perfect for after her hatch! Good luck and post back some pictures!

 

[AmericanMom]

We have plenty (insert phrase 'we are full' here!) but both DH and I love the broodies... so when another hen goes to a box he just says... 'you'd better figure out what kind of eggs you want to give her so she isn't wasting her time' LOL

I love the broody hen, haven't had to much experience so I told hubby when they go broody they get eggs, I don't ever want them to be discouraged from setting eggs, even if its just two eggs. We are switching to a more dual purpose breed and I do have a method to my madness but I didn't want to set bought eggs under her until I knew she would be a good broody. By the end of this summer we will have all Heritage breeds that are both heavy for eating and good layers. I have 10 pullets now that will probably be sold by this summer to make way for all my BO's and such that will just start laying by then.

He gives me a hard time but loves doing this as much as I do

 

[AmericanMom]

Sounds like she should do great! The hutch or crate will be perfect for after her hatch! Good luck and post back some pictures!

LOl, thanks! Funny thing, when I marked the calendar to determine when the eggs should hatch, there hatch day is also my Birthday...It wasn't planned but I thought that was cool, hubby of course said it was good, consider it my gift lolol