Broody Hen Thread!

[tatertot]

Hello..just started reading...got my first broody hen...a Bo.
I don't have a roo so I bought some hatching eggs...so this is day 0....so 21 days left.
I had to move her into a broody kennel cause the others pecked her

 

[chicken farmer]

I was leaving her eggs in the lower nestbox and she finally went broody!!!

She had her first clutch last spring and hatched out 3 from her 5 eggs (pictured) But anyway I'm super glad she's broody again this year and she's on 6 of her eggs so I'm hoping she gets a bigger hatch rate and hope her second time around goes great as it should,she was a really protective and great mom.....can't wait for April 19th!!!!!!

 

[chickencrazy999]

she is gorgeous is she a silkie bantam?

 

[chicken farmer]

she is gorgeous is she a silkie bantam?

Yes she is(by the way all silkie's are bantam) but I can't wait till she hatches out and I also have a banty mix that's broody

 

[chickencrazy999]

Oh how great my little silkie bantam just hatched 2 sweet little balls of fluff today and they are tiny! are two hens look quite similar. Oh please correct me if I'm wrong but I thought there was Silkie bantams and LF silkies here is a pic of my hen

 

[chickencrazy999]

LF silkie


Bantam silkie

 

[Lady of McCamley]

How long do they stay with the chicks if they complete the natural cycle? Broody blues chicks are a month old (lil more?) She has started squatting for me again. Lol

Last night she went to roost! But she collects them and does the mama thing still. Defends them, feeds them. Just a lil less now like she's weaning them? She still won't let us near them

Totally depends upon the hen. Some leave off almost immediately (what I would call bad mothers). I think the average is around 6 to 8 weeks of age...you will tell as it will be soon after they teach them to roost...sounds like Mom is still protective but starting to wean them. Some really broody mothers (like my Silkie) will continue to brood them until almost adult...ya know, some just have trouble cutting the apron strings.

All sounds and looks well with your little flock. Babies will be safe and integrated...your hen was a good momma.

Lady of McCamley

 

[AmericanMom]

T Minus 4 days and counting til Broody Butt's eggs should start hatching.... Didn't have to kick her off her nest today, she ran out into the sunshine lol... Working out back and opened the door to the rabbit house I have her in.. She spent about 15 min out scratching around doing her poopy thing and right back in... This may be her last chance before they hatch!! Cant wait, I am so anxious to see her own egg hatch, I have yet to incubate one of hers so this is kinda cool.. The other nine matter too of course

 

[AmericanMom]

Totally depends upon the hen. Some leave off almost immediately (what I would call bad mothers). I think the average is around 6 to 8 weeks of age...you will tell as it will be soon after they teach them to roost...sounds like Mom is still protective but starting to wean them. Some really broody mothers (like my Silkie) will continue to brood them until almost adult...ya know, some just have trouble cutting the apron strings.

All sounds and looks well with your little flock. Babies will be safe and integrated...your hen was a good momma.

Lady of McCamley

That's about spot on... my BA kicked hers to the curb at 7 weeks...

Poor babies, didn't deal with rejection easy for awhile..

 

[fisherlady]

Quote:
Silkies do come in standard and bantam... though I believe the standard (or LF) are much more the norm in Europe, there are a few folks in the states with them...I have crossed my Silkie with a LF rooster hoping for some larger broody types, but so far they are tending to stay about the same size as mama... time will tell with the last 3, since they are about her size at 17 weeks, so they may end up slightly larger.
For larger broodies though, I have had great luck with my Silver Pencil Rocks and even had a hatchery Black Giant... so if they continue that trend I won't need to worry about having banties for broodies.

Quote: The little ones sure do seem lost the first few days... hard to not coddle them when it happens, but they will find their place in a short time. Our current Black Giant broody is now taking her 6 week olds up onto the roosting platforms (3 nights now)... they all get to cuddle around her, but are in the midst of all of the bigger birds also. During the day she is still taking care of them and today had them in the woods digging through leaves. I think she will be ready to leave them within a week or two though.