Broody Hen Thread!

[ClareScifi]

Is alfalfa foliage okay to feed a brooding hen? She's not eating her crumbles well, but she loves watermelon seeds and flesh, broccoli bits, chard and alfalfa. Are any of these taboo? What would be the best greens to give her? Are garlic chives okay to feed her? What would she really love?

 

[heatherkh]

Quote:
We didn't candle at all. I didn't want to disturb our broody any more than I had to (she wasn't separated, so I marked the eggs before setting them and did check a few times for sneaky eggs). My feeling was, she knew what she was going more than I did and the less monkeying by me the better. I also didn't want to be second guessing what I would see if I candled and toss away a viable egg.

She took care of her own needs as far as getting off the nest for a preen, some water/food, a stretch. Eggs will only rot and explode if the shell is compromised enough to allow bacteria in there. Our eggs that didn't hatch just didn't hatch - 2 were slooshy sounding, one was solid and felt like it had developed nearly all the way. We removed them when it was clear hatching activities were over and mom needed to get off the nest and deal with her babies. We gave the unhatched eggs to our neighbor as he uses them to bait traps for raccoons.

By the way - what's the difference between this thread and the other long broody momma thread?

 

[NewToFarming]

Quote:
I bet she will wait it out! I had silkie moms I had to take the eggs away or they would sit forever. She had chicks and the remaining eggs were not viable. If I let her sit on them, she would still be there! LOL You will have to keep us posted and of course post pictures of mom with her new little babies!!!!

 

[heatherkh]

If she's anything like my broody, she won't get off those eggs for love nor money until they hatch.

 

[AlienChick]

My broody Silkie has hatched 9 babies and there is one egg left in the nest.
I removed all the babies and put them in a box in the house.
I have an EcoGlow brooder in there for them to snuggle underneath.
This is my first time using an EcoGlow and I am really impressed with it.

So far I have:
(3) Seramas
(1) Polish/EE mix
(1) Silkie
(3) Polish/Silkie mix
(1) d’Uccle

 

[NewToFarming]

Quote:
They are adorable!!! Congrats! Just curious why you didn't let mom raise them?

 

[AlienChick]

Quote:
The eggs were hatching over the period of a week since they were added to the nest on various dates.
After the first three were hatched, I knew they would need to eat/drink and mom wanted to stay put on the nest.
(The very first one to hatch died just before I went in to remove them.)
So I began removing the babies to a brooder so they could eat/drink.

 

[mstricer]

Quote:
The eggs were hatching over the period of a week since they were added to the nest on various dates.
After the first three were hatched, I knew they would need to eat/drink and mom wanted to stay put on the nest.
(The very first one to hatch died just before I went in to remove them.)
So I began removing the babies to a brooder so they could eat/drink.

You probally could have put them back under her after all were hatched, here is my Ms Cruella with her two hatches 4 hers 3 from incubater. A week old and she has them out and about forging

 

[FarmerBoy24]

I have 2 broodies sitting on some silkie eggs. Due to hatch Thursday!!!

 

[KalikoFarms]

Just thought I would put my broodys picture up with her babies, 2 silkies that are hers and 5 Marans that were hatched out of the hatcher.

Rita